The Cross …how could you……not be there?
How could she be there ?
How could she not be there ?
As mothers, we know there are times we would rather not be present when our children suffer and yet FOR LOVE WE MUST BE THERE and want to be if at all possible !
I remember pondering this decades ago after becoming a mom & wondering how Mary could endure watching her son suffer on the Cross for 9 hours ! Now, decades later & having buried 2 sons & many tragic events even more layers have been added to my meditation of the Cross of Jesus & our own “crosses” & Mary’s example.
There was Mary at the foot of Jesus’ Cross, hearing all the jeers, even from those Jesus had healed, surely she had a sword pierce her heart even before they pierced his in the depth of her grief.
And where were all the other followers & his disciples? Only the Beloved John remained there faithfully offering comfort like a son. They were both blessed by being there and Jesus words surely became true to them that day, ” Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
Mary had angel’s visits & experienced the heights & joys of motherhood & life to the full yet also had to become a fugitive in a foreign country when the Ruler wiped out all the boys under two , similar to when Moses was an infant. Now she was experiencing the agony decades later at a level no one else ever would as she watched her innocent son suffer for 9 long excruciating hours~ yet with such dignity .
How could she be there ? And yet, how could she not be there? And where were Jesus siblings , Mary’s other children? John became her true son that day & Mary became his mother and Jesus even declared it.
John 19:26–27 “When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, ‘Woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.” The clear understanding of the passage is that Jesus commanded John to care for Mary after His death.
Oh the agony & ecstasy of loving Christ above all and experiencing a taste of the suffering along with the glory of Jesus , the Christ, The SON OF GOD so dearly & nearly.
Will you come to the cross with Mary & imagine once again what love really is?
How can we really go there & imagine it fully without being broken inside and yet how can we not when we want to draw close to understand THE ONE WHO LOVES US BEST & MOST?
Let us linger there long enough for fresh tears of gratitude to pour down & soften holy ground for such a perfect life & for the perfect sacrifice…. Jesus the healer & friend of sinners.
Let’s look up & imagine His eyes looking down in love amidst all the pain & blood & sweat … bidding us to Remember HIS WORDS & HIS LIFE & HIS TENDER LOVING WAY in a brand new way ….
Let THE TRUTH SET US FREE….. for it might feel like some seasons of our life are like a “Friday that seems to last forever” but surely SONDAY IS A COMIN’ …. A DAY OF HOPE WHEN CAPTIVES ARE SET FREE & THE GRAVE HOLDS NO ONE forever BUT REPRESENTS
VICTORY ……..
yes …visit the the cross & tomb of Jesus life & yours also but only to learn & REMEMBER TO RISE AGAIN TO LIVE & LOVE ….
then love someone for Jesus today … a mother, a son, perhaps a neighbor with no one….
Will YOU be that one? ….. a REFLECTION OF THE BELOVED SON?
HALLELUYAH …. IT IS A GOOD DAY for those who EMBRACE & CHOOSE TO LIVE IN JESUS’ LOVE ~ weep with those who weep & let’s turn the mourning into dansing as SPIRIT LEADS..might not take as long as we think…WITH RESURRECTION POWER ~~~ ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE !
