The Eighth of the Twelve Days of Christmas

The liturgical calendar calls us to celebrate today the Solemnity of the Mary, the Mother of God. In today's gospel we read that from Jesus' infancy, Mary kept in her heart and pondered the mystery of who he was. The scriptures offer us little detail about Mary's growing understanding of Christ and his mission but certainly something significant is revealed in her conversation with her son at the wedding feast at Cana. 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."

Mother Mary,
Why did you bring the problem with the wine to Jesus?
What did you expect him to do?
What led you to believe he would do something?
What had you already seen and heard
that led you to trust that he could help?

When he told you his hour had not yet come,
did you know, did you understand
the hour of which he spoke?

With such simple confidence you told the servers,
"Do whatever he tells you."
We see your faith in him
and in his power to make things right.

Even as you told your son
that the wedding couple had run out of wine,
we pray you will tell him and ask his help
when we run out of hope, perseverance and faith,
of patience, wisdom and virtue...

Teach us to trust in him as you did...
Ask him to make fine wine
of the water of our lives...

Help us to do, willingly, whatever he tells us...

Intercede for us, blessed Mother,
in the everyday Cana moments of our lives...

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us...