A Mother’s Sorrow for Her Son (Part 2 of 2)

Mary’s faith in God was tested publicly on the changing of water to wine during the wedding in Cana. This faith will sustain her for the hard days to come during the three (3) years of Jesus’ public life. With Mary at home, every now and then, news about her Son must had reached her: the miracles performed, the preachings done as well as the threats coming from the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the military authorities.

Preaching in his hometown, he was rejected. How this must have pierced Mary’s heart.

And so when Jesus was captured and brought before Pilate for the death sentence, Mary’s sorrow was reaching its climax. Either she was trying to reach him in praying devotedly or being consoled by the apostles and disciples. These are scary hours, very exhausting. If only Mary could do the suffering for Her Son, she would have had gladly done it.

His son Jesus bloodied and weak from beatings was carrying the heavy cross to Calvary. What a sight! What sounds of torture! With mockery! With blasphemy! With humility!

Then on the Cross, her Son Jesus died. After some hours, He was laid on her lap. Her full cycle of earthly suffering came to its end before Jesus was laid inside the tomb. The pain of bereavement is like the heart wounded and squeezed. I felt this when my husband died after an hour of heart attack. Mother Mary is a human being and must had felt that some pain especially during the final hours of Jesus’ agony.

May Our Mother of Sorrow showed us how to manage sorrow and suffering: Perseverance in loving which bears fruit in doing good because of faith in God.

Thy will be done Lord! (Ma. Iris Melliza)