By Pater Inutilis

The first week of Our Lord’s coming forth publicly to manifest Himself and gather disciples closes with the third day (Jn. 2:1) after calling Philip and Nathanael. St. John then shows us Him at a wedding in Cana of Galilee.

There is His mother who, aware of the wine supply failing, gently appeals to her Son’s goodness and suggests, by pointing the pending embarrassment out to Him, that He use that power she knows Him to have to forestall the same. This occasions a word of Jesus that has been variously understood: “Woman, what is that to me and to thee? My hour is not yet come” (2:4).

“Woman” is not the language of familial intimacy of Nazareth, but has in it something more solemn and honorific. St. John will show us Jesus so addressing other women on special occasions: the Samaritan woman, when He is about to tell her of the new dispensation and the fact that He is the Messiah (4:21). And also Mary of Magdala, when Jesus reveals to her His risen self (20:15). He will again so speak to His mother, when entrusting her with St. John, and, through him, to all of us (19:26).

“What is (that) to me and to thee?” This phraseology is actually an Hebraism, which translates rather poorly. It can hardly mean, as it is often understood, “Why should that concern us?,” when we know that we are dealing with One Who does not forget even a sparrow and numbers the very hairs of our head (cf. Lk. 12:6). Jesus, moreover, is charity ( I Jn. 4:8 & 16). Rather, let us remember that this way of speaking had been used for more than a millennium by Our Lord’s time, being read in Judges (11:12) and then in the books of Kings (II Kg. 6:10; 19:22; IV Kg. 3:13); and was still current in His time (Mt. 8:29). Any such long-lasting phrases become nuanced and apply somewhat differently, but still aptly, to differing circumstances. It is not surprising, therefore, that English will translate the expression quite differently from passage to passage. The fundamental idea is that ‘’We are not in agreement” or “What you suggest is not what I was thinking of.” It can go so far as to mean “What do we have in common?” Another example: “What have we to do with Thee, Jesus of Nazareth?” (Mk. 1:24 & 5:7), which was said to Our Lord by unclean spirits.

This is how St. Augustine reads 2:4. Therefore, the commentators who understand by it that Our Lord is reminding His mother that He is subject to her in things temporal, but in things divine must be about His Father’s business (Lk. 2:49-51), i.e., she has no say when it comes to the work of redemption. But this would seem to go beyond the context: Our Lord gives a different reason for seeming to refuse her request as not in line with what had been prepared for Him by His Father: “My hour is not yet come.”

It is this word of Christ that sheds light on His reply to His mother. What He meant by “His hour” will have escaped His disciples of the first hour (some things they will have realized only later, as e.g. when He was speaking of “the temple of his body,” from this same chapter). But Our Lord would speak more of “His hour’’ later on and St. John would understand that it meant the accomplishment of the work of redemption by the Sacrifice of the Cross.

And so, Jesus, bringing this up as a response to His mother’s delicate request. He is not refusing it or spurning her. He is reminding her of what it entails: He will be “manifesting His glory and having His disciples believe in Him” (cf. 2:11), and so becoming that sign which would be contradicted. He will be starting on that road that leads to Calvary. Her own soul a sword would pierce (cf. Lk 2:34). It is as if He were waiting on her word to begin the work of redemption, as God Trinity had waited on her word to operate the work of the Incarnation. And here is her response, addressed to the waiters at the wedding, “Whatsoever He shall say to you, do ye” (2:5), is addressed more to her Son, telling Him: “I give you leave. You must be about your Father’s business; do this, though it takes both of us to Calvary.”

The water was made wine, Jesus manifested His glory, the Public Life had begun, He would go forward unhesitatingly to what awaited Him at His hour.

This explanation embraces, too, those that say His mother is hastening His working miracles, for this would be a preliminary to His rejection and Passion.

On a spiritual note, let us take note that this is the last word of Our Lady in this, or any, Gospel. We shall see her again, but not hear her. Let us take this as her final word to us also: “Whatsoever He shall say to you, do ye.” This then is a “word of wisdom,” spoken “among the perfect” (I Cor. 12:8 & 2:6f).

On the rest of the chapter, we can but add a brief word:

Vs. 11—“This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee…” It is His first. The apocryphal gospels, relating the miracles of the infant or boy Jesus, are fables.

Vs. 15—Hitherto, Our Lord going at least annually to the Temple (cf. Lk. 2:41-43), had tolerated the merchants and money-changers, but now His public mission has begun. St. Jerome, incidentally, considers this expulsion to be maybe one of Christ’s greatest miracles: a lone rustic, in the midst of a throng of grasping money-men and priests, the latter having a temple guard, attacks them in what they hold most dear—unopposed. Let us note also that He will have to repeat this shortly before His passion. Bad habits, born of self-interest, are eradicated only with great difficulty.

Vs. 18—“What sign… ?” As if He had not just given them a great one! Self-love blinds.

Vs. 19—“Destroy this temple…” And yet He promises a sign—which they will twist and hold against Him.

Vs. 23—Now Jesus begins to work many miracles, “signs.”