His Mother Stood at the Cross

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 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. (John 19:25-27)

Mary at the foot of the cross stood as mother, servant and the "number one fan" of Christ.

In pain, Mary sees everything that happened to her Son.  Can a human pain endure this suffering--- a mother seeing her Son dragged without mercy, chained, ridiculed, insulted, condemned, scourged, accused falsely, made to carry the cross where he stumbled under it, and being crucified and left to die?   Who would endure it seeing your beloved with wounds all over, looking less than a man, suffering in great agony while having a bad reputation and shame around him?  Indeed, Mary is a strong woman with a heart stronger than a man, bravely suffering with and for Christ.

If the motherly instinct is to feel pain on her breast when a child of hers is sick or suffering, how much more will be the suffering of Mary when her Son is dying before her?  Surely, this pain will mean a lot as Simeon foretold, it is a sharp sword that pierces her heart.

Mary stood as if telling Christ: "I am with you."  She willingly joined with Christ out of love of him and also out of obedience to the Father's will.  Her fiat continued at the foot of the cross.  She surrendered herself to the will of God and for her Son.

She is also a servant when he joined Christ who" came to serve and not to be served".  She is one with Christ's service to all men.  She participates in Christ's redemption.  She also wills that all men be saved.  And in the Lord's Passion, she is also there with Jesus--- redeeming with him , for him and in him.  I have reflected also that Mary also suffered for me in oneness with Christ.  I was also a part of her pains.  My sins caused her to suffer a lot.  She is a servant of love for me.

She is a "number one fan" of Jesus.  If a child graduated, or received an award or won in a contest, the mother is the "number one fan".  She will be there even though she will be the only one standing.  She will be the first one to clap her hands.

At the foot of the cross, though the rest of the disciples left except John and Mary Magdalene, Mary stood.  She must be proud how her Son made all things new through his death.  If Christ is victor on the cross, Mary shares and celebrates his victory.

As I imitate Christ and follow on the footsteps of Christ, Mary is there as my mother, servant and my "number one fan".  She stood by me in joy and in pain.  Since Christ entrusted her to me as my mother.  In my sorrows, sufferings, continuous bearing of the cross, she is with me, following Christ with me and also saying to me: "I am here!"  In the process of death to myself, in times of pain, Mary stays with me, enduring the pain with me.  

If I have God as my father, I have Mary as my mother.  She always sings her oyayi, her lullaby as I continue to follow Christ.