"Do Whatever He Tells You."

In the Gospel of John we read of Jesus’ first public miracle – transforming water into wine at the Wedding Feast of Cana. This momentous occasion marks the start of Jesus’ public ministry – his proclamation of the Kingdom that leads to his suffering and death, and to the ultimate victory – the Resurrection and the gift of eternal salvation for us.

Yet, it is not the public of ministry of Jesus that I reflect upon today, rather it is the words of his mother, our mother, “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:5)

Those words seem to echo to me. At the start of John’s Gospel, the only eye-witness account of Jesus’ ministry, the evangelist saw it important to relay Mary’s words of instruction to the servers, “do whatever he tells you.” For me, it sets the stage for Mary’s role throughout the public ministry of Jesus and beyond. Mary always leads us to her son asking us to “do whatever he tells you.”

Mary’s trust and faith in God is unwavering. We read of this throughout the Gospel depictions of her life. She is the “handmaiden of the Lord” (Luke 1:38) and allows his will to flow through her every word and action. Still today in the apparitions that have occurred over the centuries since her death and miraculous assumption into heaven, she leads us to her son – she prays for us and intercedes for our every need before the throne of Jesus.

As we observe May as a month to honor Our Blessed Mother and look ahead to celebrate Mother’s Day on Sunday, let us open our hearts and grow in devotion to our Mother Mary so that she may aid us through her grace to grow in love with Jesus in the Eucharist.

May her words, “do whatever he tells you,” echo in our hearts and minds as we open ourselves to God’s will for us.