9th Marian Festival - September 30, 2018

Once again, Filipinos (led by committee chairwoman Michelle Uemura of Mito) with their Japanese and other foreign partners from the various churches, communities, and organizations of the Diocese of Saitama will celebrate the 9th Marian Festival this September 30 in Tomobe, Japan. The Diocese of Saitama includes the parishes of Mito, Oyama, Shimodate, Tomobe, Toride, and Tsukuba (together with Joso).

This year’s Marian Festival theme centers on Mama Mary’s words: “Do whatever He tells you.”

John 2: 1-5 narrates that wedding in the town of Cana in Galilee.

“Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine had given out, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They are out of wine.”

“You must not tell me what to do,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”

Jesus’ mother then told the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”

This beautiful continuation follows (John 2:7-12):

“Jesus said to the servants, “Fill these jars with water.” They filled them to the brim, and then he told them, “Now draw some water out and take it to the man in charge of the feast.” They took him the water, which now had turned into wine, and he tasted it. He did not know where this wine had come from (but, of course, the servants who had drawn out this water knew); so he called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone else serves the best wine first, and after the guests have drunk a lot, he serves the ordinary wine. But you have kept the best wine until now!”

“Jesus performed this first miracle in Cana in Galilee; there he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him. After this, Jesus and his mother, brothers, and disciples went to Caparnaum and stayed there a few days.”

Below are the comments of Pope and now Saint John Paul II about this scene, pointing to Mama Mary’s role in our lives which explain why we should be seeking to consecrate ourselves to her, according to Michael E. Gaitley, MIC, in his book, 33 days to Morning Glory:

“(Cana) clearly outlines the new dimension, the new meaning of Mary’s motherhood. It is a new kind of motherhood according to the spirit and not just according to the flesh, that is to say Mary’s solicitude for human beings, her coming to them in the wide variety of their wants and deeds. At Cana, the simple need was for wine (seemingly unimportant) but this has a symbolic value: bringing human needs within the radius of Christ’s messianic mission and salvific power. Thus Mary placed herself, in the middle, between her Son and mankind - she acts as a mediatrix in her position as Mother. As she intercedes for mankind, she also wishes the messianic power of her Son to be manifested.”

She did not argue with Jesus or insist that he obeyed her. She said: “Do whatever He tells you to,” fully believing in Jesus and allowing Jesus to do and decide as he wished! What a beautiful lesson of faith for mothers and fathers.in dealing with their children!

At Cana, “Jesus evokes his first sign” with Mama Mary’s faith and mediation and with the servants obediently doing what Jesus told them to do. At this year’s Marian Festival in Tomobe, all are reminded to ask Jesus, through Mary, to do whatever Jesus tells us to “so that the water of our empty lives may turn into the wine of a fuller, happier life in him.”