To my Holy Mother
Mary, as I am waiting for Easter, I wonder how you must have felt waiting, after your Son had been put to death on the cross. And I wonder how you must have felt during the events leading up to His crucifixion. Were you startled when He was arrested and being sentenced? Were you praying that Pilate would excuse Him? Were you surprised at all that was being said against your innocent Son? Did you understand all that was happening and why it must happen this way? As He was being scourged, did you feel every whip blow? How you must have wanted to run in and hold back the hand of the man so brutally beating Him! As you saw His bloodied body carrying that wood to Calgary, how much sorrow you must have felt! How did you feel as He gazed so lovingly into your eyes with the love only God can give? When He fell, did you try to rush in against the push of the crowd to pick up your Son as you had when He was a child? Did you picture Him as He had been when He was just learning to walk, run, and jump?
What could you have thought as they drove those nails into His hands? How you must have jumped at every hammer blow! I can only imagine your sorrow and feelings of helplessness as they raised Him onto that cross, as you saw your beloved Son being crucified. How final that must have felt! Did you recall Simeon's words so many years before, "A sword will pierce your heart?" Did you know that He would rise again, or did you wonder how this would possibly turn out and what God would do with His own Son's death? As Jesus turned to you from the cross, John at your side, and said, "Woman behold your son," did you understand that you were to become Mother to all mankind? What were your thoughts as He took His last breath? And after they lowered Him from the cross, and you looked at His beaten and blood-smeared face, holding the body of your grown and crucified Son in your arms, did you wonder how humans could be so cruel to another man, and to God? Were you relieved that the His torture was over and that His body had been removed from that horrible cross, or did you long to be looking into the eyes of your Son once again?
And how was your soul? Having been redeemed by Jesus' death and resurrection even before your own conception and birth, being without sin, did you feel anger? Were you easily able to forgive His persecutors and those who sentenced Him to death? Were you frightened by all that had taken place, or did you feel complete and total trust in God the Father? Did the same Holy Spirit that had come over you after your holy "yes" come over you once again to comfort you? Did you feel the fear and the anger that was in the hearts of people surrounding you through the ordeal?
And, as you look at us, at our world, at so much sin, is your heart pierced again and again? As you see the sin we humans are still committing even after God had come down among us, that we may know Him, and had allowed Himself to be crucified for forgiveness of our sins, rising again that we may be redeemed, are you deeply saddened? Mary, I pray that I may provide some comfort for you with my own life, that I may grow in holiness and give you a small matter that may brighten your smile in the midst of sadness. Help me, guide me, pray for me in the midst of my sinful tendencies, in the midst of my pride, that I may be made more holy for your Son who gave of Himself for us all.
What could you have thought as they drove those nails into His hands? How you must have jumped at every hammer blow! I can only imagine your sorrow and feelings of helplessness as they raised Him onto that cross, as you saw your beloved Son being crucified. How final that must have felt! Did you recall Simeon's words so many years before, "A sword will pierce your heart?" Did you know that He would rise again, or did you wonder how this would possibly turn out and what God would do with His own Son's death? As Jesus turned to you from the cross, John at your side, and said, "Woman behold your son," did you understand that you were to become Mother to all mankind? What were your thoughts as He took His last breath? And after they lowered Him from the cross, and you looked at His beaten and blood-smeared face, holding the body of your grown and crucified Son in your arms, did you wonder how humans could be so cruel to another man, and to God? Were you relieved that the His torture was over and that His body had been removed from that horrible cross, or did you long to be looking into the eyes of your Son once again?
And how was your soul? Having been redeemed by Jesus' death and resurrection even before your own conception and birth, being without sin, did you feel anger? Were you easily able to forgive His persecutors and those who sentenced Him to death? Were you frightened by all that had taken place, or did you feel complete and total trust in God the Father? Did the same Holy Spirit that had come over you after your holy "yes" come over you once again to comfort you? Did you feel the fear and the anger that was in the hearts of people surrounding you through the ordeal?
And, as you look at us, at our world, at so much sin, is your heart pierced again and again? As you see the sin we humans are still committing even after God had come down among us, that we may know Him, and had allowed Himself to be crucified for forgiveness of our sins, rising again that we may be redeemed, are you deeply saddened? Mary, I pray that I may provide some comfort for you with my own life, that I may grow in holiness and give you a small matter that may brighten your smile in the midst of sadness. Help me, guide me, pray for me in the midst of my sinful tendencies, in the midst of my pride, that I may be made more holy for your Son who gave of Himself for us all.
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