This
touching masterpiece reminds me of when Mary and Joseph presented Jesus
in the Temple and Simeon prophesied to Mary, “A sword will pierce your
own soul.” Mary’s sorrow is so profound that it not only pierces her
to the core of her being, but it sets her off-balance. And yet as we
know from the Gospel of John, Mary remains standing (cf. John 19:25).
What
enables her to stand there, while she suffers the most profound torment
and sorrow possible for a mother? I see a clue in Mary’s outstretched
hand: she is fully united in offering her own sufferings with those of
her Son.
Mary must have understood better than anyone
else her Son’s mission. She knew he was the Messiah; knowing the
Scriptures well, she also knew that the Messiah would be God’s suffering
servant. She must also have had many conversations with Jesus about the
purpose of his mission—to bring God’s saving love to the world. Perhaps
Mary also understood Jesus’ prophecy that he would rise again in three days.
While
none of this lessened her tremendous grief at witnessing her Son’s
death, it gave her the strength to stand in hope and know that
everything happening to her Son had a purpose, that God would use even
Jesus’ death as a way to bring salvation. Mary hoped in the power of
God’s saving love, even at this darkest, most hopeless hour.
Today,
as we pray to Our Lady for those who grieve for the loss of a loved
one, let us pray in a particular way for the gift of the same hope that
Mary had. Let us pray that hope in God’s saving love may become the
strength that sustains all those who mourn.
Mary, our Hope and Undoer of Knots, pray for us!
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