There’s an expression that I’m sure many of you have heard and if you’re a woman, you may have even used it yourself at the end of a tiring day ... it’s the expression that goes, “A woman’s work is never done!” Who is it that’s involved with the shopping, the cooking, the cleaning, the bill paying, the teaching and transporting and tending to the children? It’s typically the woman, the Mother of the family. She seems to constantly be on call to do something and rarely can she take a break from the routine of daily living. It seems that there’s always the next meal to be planned, another load of clothes to be washed, and someone who needs care and comfort. Hence the saying, “A woman’s work is never done!” What’s very interesting is that this expression applies not only to the women of our day and time, but also to a woman, who lived 2000 years ago ... a woman, who was called “Woman” in the Bible ... a woman named Mary!

Recall in Genesis, how right after Adam and Eve were deceived by Satan and committed the Original Sin, God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers. He will strike at your head; while you strike at his heal.” In saying this God gave His first indication that He would one day send a Savior to overcome the huge break in relationship that Adam and Eve caused by their sin. And He indicated that the Savior would be a man ...born of ... a woman. God kept His promise as St. Paul described in our Second Reading from Galatians:, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”

This woman was Mary. She’s the one who mothered Jesus for the 30 years of His hidden life, feeding Him, caring for Him, teaching Him, and forming Him in the ways of God. So, she knew first hand, “A woman’s work is never done!” Then one day while Jesus & His Mother were at a Wedding Feast in Cana, Mary noticed the wine running short and mentioned it to Jesus, who immediately replied, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” Here again, Mary is referred to by the title of woman. Scripture tells us she persisted and directed the servers with the command, “Do whatever He tells you.” Being obedient to His Mother’s wishes, Jesus performed His first miracle, changing water into wine ... and thereby beginning His public ministry.

It’s here we see the powerful role Mary played in bringing aid to the wedding guests It was through her intercession with Jesus that the guests received more wine for their celebration. This shows that Mary notices the needs of others and that she has special influence with her Son, Jesus in getting help for others. It also shows that Mary’s role was not just to take care of Jesus, but to take care of others as well. Right before Jesus died on the Cross ... He commissioned Mary ... to continue to care for others. Seeing Mary and John at the foot of the Cross, Jesus said, “Woman behold your son, son behold your Mother.” Once again, Mary is referred to as woman ... linking her to the promise ... that God made back in Genesis ... that He would send help to his people through a woman.

Mary lived several more years after Jesus died, but her work was not done. Upon her death, Mary was assumed body & soul into Heaven ... and now sits at the right hand of Jesus, where she reigns as Queen of Heaven and Earth. And what is she doing from her place at the right hand of Jesus in Heaven? Well, she’s a woman ... and “A woman’s work is never done! As Mother to the whole world ... Mary is very busy indeed! If she noticed the shortage of wine at a wedding, Mary will certainly notice ...and take action on ... the many more pressing needs that we, her children, have today! And the action she takes ... is to present our needs to her Son, Jesus. Yes, Mary is our intercessor ... our advocate ... our Mother. And she’s hard at work to get us the help we need to make it to Heaven too. Then and only then ... will her work be done ... when everyone is with the Lord.

As we celebrate her today under her greatest Title, “Mary, Mother of God” Recall her last words recorded in Scripture ... words she spoke to the Servants at Cana ... words that she speaks to all of us every day ... “Do whatever He tells you! Let’s heed her advice and seek her powerful intercession with Jesus. Since we’re not in Heaven yet ...we can still use all the help we can get. So let’s call upon Mary regularly and often ... to approach Her Son on our behalf ... grateful for the fact that ... “A woman’s work is never done!”