And from that hour the disciple took her into his home

Gn 3,9-15.20 or.: At 1,1 2-14; Ps 86; Jn 19,25-34
10 JUNE

In the Gospel according to John, in the narration of the marriage of Cana it is revealed what the Mother of Jesus does when she is in the life of the Church. She always watches over so that the love of the Father may never be lacking in her, but rather people grow in it until reaching the peak of perfection. When the love of the Father does not reign in the Church, He might do nothing for the salvation of the world. Faith in Christ Jesus is not born. For the constant, solicitous, attentive and vigilant presence by the Mother of Jesus everything is renewed and the wineskin of the Church will always give the world good wine, the new wine that flows from the heart of Lord Jesus. The new wine is the Holy Spirit. It is He who must renew everything.

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” (And) Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it. And 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 and 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.” Jesus 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 (Jn 2,1-11).

In the passage of the Gospel offered to our meditation and welcome in its purest and most holy truth, not only is the Mother given as a gift, but also the wine that for her maternal care must always be poured into the heart of every disciple of Jesus. However, there is a condition to be observed. The Church must take Mary not with her, but as her true Mother. In the Church every disciple must also take her as his true Mother. The text of the Vulgate and the Greek text affirm this with divine clarity. John took her as his own Mother (et ex illa hora accepit eam discipulus in sua. kaˆ ¢p’ ™ke…nhj tÁj éraj œlaben Ð maqht¾j aÙt¾n e„j t¦ ‡dia). Cana Wedding and Delivery are one mystery. Mary belongs to the Church as her true Mother.

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I thirst.” There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth. When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, “It is finished.” And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit. Now since it was preparation day, in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the Sabbath, for the Sabbath day of that week was a solemn one, the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken and they be taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out.

The Church does not love the Virgin Mary and does not worship her with a very special veneration called hyperdulia, above the veneration of every other male or female saint, just because she is Mother of God, Mother of Christ the Lord. She loves and venerates her, honours and listens to her as her true Mother. As children listen to the Father, so they must listen to the Mother. At the Wedding at Cana, the servants listen to Mary and listen to Christ. Mary invites to listen to Christ. She lives to teach every disciple the listening of Christ, as every earthly mother lives to teach her son how to listen to his Lord, Creator, Saviour and Redeemer. Where Maria is absent, weddings remain without ever good wine.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints ensure that the Church listens to the Word of Jesus Crucified.