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The Christmas Cycle
Holy Ghost gave her as jewels the fullness of His gifts; the Son clothed His future mother in
the bridal attire of complete holiness and the richest virtues. “All beautiful art thou, Mary, and
there is no stain in thee.” Therefore “the King desires thy beauty.” He sends the angel Gabriel as
matchmaker to ask Mary’s consent to the marriage. The bride gives her answer: “Be it done to
me according to thy word” (Lk 1:38). Mysteriously the union of the eternal Son of God and
Mary, the virgin bride, takes place. This union, full of grace, endured on earth for thirty-three
years. The new Eve took her place at the side of the new Adam, and became His trustworthy
assistant in the work of our redemption.
The first Eve lost our inheritance for us; the second Eve returns us to Christ, the new
Adam. As the new Eve, Mary stands under the cross, shares the pains with the new Adam,
and courageously offers Him to the Father. In like manner she is His helpmate in the painful
regeneration of the children of salvation. “Woman, behold Thy son.” She is the mother of the
living, the mother of those redeemed on the cross. By her assumption she became queen of
heaven and earth. She is the mistress, the queen of all, the bride of Him to whom all power
in heaven and on earth has been given. As bride and queen she has been made protectress of
His treasures and dispenser of all His graces. She is enthroned at the right hand of the King,
attired in the gold of God’s glory, surrounded by choirs of angels and saints, with power over
the heart of her bridegroom and King. We rejoice that the Lord has chosen her as His bride.
We congratulate her; we pay her homage. With boundless confidence we turn to her, the bride
of the omnipotent God, our powerful intercessor.
“They have no wine.” Mary is the virgin bride, the mighty helpmate of the new Adam. She
has a quick perception and an eager eye for the necessities of those around her. She grasps the
situation at once and does the right thing. She notices before anyone else that the wine is short.
“They have no wine.” The first recorded words of Mary, the royal bride, at the wedding feast in
Cana are spoken to relieve the need of her host — a human and superficial need, but she is aware
even of these. In the mouth of the bride of Christ, this plea to Christ has a symbolic meaning.
We hear this plea and recognize it as a symbol of the requests she makes for us before the throne
of Christ. “They have no wine.” If Mary had such sympathy for the needs of the couple at the
feast of Cana, how much more will she heed our more pressing needs? All the necessities of
men, their cares and sufferings, she will carry to the Lord of heaven: “They have no wine.” Upon
her request, what we have need of will be given to us.
“Whatsoever He shall say to you, do ye.” The second words of Mary are directed toward
us. Hardly has she made known our needs to the Lord, when she turns to us and makes known
to us what God wishes of us. Just as she noted quickly what men were in need of, so, too, she
perceives what God demands of His children. “Whatsoever He shall say to you, do ye.” The
servants do as Mary advised them. They listen to the words of Jesus: “Fill the waterpots with
water.” Now Mary’s petition will be heard. The need of the wedding couple is satisfied. “Blessed
is the man that heareth Me” (Prv 8:34). Mary demands that we do what Jesus bids us and wishes
us to do. She is one with Him and conforms in all things to His will.
“All the glory of the king’s daughter is within golden borders, clothed round about with varieties.
After her shall virgins be brought to the king” (Ps 44:14 f.). Mary is the royal bride enthroned
above all other creatures. In external life she is so humble, so poor, so insignificant in the eyes
of men; and yet she is of royal birth. But that which is unnoticed by men is the very thing that
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