Mary did you know

 Every year right after Thanksgiving, we start to hear Christmas songs. For some, that is a time for joy and for others I think they start complaining shortly after Halloween that Christmas songs will soon start playing non-stop till the end of the year. Why do I bring this up in May? There is a popular Christmas song titled "Mary did you know", at least I believe that is the name of it. The focus of the song is asking Mary if she actually knew who her baby was. Of course, we have no way of knowing what the answer to that specific question is, but while thinking of Mother's Day I thought of the verses in John describing the first miracle that Jesus performed. Let's look at John chapter 2.

The Wedding at Cana

The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. 3 The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” 5 But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, 8 he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. 9 When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. 10 “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” 11 This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him. 12 After the wedding he went to Capernaum for a few days with his mother, his brothers, and his disciples. 

Starting in verse 3, I'm intrigued at the interaction between Jesus and Mary. Up to this point, Jesus hasn't performed any miracles. I'm sure Mary has heard him speak lots of times, and of course she has seen his daily actions since birth. But, why did she go to Jesus with this? Why did Jesus respond the way he did? The word that I can't stop thinking about is the word "time". In verse 4, Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come". But then he does the miracle. Some commentaries say that this back and forth is showing the change from a Mother/Son relationship to a relationship between a woman and her savior relationship. The commentaries will also say that when he pretty much tells her no, what he is actually saying is I need to consult with my Father before I do anything. Even though it doesn't say that Jesus prayed before he did anything, I think it's likely that he did. I think that is why in his response he says, that's not "our" problem. So in a lot of ways I understand and agree with what the commentaries are saying. But, for some reason I don't feel as though anyone has addressed why Mary went to him in the first place. If I'm being honest, I have to admit that I think some of the issue is that some religions make Mary out to be way more that she is, and then in return other religions try and reduce everything she says or does. I think that means that the real answer is somewhere in between. I think that Mary took the responsibility to raise our Savior and she did an amazing job. I think that God trusted her and used her as part of Jesus's ministry. In the text above, I think God used her to say to Jesus "It's time to check in with your Father, I have seen you and listened to you, and I believe in you". Maybe I am reading too much into it. I know that anything is possible and that I can be way off, but I guess my main point is this, Jesus had an earthly Mother, she helped raise Jesus and when the time came for him to separate from her and become a Savior to the world, she let him know that she was ok with him leaving. SHE KNEW what he had to go do.