DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU

DO WHATEVER HE TELLS YOU

“How does your concern 
affect me?”

John 2:4

The wedding feast at Cana is Jesus’ “coming out” story in John’s Gospel. He works His first miracle here. Why does He do it – it seems such a trivial problem to solve through a miracle. However, this event reminds us that Jesus wants to be involved in every aspect of our lives. Faith and religion are supposed to penetrate into every sphere of our lives such that the values in which we believe will be lived and proclaimed to all.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
A great prophet has arisen in our midst and God has visited his people.


MORE THAN JUST A WOMAN

The manner by which Jesus addressed our Blessed Mother in today’s Gospel poses some problem as to how we are to understand the way Jesus sees and relates with His mother. Exegetes agree that the meaning and context of the word Gunai, the word Jesus used to address His mother in today’s Gospel, is not captured in the simple English word, Woman.To say that Jesus called His mother “Woman,” as how we would use the word now to address or call a person of the feminine gender, would simply be rough or even rude. And so considering that it was the same word that Jesus used on the cross as He entrusted His mother to John, there must be something more to the word than simply being an aloof and distant address.

William Barclay traces the word Gunai in history: In Homer, it is the title by which Odysseus addresses Penelope, his well-loved wife. It is the title by which Augustus, the Roman Emperor, addressed Cleopatra, the famous Egyptian queen. So, far from being a rough and discourteous address, it was a title of respect.Hence, the most accepted translation of it is Lady (according to Ben Cric) — a term that connotes politeness, courtesy and even chivalry. Jesus regarded His mother with such courtesy that He addressed her as Gunai.Now this graciousness of Jesus towards His mother was evidently reciprocated by Mary with her thoughtful confidence in His Son. So, no matter how we understand the manner by which Jesus spoke to His mother, this cannot erase the fact that she had utmost confidence in her Son as she said, “Do as He tells you.” It’s like saying she’s unquestionably sure that her Son will perform the miracle that she beseeches. Fr. Sandy V. Enhaynes

DO WHAT HE TELLS YOU

His Mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” – John 2:5

We’ve seen it in the movies time and again. The hero who sacrificed his life to save many is about to die in the arms of his lover. With his last ounce of energy, he attempts to say something to her. But he stops in midsentence, gasps for breath and dies. Everybody watching the film wants to know what he was about to say because those are the most significant words of his life. Last words said on earth or huling habilin are indeed most important.

“Do whatever my son tells you” are the last words in Scripture that the Mother of Jesus said. These words say so much about our Mother Mary. Every time we go to her in prayer, she leads us to her Son. When we pray the rosary or a novena to her, all our prayers are escorted to God Himself. Just like what she did at the wedding at Cana, Mama Mary doesn’t call attention to herself. She always brings us to Jesus. Mama Mary tells you, “Do whatever, Jesus, my son, tells you to do.” Arun Gogna (gognaa1@yahoo.com)

REFLECTION:
Are you doing what Jesus is telling you to do? How is your relationship with Mary, the mother of Jesus?

TODAY’S BLESSING
think: If we know the will of God for our lives, we would know what to do and pray for, such that we will be faithful to it.

Lord Jesus, thank You for giving us Mary to be our mother. Thank You, Mama Mary, for being our intercessor to the Father. Mama Mary, please help me listen to and follow what your Son Jesus tells me.