{"id":283,"date":"2009-10-30T21:16:32","date_gmt":"2009-10-31T03:16:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/?p=283"},"modified":"2013-11-04T16:35:34","modified_gmt":"2013-11-04T22:35:34","slug":"the-voice-of-mary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/catholic\/the-voice-of-mary\/","title":{"rendered":"The Voice of Mary"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"The
The Marriage at Cana by David Gerard<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\nOne interesting observation concerning the miracle at the wedding feast at Cana (John 2:1-11<\/span>) is the change in Mary\u2019s voice from passive to active. When she speaks to Jesus about the wine running out she does not ask a direct question. She does not ask for a miracle. Contrast Mary in this scene against those who in the Gospels asked for a sign: <\/p>\n

Zechariah: Luke 1:18-20<\/span>.
\nPharisees & Sadducees: Matthew 16:1-4<\/span>
\nThe crowd at Capernaum: John 6:30-33<\/span>, John 6:66<\/span>
\nAnother crowd: Luke 11:29-32<\/span>
\nHerod: Luke 23:8-9<\/span><\/p>\n

Usually, when people ask Jesus for a sign it\u2019s because they lack faith, they are testing Him or they are coming to see a spectacle. But there are exceptions such as when the disciples asked for a sign of Christ\u2019s return (Matthew 24:1-51<\/span>). Mary does not ask for anything, instead she merely makes the statement,\u201d They have no wine.\u201d Such a statement doesn\u2019t even seem to imply that Jesus should do something about it; at least not in our culture today. Jesus\u2019 response is not one that would seem to communicate that He intends to do anything about it either. If that\u2019s where it ended the waiters would be left to resolve the problem on their own. What could they come up with? Would the head waiter approach the groom? Would they go out and get more wine? These are the natural methods we would employ with a certain degree of effort to solve our problems. Despite the fact that there is no indication that Jesus will do anything the waiters do not depart from Jesus and Mary. What are they waiting for unless they have some degree of faith? So there is a great deal of subtext to read between the lines especially considering that the very next words from Mary are a clear directive. She already knows what Jesus will do without a word of consent from Him. Mary says, \u201cDo what He tells you.\u201d This active voice is doing more than commanding the waiters. It\u2019s true that this is a request that Mary makes of us as well. As grand a point as that is there is still something more. The waiters have been waiting for instruction and Mary gives it to them, which validates their patience. This chapter ends with the particular note that because of this miracle the disciples began to believe in Jesus. Mary is way ahead of them and is already spreading her faith around. Mary’s intersession instigates the miracle which gives the disciples cause to believe. Her behest also reinforces our desire to follow Jesus. Mary is so confident that Jesus will do something that she dispels any doubt on our part. She fills in for our lack of faith. She reassures us and invites us to move into action and to give wings to our trust in Jesus so that we do not just move about on our own but we fly with the help of faith to accomplish what God asks of us.<\/p>\n

<\/div><\/div>John 2:1-11<\/span>
View in: NAB<\/a> Vulg<\/a> Greek<\/a><\/span><\/div>
1<\/span>And the third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: and the mother of Jesus was there.<\/div>
2<\/span>And Jesus also was invited, and his disciples, to the marriage.<\/div>
3<\/span>And the wine failing, the mother of Jesus saith to him: They have no wine.<\/div>
4<\/span>And Jesus saith to her: Woman, what is that to me and to thee? my hour is not yet come.<\/div>
5<\/span>His mother saith to the waiters: Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye.<\/div>
6<\/span>Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three measures apiece.<\/div>
7<\/span>Jesus saith to them: Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.<\/div>
8<\/span>And Jesus saith to them: Draw out now, and carry to the chief steward of the feast. And they carried it.<\/div>
9<\/span>And when the chief steward had tasted the water made wine, and knew not whence it was, but the waiters knew who had drawn the water; the chief steward calleth the bridegroom,<\/div>
10<\/span>And saith to him: Every man at first setteth forth good wine, and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse. But thou hast kept the good wine until now.<\/div>
11<\/span>This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee; and manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div>Luke 1:18-20<\/span>
View in: NAB<\/a> Vulg<\/a> Greek<\/a><\/span><\/div>
18<\/span>And Zachary said to the angel: Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.<\/div>
19<\/span>And the angel answering, said to him: I am Gabriel, who stand before God: and am sent to speak to thee, and to bring thee these good tidings.<\/div>
