WHY BOTHER NOW?

Reflections on the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time: Isaiah 62:1-5, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, John 2:1-11

Italian novelist and philosopher Umberto Eco famously said, “Translation is the art of failure” and today’s gospel proves why. Jesus tells Mary, “Woman, how does your concern affect me?” Different biblical translations provide different versions of the same verse. Woman, what does this have to do with me? (English Standard Version). What business do you have with Me, woman? (New American Standard Bible). What does that have to do with you and me, woman? (Christian Standard Bible). Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? (New King James Version). Woman, why do you involve me? (New International Version). Dear woman, that’s not our problem (New Living Translation).

Quite a number of these versions run the risk of making Jesus not only sound insensitive to the problem at hand (lack of wine) but also disrespectful to his own mother. In the original Greek version, however, Jesus’ response is very formal and polite. The term ‘woman’, which is also used in John 19:26 (again with Mary) and 20:13 (Mary Magdalene) is a respectful address meaning ‘madam’ and the question ‘How does your concern affect me?’ actually means ‘What does this have to do with me?’ Why would Jesus ask such a question? It is not because he is rude or blunt but because he is on a divine schedule. He knows everything happens at a time determined by his Father and his hesitation concerns the timing and purpose of Mary’s proposed intervention. So, Jesus asks his concerned mother how he can get involved when his time has not yet come.

Jesus’ question is not why bother? It is perhaps why bother now? He is right for other valid reasons too. Mary, Jesus, and his disciples have been invited to the wedding as guests. The person responsible for the feast was the headwaiter. Also called the master of the banquet or the chief servant, he was responsible for overseeing the wedding arrangements. Interestingly, John reports in the final part of the gospel, the headwaiter does not seem to be aware of the shortage of wine or where this new wine had come from. He is surprised that they served the inferior wine first and kept the good wine until then. So, when the overseer himself does not seem to know what is happening, why would it be Jesus’ problem or his mother’s? Further, as it is clear from the passage, no one asks Mary or Jesus to intervene. John does not report the bride or the bridegroom requesting them to do something about their embarrassing situation. So, why bother now?

Mary wasn’t happy with being a mere guest. Her empathy and motherly kindness push her to become involved. She becomes an active participant in the situation. This is something that we see often with Mary. She shows up whenever the situation demands. When Elizabeth became pregnant in her old age, Mary shows up (Luke 1:39). When people claim that Jesus is out of his mind and teachers of the law accuse Jesus of driving out demons with the help of Beelzebul, Mary shows up (Mark 3:31). In the final moments of his earthly life, when Jesus, deserted by his own disciples, hangs between the sky and the earth nailed to the cross, Mary shows up (John 19:25). When the scared disciples lock themselves up in a room fearing the Jews, Mary shows up (Acts 1:14). Mary was never happy to be a guest. She always chose to get involved. Mary continues to show up in the lives of countless people throughout the centuries intervening when the situation demands (Fatima, Lourdes, Velankanni, Guadalupe, Banneux, Quito, Salette, Knock, etc.,).

Mary’s active and participative discipleship model inspires Jesus to anticipate his public ministry. Mary mediates the inauguration of his ‘time’. Jesus’ decision to intervene at the wedding transforms shortage into abundance. Discipleship is not about waiting for tomorrow to become a better person. We don’t need to wait for tomorrow or the next Lent season to go to confession, make changes in our lives, begin a project, reconcile with an estranged brother or sister, or reach out to a person in need. Discipleship is about grabbing the opportunities around us to become a channel of God’s grace and transformation. This is the kind of proactive engagement that Isaiah characterises in the first reading, “For Zion’s sake I will not be silent,  for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet”. God intervenes when his chosen people are named ‘desolate’ and ‘forsaken’.

 As the second reading explains, we are all gifted with different charisms: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, mighty deeds, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues, etc., However, all these varied gifts have one source (God) and one purpose ( service). The Spirit expects us to use them proactively and creatively to benefit our family, Church, and society. Why bother now? Because our time is now! Let us follow the proactive examples of Mary and Jesus to bring abundance where there is shortage, to carry joy where there is despair, and to mediate grace where there is sin and death.