Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/487

 Now there  were  in  the  room  six  water-jars  of  stone,  containing two  or  three  measures  apiece. Jesus gave  orders  to  the waiters: “Fill  the  water-pots  with  water.”  They  immediately  filled them to  the  brim. He then  said  to  them:  “Draw  out  now,  and carry to  the  chief  steward  of  the  feast.”

They did  so; and  the  steward,  not  knowing  whence  the  wine was, said  to  the  bridegroom: “Every  man  at  first  sets  forth  good wine, and  later  on  that  which  is  worse;  but  thou  hast  kept  the good wine  until  now.”  This  first  miracle  Jesus  wrought  in  Cana of Galilee,  at  the  request  of  His  Blessed  Mother;  and  His  disciples, seeing  His  divine  power,  believed  in  Him.

The object  of  our  Lord's miracles. We  can  see  clearly  by  this story the  reason  why  our  Lord  worked  miracles. His first  object  was to induce  men  to  believe  in  the  divinity  of  His  mission  and  in  the truth of  His  doctrine  (see  the  words  of  Nicodemus,  chapter  XV: “No man  can  do  these  miracles  which  Thou  doest,  unless  God  be  with  Him”). If God  were  with  Jesus,  then  everything  which  He  taught  must  be  true, because God  is  only  with  what  is  true. The second  object  of  our  Lord’s miracles was  to  instruct  men  not  only  by  words,  but  by  deeds  also. The miracle  at  Cana  teaches  us  that  we  ought,  according  to  our  means, to help  our  neighbours  in  their  necessities. It is  also  typical  of  that great and  lasting  miracle  of  divine  love,  power  and  wisdom,  the  changing of bread  into  the  Body  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  and  of  wine  into  His  Blood.