The two projects we’ve done so far (magnets and trivia cards) this Lenten season related to the Stations of the Cross have been great. I’ve learned a ton in creating both, but there was one thing that has really weighed heavily on my mind.
With the Stations of the Cross so top of mind, I keep coming back to Jesus seeing his mother. I can not even imagine what that must have been like. Let me say that again: I *can not* even imagine what that must have been like. To be the mother of a child, and to see your child bruised, bloodied, torn, carrying the cross upon which they were about to be nailed to, then seeing them nailed to the cross and left to die…I cry in just even thinking about it.
Mary. What an amazingly STRONG woman. To go through what she went through from the very start – from Jesus’s conception – leading up to this day takes an amazing amount of inner strength. God was with her from the very beginning, and he never left her side. Even with Him by her side, it must have been unimaginable to have to witness Jesus walking through the crowd, towards the mount and seeing him HANGING on the cross. Simeon almost gave her the warning in Luke 2:34-35 when he said, “…he is destined for the fall…a sword will pierce your own soul too.”. I think back to our son’s Baptism and can’t fathom being Mary when she received this news…with the sweet, tiny face of a newborn staring back. Jesus was a baby. Her baby. Imagine living your whole life as a mother of a child – a child so, so special – and knowing that his death was to brutally proceed yours “like a lamb lead to slaughter” (Isaiah 53:7).
So much emotion is passed in a glance. I wonder what that glance between Jesus and his mother was like when they met for the last time. Was it a look of sorrow knowing it was the last time they’d meet on Earth, a look of mutual anguish as each shared some of the others pain, a look of resignation as they both had known this day would come? So much can be said just with a look. One emotion we know that was there was love. Pure, beautiful love between a mother and her child. She tucked away her fear as the angel had instructed her (Luke 1:30) and stayed with Jesus, by his side, through it all.
Follow-Up: a reader sent me this link, and I want to share it with you. Be prepared to have a box of tissues by your side! It is a beautifully written prayerful devotion of each station, written by Mary about her son.
Just for fun…this post links up at these great Catholic and quilting sites.
Jen,
This is such a beautiful meditation. Thank you for sharing it!
Cheryl
http://www.diary-of-a-sower.blogspot.com
Cheryl – a reader just emailed me the link above (I posted it at the bottom of the meditation). It's beautiful, and I wanted to share. Hope you're doing well, and talk to you soon.
Hi Jen, I'm a Minister of Care trainee and have been doing a reflection on the stations of the cross with the homebound parishioners and when we get to the one that talks about Mary's sacrifice she makes without complaint since its the Father's will, tears me up each time. It's beautiful and painful all at the same time. Will check out your link.
Noreen, what a beautiful thing you do!!! Please share how it goes.