Mary Elizabeth Baxter :: Mary and the Marriage of Cana—John 2.

The Lord Jesus was already called to His ministry, but, as the perfect Man, we never find Him denying family responsibilities. He was as ready to serve His Father in this as in anything else. When He was called with His disciples to a marriage in His mother's family, He did not plead that His ministry was so important that He could not answer to the call; He was present there, and His mother was probably responsible for the provision. Thus, when the supply of wine ran out, it seemed natural that she should call on Him to exercise His Divine power in the present pressing need. And she said to Him:

"They have no wine."

Jesus was always led by His Father; moment by moment, He received from Him the words He should speak, and the deeds He should do. He answered her:

"Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come."

Had Mary possessed the sensitive and touchy spirit which some almost pride themselves upon, she would have been hurt at such an answer. But Mary knew too much of God to do anything but receive the rebuke as being merited. She immediately took her right place. She had learned her lesson, and she passed it on to the servants:

"Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it."

O if every woman, by her every word and deed, taught this great lesson, she would not have lived in vain.

As soon as Mary understood things were ripe,

"Fill the water‐pots with water."

The guests had washed; why provide for them again? The servants did not argue, but obeyed; the water in the water‐pots was turned into wine, and Mary had been made a blessing. This was one more step out of self into Christ, in the pathway which led to her place at the Cross-almost the nearest place to Jesus.

But she had yet another lesson to learn. In the days of His ministry, when Jesus was in Galilee, there came a day when His mother and His brethren stood without, desiring to speak to Him. (Mat 12:47.) But He, answering to the messenger sent by them, said:

"Who is My mother? and who are My brethren? And He stretched forth His hand towards His disciples, and said, Behold My mother and My brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother."

As early as the day when she found Jesus teaching in the temple, Mary had to learn that the authority of His Heavenly Father was paramount with Jesus. More deeply still she learnt it at the Marriage Feast, and now she was prepared to know that heavenly relationships take precedence of earthly relationships. All this was preparation for Calvary; and when Jesus hung there, Mary was one of the four disciples who stood beneath the Cross, and, with perhaps the last gleam of human vision before He died, He saw His mother, and commended her to His beloved disciple John:

"Behold thy mother!" "Behold thy son!"

Mary was one of those who were found at the sepulchre, and one of those who saw Jesus risen. (Mar 15:47.)

"Blessed is she that believed." Without being great or prominent in herself, she helped to make ready the way of the Lord. She had been a true handmaid, not of man, but of the living God, and, perhaps, no woman more fully fulfilled her vocation.

The Lord teach us all the same self‐renunciation, the same faith, the same humility. Amen.