“Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene” (John 19:25).
“When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be. And in my hour of darkness, she is standing right in front of me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be” (qtd from song “Let It Be” / written and sung by Paul McCartney of the Beatles). It was the women standing near the cross of Jesus. Love drew them. They loved Jesus because they knew Him, and they would not be kept from Him in His hour of need. As Jesus let it [the will of the Father] be, they stood by in love; they practiced a ministry of presence. They stood near Christ in His darkest hour and were there with Him. Mary’s motherly comfort and presence in her Son’s most horrific suffering meant something. When a child suffers, there is both a unique comfort and anguish that comes forth from the mother. She cannot stay away because her child needs her, yet she, too, is nearly broken to watch her child suffer and die right next to her. “…one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out” (John 19:34). A sword pierced Mary, too. Did not Simeon prophesy to Mary when she brought the infant Jesus into the temple: “And a sword will pierce your own soul, too” (Luke 2:35)? Questions for us to consider: 1. Who are you standing near in the dark hours of suffering? What does it mean for you to stand near the cross of Jesus, like the women did? 2. Is it love that draws you near to those who are suffering? 3. When you are powerless to relieve someone’s suffering, will you withstand the discomfort of being near them as they suffer and/or die? How? 4. In what ways has a sword pierced you as you participate in the fellowship of sharing in Christ’s suffering? 5. If you have been taught to minimize the role of Mary in Jesus’ life and death because your tradition fears the veneration of Mary, how does the above meditation impact you?
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Valerie GeerWriter. Women's activist. Theologian. Providing authentic reflections from a female perspective. Archives
March 2016
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