So I Stood By, Followed, Wept
I prayed the Way of the Cross with some friends during Lent. This one in particular is called Mary’s Way of the Cross and it is by the Little Sisters of the Poor. What struck all of us was the last line of each station’s reflection which I would like to share with you.
My prayer for all of us in this reflection is that we are able to be with our Blessed Mother in a way that maybe we have not before.
When I was in the Holy Land, we walked the Via Dolorosa. This was probably one of the most moving experiences of my spiritual life. I remember each Station vividly. Every step became more difficult. The crowds of people around us were acting like nothing had ever happened on this street. Much like that Good Friday. “Don’t they care?” Can’t they stop for a minute and recognize what Jesus did? When I arrived at the 4th Station – Jesus meets His Mother I could not stop crying and had a hard time going on. Our Blessed Mother stayed by Jesus - her Son -the whole way never leaving Him no matter how difficult it was.
FIRST STATION - JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DIE All around me they shouted,” Crucify him!” I wanted to plead with them to stop, but I knew this had to be. So, I stood by and cried silently.
SECOND STATION - JESUS TAKES UP HIS CROSS My pain for him was unbearable. I wanted to take the cross from him and carry it myself. But I knew this had to be so I walked on silently.
THIRD STATION - JESUS FALLS THE FIRST TIME I wanted to protect him with my own body. But I knew this had to be, so I walked on and wept silently.
FOURTH STATION - JESUS MEETS HIS GRIEVING MOTHER He stopped. Our eyes met, mine full of tears of anguish, his, full of pain and confusion. I felt helpless, then his eyes said to me, “Courage! There is a purpose for this.” As he stumbled on, I knew he was right. So, I followed and prayed silently.
FIFTH STATION - SIMON HELPS JESUS CARRY HIS CROSS The guards had pulled a protesting man from the crowd. They forced him to pick up the back of the cross to help lighten my son’s load. He asked the guards why this had to be. I knew, and so followed silently.
SIXTH STATION - VERONICA WIPES THE FACE OF JESUS Her face seemed to say, “Why are you doing this to him?” I knew, so I walked on in faith, silently.
SEVENTH STATION - JESUS FALLS THE SECOND TIME Seeing my son fall, get up again, and continue on, was bitter anguish to me. But, since I knew this had to be, I walked on silently.
EIGHTH STATION - JESUS SPEAKS TO THE WOMEN He told them to shed tears for themselves, tears that would bring their conversion. They did not see the connection between that and his walk to death. I did, and as he walked on, I followed silently.
NINTH STATION - JESUS FALLS THE THIRD TIME My heart pounded as I imagined what they would do to him next. But I knew this had to be, so I climbed the hill silently behind him.
TENTH STATION - JESUS IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENT The sight of my son in such pain was unbearable. Yet, since I knew this had to be, I stood by and cried silently.
ELEVENTH STATION - JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS There he was, my son, whom I love so much, being scorned as he struggled for the last few moments of earthly life. But I knew this had to be, So I stood by and prayed silently.
TWELFTH STATION - JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS His earthly anguish was finished, but mine was greater than ever. Yet, this had to be and I had to accept it, so I stood by and I mourned silently.
THIRTEENTH STATION - JESUS IS TAKEN FROM THE CROSS Then two men took the body from the cross and placed it in my arms. A deep sorrow engulfed my being. Yet, I also felt deep joy. Life had ended cruelly for my son, but it had also brought life to all of us. I knew this had to be, and I prayed silently.
FOURTEENTH STATION - JESUS IS PLACED IN THE TOMB We brought Jesus’ body to a tomb and I arranged it there myself, silently weeping, silently rejoicing. I took one more look at my loving son, and then walked out. They closed the tomb and before I left, I thought, I knew this had to be...it had to be for you! I would wait in faith silently.
As His mother she wanted to take His pain away. She trusted God and knew this was the way it had to be. How very difficult it is to journey with people in their suffering. We want to take their pain away and she teaches us through her actions that it is not ours to take away. The reflections I just shared with you are instructive for us in walking the way of the cross:
stand by silentlycry silentlywalk on silentlyfollow silentlypray silentlymourn silentlywalk on in faithstand silent
Whether it be the women in prison, those who have suffered the effects of abortion, those who are facing a crisis pregnancy, or who have lost a child - the crosses they carry are heavy. The stories are heart wrenching.
The Blessed Mother shows us that we must be by their side and assist them through the pain. Bear the pain with them. Help them not to feel alone.
At At the cross, Jesus gave us Mary as our Mother. “When Jesus saw his mother* and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother”…..”
From Annunciation to the Cross
“…… It was Mary’s answer – “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” – that opened the way for Christ to be born. During the season of Lent and Easter, this feast links the earliest tiding of Jesus’ life on earth with his last days.
As John Donne (English poet and Anglican cleric) explained in his Christmas sermon of 1626:
"The whole life of Christ was a continual Passion; others die Martyrs, but Christ was born a Martyr. He found a Golgotha (where he was crucified) even in Bethlehem, where he was born; For, to his tenderness then, the straws were almost as sharp as the thorns after; and the Manger as uneasy at first, as his Cross at last. His birth and death were but one continual act, and his Christmas-day and his Good Friday, are but the evening and morning of one and the same day.
In this sense, Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel was the beginning of a way of costly discipleship that some thirty years later would lead her to witness her son’s execution on the cross (John 19:16-27). As she had been warned shortly after Jesus’ birth: “A sword will pierce your own soul too” (Luke 2:35). Inspired by these words, the anonymous thirteenth-century author of the Stabat Mater meditated on Mary’s suffering during the crucifixion in a poem still loved today."
AT, the Cross her station keeping, stood the mournful Mother weeping, close to Jesus to the last.
Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
all His bitter anguish bearing,
now at length the sword has passed.
O how sad and sore distressed
was that Mother, highly blest,
of the sole-begotten One.
Christ above in torment hangs,
she beneath beholds the pangs
of her dying glorious Son.
Is there one who would not weep,
whelmed in miseries so deep,
Christ's dear Mother to behold?
Can the human heart refrain
from partaking in her pain,
in that Mother's pain untold?
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
she beheld her tender Child
All with bloody scourges rent:
For the sins of His own nation,
saw Him hang in desolation,
Till His spirit forth He sent.
O thou Mother! fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above,
make my heart with thine accord:
Make me feel as thou hast felt;
make my soul to glow and melt
with the love of Christ my Lord.
Holy Mother! pierce me through,
in my heart each wound renew
of my Savior crucified:
Let me share with thee His pain,
who for all my sins was slain,
who for me in torments died.
Let me mingle tears with thee,
mourning Him who mourned for me,
all the days that I may live:
By the Cross with thee to stay,
there with thee to weep and pray,
is all I ask of thee to give.
Virgin of all virgins blest!,
Listen to my fond request:
let me share thy grief divine;
Let me, to my latest breath,
in my body bear the death
of that dying Son of thine.
Wounded with His every wound,
steep my soul till it hath swooned,
in His very Blood away.
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
lest in flames I burn and die,
in His awful Judgment Day.
Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,
by Thy Mother my defense,
by Thy Cross my victory;
While my body here decays,
may my soul Thy goodness praise,
safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.
As we walk with our Blessed Mother, let us let her lead us and allow ourselves to accompany her in all.
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