Mary - a Mom whose Mourning changed in a Morning!

No parent would have ever undergone an agony mother Mary had at the foot of the cross. Her Jesus is crying in pain, thirsting and dying. Hagar mentioned in the book of Genesis could not bear to see her son Ishmael dying in front of her own eyes. She cried. God Almighty intervened and provided the mother and the son with a water resource. But in Mary’s case, she cries, but there is no divine intervention.  Even there was no divine intervention when Jesus cried, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” Mary would have found it difficult to understand that it was God’s plan that Jesus would suffer to death on a cross. When a spear was pierced into the body of Jesus it was like piercing mother Mary’s heart as well. Now was that not the prophecy that was given to her when Jesus was a baby, that a sword would pierce her soul one day?

Mary goes back in her memory lane to the day, she and Joseph went searching child Jesus for three days in the city of Jerusalem and finally found him discussing spiritual things with religious leaders. Twice the gospels record that Mary treasured memories in her heart (Luke 2: 19, 51).  A Mom’s treasury of thoughts is precious. Luke who has recorded most of Jesus’ childhood activities is said to have gathered information from the primary witness, Mary herself.

At the foot of the cross, Mary would have had quick flashes of child Jesus’ smiles, pranks and his obedient activities to his parents. Now her obedient child is hanging helpless because he is now obedient to the Father God. It was her Jesus who turned water into wine on her request. But now his thirst at the cruel cross could not be quenched and he was totally dehydrated to death.Jesus sees the tears of his mom now. His hands are nailed and he neither could reach out to his mom nor wipe her tears. He whispers in a feeble voice, “Woman, don’t hold to me anymore. Here is your son, John”. His eyes meet Johns’ and he whispers, “John, here is your mom.” What an agony Mary underwent as she saw her Jesus caring for her even in his painful death moments. Jesus preferred John than his own step-brothers because his own brothers have not yet become his disciples.

Mary remembers when once she and her other sons went to see Jesus, she could not reach out to her son because of the great crowd that was thronging around. Poor Mary always had to admire Jesus from a distance. Needless to say that Jesus who understood his mom Mary can understand moms and dads whose children are studying in distant hostels because of they being in ministry, parents who have to admire children from far because they have flown out of the nest due to jobs and marriages, parents whose kids are showing remorse attitudes because of their rebellious nature and parents who have lost their children to death. But to an eager Mary, Jesus said, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers and sisters?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:46-50)

It would have been a blow to Mary then. But now she is starting to understand the wider meaning of a family. To Jesus, a family is more than a biological connection. She realizes her need to become a disciple of Jesus! She even remembered what her Jesus told the women who were wailing and mourning (including Mary, I imagine) Jesus said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.” Now that made sense for Mary. She wept for herself and her other sons. The resurrection morning gave the answer. Oh what a joy it was for Mary to see her baby Jesus alive again! She and the brothers of Jesus meaningfully accepted the Lordship of Jesus after his resurrection.

Swords may pierce our souls like how it pierced Mary. But crosses and swords are not the end. The resurrection morning is the end. There is victory for sure for all those who accept the Lordship of Jesus!