d her son the most tender and intimate friendship
existed. He opened his soul to her; and she gave him not a mother's
love only, but also a mother's wise counsel and strong, inspiring
sympathy.

It is almost certain that sorrow entered the Nazareth home soon after
the visit to Jerusalem. Joseph is not mentioned again; and it is
supposed that he died, leaving Mary a widow. On Jesus, as the eldest
son, the care of the mother now rested. Knowing the deep love of his
heart and his wondrous gentleness, it is easy for us to understand with
what unselfish devotion he cared for his mother after she was widowed.
He had learned the carpenter's trade; and day after day, early and
late, he wrought with his hands to provide for her wants. Very sacred
must have been the friendship of mother and son in those days. Her
gentleness, quietness, hopefulness, humility, and prayerfulness, must
have wrought themselves into the very tissue of his character as he
moved through the days in such closeness. Unto the end he carried in
his soul the benedictions of his mother's life.

The thirty silent years of preparation closed, and Jesus went out to
begin his public ministry. The first glimpse we have of the mother is
at the wedding at Cana. Jesus was there too. The wine failed, and
Mary went to Jesus about the matter. "They have no wine," she said.
Evidently she was expecting some manifesting of supernatural power.
All the years since his birth she had been carrying in her heart a
great wonder of expectation. Now he had been baptized, and had entered
upon his work as the Messiah. Had not the time come for
miracle-working?

The answer of Jesus startles us: "Woman, what have I to do with thee?
mine hour is not yet come." The words seem to have in them a tone of
reproof, or of repulse, unlike the words of so gentle and loving a son.
But really there is in his reply nothing inconsistent with all that we
have learned to think of the gentleness and lovingness of the heart of
Jesus. In substance he said only that he must wait for his Father's
word before doing any miracle, and that the time for this had not yet
come. Evidently his mother understood him. She was not hurt by his
words, nor did she regard them as a refusal to help in the emergency.
Her words to the servants show this: "Whatsoever he saith unto you, do
it." She had learned her lesson of sweet humility. She knew now that
God had the highest claim on her son's obedience,