Most of us remember the story of Jesus turning the water into wine, but what does this event reveal about his mother, Mary? Today as you read John 2:1-11, pause before you rush to the climax of the story. Look at the event from Mary’s perspective.
Remember Mary, by being pregnant, missed out on her own wedding celebration. Now, years later, she is attending the wedding of a friend. Mary could have pouted, been depressed, or even become bitter as she remembered her own loss. She could have scowled and even smirked when the family ran out of wine. She was not responsible for the success or failure of this bride’s wedding day celebration. Yet Mary observes the fact that the supply of wine is running low. She is compassionate and does not want her friend to face embarrassment or allow this shortage to spoil the bride’s special day. True compassion is more than sympathy. It leads to action: She calls upon her son to solve the problem.
That compassion is a quality she passed on to her son. Over and over Jesus feels compassion for those in the crowds because their problems were so great (Mt. 9:36), for the weak in the crowd who were hungry (Mt. 14:14), for two blind men at the side of the road (Mt. 20:34), and for a widow grieving the death of her son (Luke 7:13).
Mary taught her son to be alert to the needs of others. Do the people whom we love see us modeling that kind of compassion? Do they see it moving us to action?
