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CHAPTER XIV.

SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY.

THE FIRST MIRACLE AT CANA.

Gospel Narrative.

S. John ii. 1.

Reflections.

JESUS began to enlighten the world with wonderful signs. By His Bodily Presence, and no less by the beginning of His miracles, He would honour and commend marriage, which He had appointed, as lawful and honourable. See the LORD JESUS eating as one of the guests, and sitting humbly among them, until His mother tells Him "they have no wine." This happened not casually, but that there might be an opportunity for a miracle, by which His Glory should be manifested, and the faith of His disciples in Him be confirmed.

Mary said, "They have no wine," hinting only at the deficiency, but asking nothing; knowing that to her Holy and loving Son it was enough to suggest the need, without making the request, and therefore she does not say, 'Give them wine,' observing the reverence due to her Son, and, trusting in His liberality and mercy, she merely sets forth the deficiency. JESUS answered, "Woman, what have I to do with Thee? Mine hour is not yet come." "To know the fit time for the miracle is Mine, it belongs to Me alone, and therefore," He adds, " Mine hour is not yet come." To work miracles belongeth to CHRIST according to His Divine Nature, which He had not from His mother; and, therefore, in His manner of answering her, He showed that in this He owed her no obedience. He had the power of working miracles from the FATHER; but when the hour of suffering is come, in the Nature which He had from His mother, then He recognized

her from the Cross, and commended her to "the disciple whom He loved."

The Blessed Virgin, trusting in His goodness, thought her request not rejected, but only delayed, and therefore returned to the servants who ministered, and said, "Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it." She knew Him to be so merciful and kind, that He would sympathize with those who were in want, and do what was required, though He seemed to speak sharply, and to refuse. Let us learn from this, always to obey CHRIST, and not despair if, when we pray, He seem to answer us harshly, but, like the Blessed Virgin, confidently wait for His mercy.

JESUS said unto the servants, " Fill the water-pots with water." And they filled them up to the brim. And the LORD, by His Divine Power, turned the water into wine. And He ordered them to draw out, and take it to the ruler of the feast, which they did. And the ruler was astonished when he tasted the good wine. In the miracles of CHRIST, we generally find that they terminated in something better than could be done naturally. Every man at first sets forth good wine; loves, and seeks what is lovely for the present, then what is worse, for he will find bitterness in the future. Thus the devil first suggests something under the form of good, and when a man is inebriated by complacency, then he infuses what is worse. CHRIST does not first set forth the good wine, but reserves it for the future. At first He sets before us things bitter and hard, because narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, and all, who will live godly in CHRIST, must suffer bitterness and tribulations; but in the

This

future they obtain delights and joys eternal. beginning of miracles did JESUS in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth His Glory, His true but hidden Divinity, and confirmed the faith of His disciples, who believed on Him. This was the beginning of His mighty works; and in this He showed Himself as the Bridegroom of His Church, and that it is He Who created all things out of nothing, since He could change the elements at will.

As in marriage there is a union of man with woman, so is there a union of GOD and man in union of Natures, and fellowship of the Spirit created, with the Spirit uncreated, and this in grace and in glory. The first union or betrothing of GOD and man was when He united the human nature to the Divine, in unity of Person. The second, of GOD and man united in one Spirit, in the grace of love. The third, of GOD and man in glory, when the faithful soul shall be called to the marriage supper of the Lamb, (Rev. xix. 7-9,) and shall sit down with the Bridegroom in heavenly light.

Now, in all these, the water of earthly consolation passes into the wine of eternal delight in the sweet communion of GOD.

We may say, too, that of the marriage, of which we here speak in the literal sense, is understood the union of CHRIST and His Church, and that this marriage was begun in the Incarnation, and was promulgated when the Church was united to Him by faithand it will be consummated, when the Bride (the Church) shall be introduced into the chamber of the Bridegroom, in celestial glory.

Meditation.

Was this then Thy first miracle, O Saviour, that Thou wroughtest in Cana of Galilee ? And could there be a greater miracle than this, that having been thirty years on earth, Thou didst no miracle till now? that Thy Divinity did hide itself thus long in flesh, that so long Thou wouldst lie obscure, unknown to that world Thou camest to redeem? The first public miracle graceth a marriage. He that made the first marriage in Paradise, bestows His first miracle upon a Galilean marriage. He that was the Author of Matrimony, and sanctified it, doth by His holy Presence, honour the resemblance of His eternal union with His Church. Happy is that wedding where CHRIST is a guest! O Saviour, those who marry in Thee, cannot marry without Thee. There is no holy marriage whereat Thou art not truly present by Thy Spirit, by Thy gracious benediction. Thou makest marriages in heaven, Thou blessest them from heaven. O Thou that hast betrothed us to Thyself in truth and righteousness, do Thou consummate that happy marriage of ours in the highest heavens.

The Blessed Virgin complains of the want of wine, and solicits her Son JESUS for a supply. Whether we want bread, or water, or wine, necessaries or comforts, whither should we run, O Saviour, but to that infinite munificence of Thine, which neither denieth anything nor upbraideth? We cannot want, we cannot abound but from Thee. Give us what Thou wilt, so that Thou give us contentment with what Thou givest.