Though it is uncertain whose marriage it was in Cana of Galilee, as writers have remarked, yet we may suppose, for meditation, that it was that of S. John the Evangelist himself, as S. Jerome seems to affirm in the preface to S. John. The Blessed Virgin was present, not as one of the invited guests, but as an elder sister, and as one of greater dignity ; she was in her sister’s house as in her own, as manager and mistress of the entertainment This we gather from three things. First, because it is written that “the mother of Jesus was there,” but of Jesus and His disciples that they were invited to the feast, as doubtless all the rest were. Perhaps when the sister of the Blessed Virgin, Mary Salome, the wife of Zebedee, came to her to Nazareth, which was about fourteen miles from Cana, in order to tell her that she intended to celebrate the marriage of her son John, the Blessed Virgin returned with her some days before the approaching entertainment took place, to make the requisite preparation ; hence, whilst others are said to have been invited guests, of her it is only said that she “was there.” Secondly, we have a hint to the same effect, in the fact that she was the one who called attention to the deficiency in the supply of wine, which, had she been simply a guest, she would not have done. It is evident that the provisions passed through her hands, and accordingly she knew of the lack. And if she had taken her place as a guest, would she have been by her Son, amongst the men — this modest mother ? And, had she been in the company of the women, would she have found out that the wine was running short more than any other ? And if she had, would she have risen from the table and gone to her Son ? It would have seemed quite unfitting ; and therefore it is probable that she was not seated amongst the guests. We are told of her, moreover, that she was ever ready to help others. Thirdly, it may be concluded from this, that she gave orders to the servants to go to her Son, and do whatsoever He bade them ; so that it appears that she was in a position of authority, and had the supervision of the feast, and on that account was anxious that there should be sufficient for all.
Viewing, then, the matter in this light, behold the Lord Jesus eating as any one of the people, and sitting in a low place, and not amongst the chief guests, as we may gather from the passage in the Gospel. For, not after the manner of the proud, would He choose out the chief rooms at feasts, for He was soon to teach, “When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, go and sit down in the lowest room .”1 But He “began to do,” before He began “to teach.” Turn now to the Blessed Virgin, and see how promptly and attentively she observes the needs of all, supplying the servants with whatever the guests require, and directing them how to wait upon them. And now, when, at the dose of the feast, the servants come to her, saying, “We have no more wine to set before them,” she replies, “I will procure you some more; wait a little.” And going down to her Son, whom we may depict, as I have said, as sitting humbly at the end of the table, near the door of the room, she said to Him, “My Son, the wine is failing, and our sister is poor, and I know not how we shall get more.” But He answered, “Woman, what have I to do with thee ?”2
This answer seems hard, but it was for our instruction, according to S. Bernard, who says on this passage, “What hast Thou to do with her, O Lord ? Art not Thou her Son ; she, Thy mother? What hast Thou to do with her, dost Thou ask, Thou Who art the Blessed Fruit of her virginal womb ? Is it not she who conceived Thee, and bore Thee, without loss of her virginity ? Is it not she, in whose womb Thou remainedst for nine months, at whose virgin breasts Thou didst suck, with whom, when twelve years old, Thou didst go down from Jerusalem and to whom Thou wast subject? How is it, then, O Lord, that Thou dealest so severely with her by saying, ‘ What have I to do with thee ? ’ Much in every way hast Thou to do with her. But now I see plainly that, not as indignant with her, or as desiring to confound the tender bashfulness of the virgin and mother, Thou saidst, ‘What have I to do with thee?’ For when the servants came to Thee, at her bidding, Thou didst do without hesitation what she suggested. Why, then, brethren, why did He first give her such an answer ? Evidently on our account, and for the sake of others who have been turned to the Lord, that the care of earthly parents should not render us too anxious, and that natural affections may not hinder the exercises of the spiritual life. For, so long as we are in the world, it is our duty to take care of our parents ; but when we have forsaken ourselves, surely we should be free from anxiety respecting others. Thus, we read of a hermit who lived in the desert, that, when his brother came to him to seek his advice, he desired him to apply to another brother, who had died long before. Whereupon his brother remarked with surprise that he was dead ; and the hermit replied, ‘So am I also/ In the best manner, then, our Lord hath taught us not to be anxious about our relations more than religion requires, by the way He replied to His mother — and to such a mother ! — ‘ Woman, what have I to do with thee?3 In another place, too, when some one announced to Him that His mother and brethren stood without, desirous to speak to Him, He answered, ‘ Who is My mother, and who are My brethren?’ 1 Where, then, are those who have such a carnal and vain anxiety about their relations, as if they still lived together?”4 Thus far S. Bernard.
His mother did not suffer herself to be discouraged by this reply, but, relying on His benignity, returned to the servants and said, “Go to my Son, and whatsoever He saith unto you, do it.” And they went, and filled the water-pots with water, as the Lord had bidden them. When this was done, He said to them, “Draw out now, and bear to the governor of the feast” But in this, first note our Lord’s discretion, for He sent first to him who occupied the seat of honour. Secondly, he sat at some distance from Him, for His command is, “bear” it to the governor of the feast, as though he were some way off. For as he sat in the chief place, we can gather that our Lord did not wish to sit near him, but chose for Himself the lowest place. The servants then delivered the wine to him, and to the rest, disclosing the miracle, since they knew about it, and His disciples believed in Him. When the feast was ended, so the story runs, the Lord Jesus called John apart, and said to him, “Leave this your wife, and follow Me, for I will lead you to higher nuptials.” And John followed Him. By His presence at a wedding-feast our Lord approved carnal marriage as ordained of God. But in this, that He called John from it, He clearly gave us to understand that spiritual marriage is far more sublime.
After this, the Lord Jesus departed from thence, purposing from henceforth to be occupied publicly and openly with the work of our salvation. But first, it may be, He would conduct His mother to her home, for it was meet that the Blessed Virgin should have His company on the journey. Whereupon He takes her, and John, and His other disciples, and they enter into Capernaum, which is near Nazareth, and after some days they reach Nazareth. Behold them, then, on the road ; how they walk together, the mother and the Son ; how humbly they go on their way, and on foot, but very lovingly. O how great that Son ! How pure that mother ! Behold the disciples reverently following, and listening to the words of the Lord. For He was never idle, but was always engaged in saying or doing something good It was not possible for His fellow-travellers, in such company, to grow fatigued
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