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The Mysteries
of Light
Pat Collins CM continues his series on the new Mysteries of Light
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The second of the mysteries of light is the story of Mary’s intercession at the marriage feast of Cana (Jn 2:1-11). The roots of her role as gracious advocate are to be found in the Old Testament. At one time in Israel the king could have many wives. In order to avoid rivalries and disputes, the queen mother was honoured as the fi rst lady in the land. She was referred to as the “great lady.” She assisted the king in ruling the kingdom and had two interrelated roles. Firstly, she was the king’s counselor. She would advise him about administrative matters. Secondly, she had the role of advocate. The ordinary people could approach her with their requests, and she would present them to her son, the king. There is an instructive example of what was involved in 1 Kings 2:19-20. It is about the relationship that existed between King Solomon and his mother Bathsheba. In the text we are told that on a state occasion: “The king rose to meet her, and bowed down to her; and he sat on his throne, and had a seat brought for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right. Then she said, “I have one small request to make of you, do not refuse me.” And the king said to her, “make your request, my mother, for I will not refuse you.”" There is a similar story in Esther chapters 7-8. Like Bathsheba, queen Esther had great influence over the king. On one occasion he said to her. “What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to half of my kingdom it shall be fulfilled” Esther 7:2. The Queen begged king Ahasuerus, to put an end to the evil plan of Haman who intended killing the queen’s fellow Jews. We are told that the king granted her request, sentenced Haman to death, and gave Esther his authority to write to the people on his behalf. Jesus recognised in Mary’s request the expression of His Father’s will During the marriage feast of Cana, Mary noticed that the wine was running short. Wishing to prevent embarrassment, she interceded with a confidence greater than that of queens Bathsheba and Esther. We are told that “When the wine failed the mother of Jesus said to him. “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not come yet” Although Jesus had received the ability to perform deeds of power at his baptism, clearly, he didn’t feel authorized to exercise it. As he acknowledged on one occasion: “The Son can do only what he sees the Father doing; and whatever the Father does, the Son does too” Jn 5:19. Nevertheless, Mary said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Although, up to that moment, Jesus had no reason to believe that the Father desired him to perform a deed of power, he discerned in his mother’s request that the hour had finally arrived. He recognized that her spontaneous impulse of loving concern and firm confi dence in his powers were inspired by the Spirit and therefore an expression of the Father’s will. Just as she had given birth to Jesus as a result of her obedient faith at the annunciation, so now she was giving birth to his public ministry, as a result of the same docile trust.
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This
incident has rightly been chosen as a mystery of light because it
manifested God’s glory in a new way. In scripture the word glory
refers to visible displays of God’s majesty and power. Speaking
about the miracle at Cana, John wrote: “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 2:11.
It could be argued that modern day believers are called to evangelise
by continuing and fulfi lling the Lord’s deeds of power in accordance
with His revealed will. As Pope Paul VI said at the launch of Cardinal
Suenen’s book, A New Pentecost?: “How wonderful it would
be if the Lord would again pour out the charisms in increased abundance
in order to make the Church fruitful, beautiful and marvellous, and
enable it to win the attention and astonishment of the profane and
secularised The Marriage Feast of Cana 
