At the last, of course, Jesus commends His Mother to the care of John, or commends them both to the care of each other. For the meantime, she is frantic, trying to find out what has happened to her wayward Son, who was trouble from the start. I wonder if there is not, though, the smallest bit of wonder in her heart, though. For her Son has lived a remarkable life and has fulfilled certain prophecies, and remember that she must also have seen signs and wonders and this walk to the cross must have, to some extent, made her realise that she had indeed brought up the greatest of all men, the Son of God, who was going to fulfill His destiny. I often talk about Church as being 'a collection of people, called by God, whose time has come' and this part of the walk to Calvary underlines that for me. That to the last, He shows humanity and a sense of His own destiny, which we share, to sanctify the world by His presence, particularly in the most difficult places.
Also think on this. This frantic woman, seeing her Son, half dead, walking to death, is our Queen of Heaven. This, I like to say, is the image of our Queen. This scared, weeping woman, with a heart full of love, bursting through the crowds to see her beloved Son, with muddy clothes and panting for breath. This is the image of our Queen, the Queen of Martyrs and the Mother of God.
V. A sword shall pierce thine own heart also.
R. And fill thee with woe.
Let us Pray.
O Lord Jesus Christ, we beseech thee that the Blessed Virgin Mary thy Mother, whose most Holy Soul was pierced by the sword of sorrow in the hour of thy Passion, may plead for thy mercy for us now and in the hour of our death. Who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.
Of your charity, pray for the souls of John Bryan Greenwood and Herbert Greenwood.
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