20<\/span>And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be able to speak until the day wherein these things shall come to pass, because thou hast not believed my words, which shall be fulfilled in their time.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div>Matthew 16:1-4<\/span>
View in: NAB<\/a> Vulg<\/a> Greek<\/a><\/span><\/div>
1<\/span>And there came to him the Pharisees and Sadduccees tempting: and they asked him to shew them a sign from heaven.<\/div>
2<\/span>But he answered and said to them: When it is evening, you say, It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.<\/div>
3<\/span>And in the morning: Today there will be a storm, for the sky is red and lowering. You know then how to discern the face of the sky: and can you not know the signs of the times?<\/div>
4<\/span>A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign: and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. And he left them, and went away.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div>John 6:30-33<\/span>
View in: NAB<\/a> Vulg<\/a> Greek<\/a><\/span><\/div>
30<\/span>They said therefore to him: What sign therefore dost thou shew, that we may see, and may believe thee? What dost thou work?<\/div>
31<\/span>Our fathers did eat manna in the desert, as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.<\/div>
32<\/span>Then Jesus said to them: Amen, amen I say to you; Moses gave you not bread from heaven, but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.<\/div>
33<\/span>For the bread of God is that which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life to the world.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div>John 6:66<\/span>
View in: NAB<\/a> Vulg<\/a> Greek<\/a><\/span><\/div>
66<\/span>And he said: Therefore did I say to you, that no man can come to me, unless it be given him by my Father.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div>Luke 11:29-32<\/span>
View in: NAB<\/a> Vulg<\/a> Greek<\/a><\/span><\/div>
29<\/span>And the multitudes running together, he began to say: This generation is a wicked generation: it asketh a sign, and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.<\/div>
30<\/span>For as Jonas was a sign to the Ninivites; so shall the Son of man also be to this generation.<\/div>
31<\/span>The queen of the south shall rise in the judgment with the men of this generation, and shall condemn them: because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold more than Solomon here.<\/div>
32<\/span>The men of Ninive shall rise in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas; and behold more than Jonas here.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div>Luke 23:8-9<\/span>
View in: NAB<\/a> Vulg<\/a> Greek<\/a><\/span><\/div>
8<\/span>And Herod, seeing Jesus, was very glad; for he was desirous of a long time to see him, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to see some sign wrought by him.<\/div>
9<\/span>And he questioned him in many words. But he answered him nothing.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>
<\/div><\/div>Matthew 24:1-51<\/span>
View in: NAB<\/a> Vulg<\/a> Greek<\/a><\/span><\/div>
1<\/span>And Jesus being come out of the temple, went away. And his disciples came to shew him the buildings of the temple.<\/div>
2<\/span>And he answering, said to them: Do you see all these things? Amen I say to you there shall not be left here a stone upon a stone that shall not be destroyed.<\/div>
3<\/span>And when he was sitting on mount Olivet, the disciples came to him privately, saying: Tell us when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the consummation of the world?<\/div>
4<\/span>And Jesus answering, said to them: Take heed that no man seduce you:<\/div>
5<\/span>For many will come in my name saying, I am Christ: and they will seduce many.<\/div>
6<\/span>And you shall hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that ye be not troubled. For these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.<\/div>
7<\/span>For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be pestilences, and famines, and earthquakes in places:<\/div>
8<\/span>Now all these are the beginnings of sorrows.<\/div>
9<\/span>Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall put you to death: and you shall be hated by all nations for my name's sake.<\/div>
10<\/span>And then shall many be scandalized: and shall betray one another: and shall hate one another.<\/div>
11<\/span>And many false prophets shall rise, and shall seduce many.<\/div>
12<\/span>And because iniquity hath abounded, the charity of many shall grow cold.<\/div>
13<\/span>But he that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved.<\/div>
14<\/span>And this gospel of the kingdom, shall be preached in the whole world, for a testimony to all nations, and then shall the consummation come.<\/div>
15<\/span>When therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place: he that readeth let him understand.<\/div>
16<\/span>Then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains:<\/div>
17<\/span>And he that is on the housetop, let him not come down to take any thing out of his house:<\/div>
18<\/span>And he that is in the field, let him not go back to take his coat.<\/div>
19<\/span>And woe to them that are with child, and that give suck in those days.<\/div>
20<\/span>But pray that your flight be not in the winter, or on the sabbath.<\/div>
21<\/span>For there shall be then great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be.<\/div>
22<\/span>And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved: but for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened.<\/div>
23<\/span>Then if any man shall say to you: Lo here is Christ, or there, do not believe him.<\/div>
24<\/span>For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect.<\/div>
25<\/span>Behold I have told it to you, beforehand.<\/div>
26<\/span>If therefore they shall say to you: Behold he is in the desert, go ye not out: Behold he is in the closets, believe it not.<\/div>
27<\/span>For as lightning cometh out of the east, and appeareth even into the west: so shall the coming of the Son of man be.<\/div>
28<\/span>Wheresoever the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together.<\/div>
29<\/span>And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be moved:<\/div>
30<\/span>And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all tribes of the earth mourn: and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with much power and majesty.<\/div>
31<\/span>And he shall send his angels with a trumpet, and a great voice: and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the farthest parts of the heavens to the utmost bounds of them.<\/div>
32<\/span>And from the fig tree learn a parable: When the branch thereof is now tender, and the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh.<\/div>
33<\/span>So you also, when you shall see all these things, know ye that it is nigh, even at the doors.<\/div>
34<\/span>Amen I say to you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.<\/div>
35<\/span>Heaven and earth shall pass, but my words shall not pass.<\/div>
36<\/span>But of that day and hour no one knoweth, not the angels of heaven, but the Father alone.<\/div>
37<\/span>And as in the days of Noe, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.<\/div>
38<\/span>For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, even till that day in which Noe entered into the ark,<\/div>
39<\/span>And they knew not till the flood came, and took them all away; so also shall the coming of the Son of man be.<\/div>
40<\/span>Then two shall be in the field: one shall be taken, and one shall be left.<\/div>
41<\/span>Two women shall be grinding at the mill: one shall be taken, and one shall be left.<\/div>
42<\/span>Watch ye therefore, because ye know not what hour your Lord will come.<\/div>
43<\/span>But know this ye, that if the goodman of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would certainly watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken open.<\/div>
44<\/span>Wherefore be you also ready, because at what hour you know not the Son of man will come.<\/div>
45<\/span>Who, thinkest thou, is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath appointed over his family, to give them meat in season.<\/div>
46<\/span>Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord shall come he shall find so doing.<\/div>
47<\/span>Amen I say to you, he shall place him over all his goods.<\/div>
48<\/span>But if that evil servant shall say in his heart: My lord is long a coming:<\/div>
49<\/span>And shall begin to strike his fellow servants, and shall eat and drink with drunkards:<\/div>
50<\/span>The lord of that servant shall come in a day that he hopeth not, and at an hour that he knoweth not:<\/div>
51<\/span>And shall separate him, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"<\/a>

One interesting observation concerning the miracle at the wedding feast at Cana (John 2:1-11) is the change in Mary\u2019s voice from passive to active. When she speaks to Jesus about the wine running out she does not ask a direct question. She does not ask for a miracle. Contrast Mary in this scene against those … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,53],"tags":[25,29,24,27,28,26],"class_list":["post-283","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-catholic","category-mysteries-of-the-holy-rosary","tag-cana","tag-luminous","tag-mary","tag-mysteries","tag-rosary","tag-wedding"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/283","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=283"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/283\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1229,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/283\/revisions\/1229"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=283"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=283"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.catholicbookwriter.com\/goldenarrow\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=283"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}