She is my mother

She is my mother!

“Seeing his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her, Jesus said to his mother, ‘Woman, this is your son.’  Then to the disciple he said, ‘This is your mother.’  And from that moment the disciple made a place for her in his home.”  (John 19: 26)

Jesus hung on the cross for three hours.  Mary stood by Jesus till the very last moment.  She stood there without support of any kind.  I think of occasions when I had to stand for about an hour in a function.  It was stressful.  But we see Mary here stood under the cross with her eyes firmly fixed on Jesus.  She saw everything.  She watched Jesus as they drove the nails into his flesh.  Then they hauled up the wooden cross with the body of Jesus and fixed it to a deep hole in the ground.  It can be safely said that not too many women from the beginning of the world had witnessed such a deep sorrow and suffering.  Mary did not faint nor swoon.  God gave her the strength to endure everything.  She became as it were, the first Christian martyr.

Jesus with eyes bloodshot from intense suffering saw his mother standing beside the cross.  He said to the mother, ‘Woman, this is your son, Emmanuel.’  As I stood there, crushed with sorrow, I heard Jesus say to me:  ‘This is your mother.’  What exactly does Jesus mean by saying to me, ‘This is your mother?’  I understand.  Life will present unbearable moments after his death.  I would need a mother to console me, advice and intercede for me.  I need Mary.  Yes, Lord Jesus, you are right.  I need a mother.  Thank you for your mother who is also my mother.