Rosary Musings: Second Luminous Mystery

The Second Luminous Mystery: the Wedding at Cana

From John 2:

1On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 [And] Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,d each holding twenty to thirty gallons. 7Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. 8Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it. 9And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from (although the servers who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom 10and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.” 11Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.

 A few things stand out to me here.  For one, we have Mary's faith.  It's like the parable of the widow who won't take no for an answer and keeps pestering until the judge listens.  Only Mary sees someone else's need and takes it to Jesus and trusts that He will act (as she continues to do).  We have her last recorded words here, telling the servants, and us, to "do whatever He tells [us]".  I wish I could say I were that obedient and trusting all the time, but I'm not. 

I also find it interesting that it's because of this sign that the disciples begin to believe in Him.  Not at His baptism, where His Sonship was so dramatically revealed, but here, in providing more than enough wine at a wedding.  Providing wine at a wedding feast also looks towards the Eucharist and the wedding banquet of the Lamb.  It seems somewhat ironic that many first believed here, but many turned away just a few chapters later when Jesus teaches about the Eucharist (John 6).