Sing: At the cross her station keeping, / Mary stood in sorrow weeping, / When her Son was crucified.
One of the powerful images that we are given from John’s Gospel is Jesus’ mother standing at the foot of the cross. She appears only twice in John’s Gospel: at the beginning, when she prevails upon her son to work his first sign to save a young couple’s wedding by turning water into wine . . . and at the end, today, on Good Friday. What is Mary doing while standing under the cross?
In his book Sacred Fire, Fr. Ronald Rolheiser reflects on Mary’s vigil at her son’s cross. He writes, “On the surface, she appears not to be doing anything at all. She does not speak, she does not try to stop the crucifixion, she does not even protest the unfairness or plead for Jesus’ innocence . . . In essence, Mary’s silence and strength speaks these words, ‘Today, I cannot stop the crucifixion, nobody can.’ Sometimes darkness will have its hour. But I can stop some of the hatred, bitterness, jealousy, and heartlessness that caused it — by refusing to give back in kind, by transforming negativity rather than retransmitting it, by swallowing hard, in silence, and eating the bitterness rather than giving it back in kind.”
Sing: Can the human heart refrain / From partaking in her pain, / In that Mother's pain untold?
Had Mary, screamed hysterically or shout angrily at those crucifying her son, or physically tried to attack someone as he was driving nails into Jesus’ wrists, she would have been caught up in the same kind of energy, replicating the very anger and bitterness that caused the crucifixion. Mary, by simply standing before the cross, is model for us what to do with the pain we feel at our own crucifixions, or the crucifixions of others. Radiating all that is the opposite to crucifixion . . . gentleness, understanding, forgiveness, peace, light and courage.
“And that is not easy to do. Everything inside of us demands justice, screams for it, and refuses to remain silent in the presence of injustice. Sometimes such protest is good — but at other times, evil has gone so far that the protests are no longer helpful. Darkness will have its hour. What is needed is some spark of light, some reason to hope.”
Mary’s “standing” at the foot of Jesus’ cross is HOPE. Her presence is not despair or passive resignation. It is a sign that, yes, we will suffer — but what we learn and discover from such suffering is nothing less than discovering the life and love of God. In the crosses we take up, in the crucifixions we witness, in the unjust suffering of those we love and care about . . . may we possess the faith and strength of Mary, to stand in support and witness that a cross “taken up for what is right and good” is the means to resurrection.
Sing: Mother, may this prayer be granted; / That Christ’s love may be implanted / In the depths of my poor soul.
Inspired by the faithfulness of Mary, may we bear witness to your Gospel of mercy, justice and reconciliation by our care and support of those enduring crucifixions of illness, injustice and despair. By the cross we will venerate in a bit, may we be re-born in Christ’s compassion and forgiveness. May be a living sign for us of our call to follow Christ in living the Gospel of peace and hope, and to witnesses hope.
At the cross your sorrow sharing, / All your grief and torment bearing, / Let me stand and mourn with you.