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The feast went gayly onward until an incident occurred that greatly disturbed the host. The wine failed. The host had not calculated rightly, or perhaps he had not counted on so many guests.
Mary, with her motherly heart, was the first to notice the confusion of the servants when they discovered that the wine vessels had become empty; and leaning towards her Son, whispered, "They have no wine." "My hour is not yet come," He answered her, meaning that His time for working miracles had not yet arrived. He knew on the instant what the gentle heart of His Mother desired. His words sounded like a refusal of the request which Mary made rather with her eyes than with her tongue; but the sequel shows that the Blessed Mother fully believed that her prayer would be granted.
She quietly said to the servants, "Whatsoever He shall say to you, do ye." They had not long to wait. There were standing close at hand six great urns of stone, covered with branches, as is the custom in the East, in order to keep the water cool and fresh. These vessels "containing two or three measures apiece," were kept in readiness for the guests, who were required not only to wash their feet before touching the linen and drapery of the couches, but even during the meal frequently to purify their hands. Already there had been many of these ablutions performed, and the urns were being rapidly emptied.
"Fill the waterpots with water," said Jesus to the servants.
They filled them up to the brim with clear, fresh water.
"Draw out now, and carry to the chief steward of the feast."
And they carried it.
When the chief steward had tasted the water made wine, and knew not whence it was, he called the bridegroom and said 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."
The steward had supposed at first that the host had wished to give an agreeable surprise to the company a.s.sembled at his table; but the latter, to his amazement, was at once made aware that a wondrous deed had been accomplished--that water had been changed into wine!
Jesus had performed His first Miracle.
From this beautiful story of the first miracle of Jesus, we learn that Jesus Christ is G.o.d, and that Mary, the Mother of G.o.d, whose intercession is all-powerful with her Divine Son, has a loving and motherly care over the smallest of our life's concerns.
[Ill.u.s.tration: THE FEAST _Veronese_.]
PRECEDED, went before in order of time. The prefix _pre_- means _before_. Tell what the following words mean:
prefix, predict, prepare, prejudge, prescribe, predestine, precaution, precursor, prefigure, prearrange.
Read the sentences of the Lesson that express commands.
Memory Gems:
The conscious water saw its G.o.d and blushed.
_Richard Crashaw._
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of G.o.d; and that believing you may have life in His Name.
_Gospel of St. John._
_21_
dec' ades (dek' ads) di' a dem
MY BEADS.
Sweet blessed beads! I would not part With one of you for richest gem That gleams in kingly diadem: Ye know the history of my heart.
For I have told you every grief In all the days of twenty years, And I have moistened you with tears, And in your decades found relief.
Ah! time has fled, and friends have failed, And joys have died; but in my needs Ye were my friends, my blessed beads!
And ye consoled me when I wailed.
For many and many a time, in grief, My weary fingers wandered round Thy circled chain, and always found In some Hail Mary sweet relief.
How many a story you might tell Of inner life, to all unknown; I trusted you and you alone, But ah! ye keep my secrets well.
Ye are the only chain I wear-- A sign that I am but the slave, In life, in death, beyond the grave, Of Jesus and His Mother fair.
_Father Ryan._
"Father Ryan's Poems." Published by P. J. Kenedy & Sons, New York.
From the following words make new words by means of the suffix -_ous_: joy, grace, grief, glory, desire, virtue, beauty, courage, disaster, harmony.
(Consult the dictionary.)
Memory Gem:
Mary,--our comfort and our hope,-- O, may that name be given To be the last we sigh on earth,-- The first we breathe in heaven.
