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VIII. THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

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Bible Reading
[John 19: 17-37]
So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them.
 
Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross; it read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. The chief priests of the Jews then said to Pilate, "Do not write, `The King of the Jews,' but, `This man said, I am King of the Jews.'" Pilate answered, "What I have written I have written."

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus they took his garments and made four parts, one for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was without seam, woven from top to bottom; so they said to one another, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be." This was to fulfill the scripture, "They parted my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." So the soldiers did this.

But standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

After this Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), "I thirst." A bowl full of vinegar stood there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said, "It is finished"; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Since it was the day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him; but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.

But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness -- his testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth -- that you also may believe. For these things took place that the scripture might be fulfilled, "Not a bone of him shall be broken." And again another scripture says, "They shall look on him whom they have pierced."

Reflection
- It is impossible to comprehend the tender love between a son and his mother, and all the more so in the case of Christ and his mother. From each side, the love was complete and unmingled with any exterior thing. Christ has no human father, only his mother. Mary has neither a husband nor any other children, only Christ. He is everything to her, and her every breath is a breath for him. Mary of Bethany gave the best she could – a jar of costly perfume for his feet – and Christ accepted it. But Mary his mother gave him much more. She gave him his earthly life, his body and blood. And, as Christ could not stop giving until he gave all, so Mary gave her whole life to her Son, knowing who he was.

- Yes, she had given him his human life, but she gave only what she had received from his Divinity. Yes, she had given him his body and blood a little over three decades before, but she had been in his Divine Mind when he created the universe, and now, on the cross, he returns what she gave him. He offers his body and blood to his Father for his mother, the perfect symbol of the Church triumphant.

- Every soul was on Christ’s mind as he hung on the cross and accomplished the salvation of the world, but he directed his attention, in the last moment, to a particular one. His hands, which had created the world, were fastened by nails to the cross and were unable to move. He who is the Word through which all was created and through which everything continues in being, was unable to lift a finger to help his mother. And yet she was his highest concern.

- “Woman, behold your son.” The Second Eve, the new mother of the human race, our mother. For we are that beloved disciple of Christ, and he entrusts us to his mother as to our own. He indeed gave us everything he had.

- “Behold your mother.” The disciple who had been so dear to the Lord’s heart must still have shuddered in awe. The Lord trusted him enough to let him take care of his dearest creature.