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Third Word


                 "He is your son… She is your mother." 

by: Billy Franco Del Carmen


At the foot of the cross, there we see Mary approaching. Together with the beloved disciple she looks upon her dying son. We can only guess what was running through her thoughts that very moment. But one thing is for sure; that as she slowly comes nearer to Jesus, the pain in her heart grows more. One can only imagine the agony that Mary felt looking at her beloved son suffer. In the other parts of the Gospel, we hear about Jesus’ disciples fleeing and abandoning their master and “friend'' when he was arrested but Mary, drawing strength from her deep devotion and motherly love, comes to the foot of the cross. She stayed there, unabashed and unafraid of the humiliation that she might receive from the jeering spectators. What was important to her was to see and console him. Looking at her beloved son, surely she recalls the words of Simeon “a sword shall pierce your heart….” But we know she endured, she stayed at the foot of the cross. Full of agony and weeping yet resolved to stay and accompany her dying child. Now, Jesus seeing her sorrowful mother now thinks more of her welfare rather than his own suffering. During this poignant encounter, he utters these reassuring words: “Woman, behold your son…. behold your mother”. It’s as if he is saying to her “Inay, huwag na po kayong mag-alala. Hindi ko kayo iiwanang nag-iisa… at alagan ‘nyo din naman po sila para sa akin”. Comforting and allaying words to his mother.

Dying people are always afraid to leave their loved ones thinking that nobody will look after them or will love them the same way as they did, and it was same with Jesus: maybe He was afraid to leave Mary… maybe he was afraid to leave his mother so he entrusts her to his beloved disciple to look after her and care for her. But aside from entrusting Mary to his disciple, it was also a way to give Mary a continuing mission: to be a mother and co-disciple…. to also take care of the follower whom he will also leave behind…. to be a mother not only to the beloved disciple but to all the believers. Jesus knows that Mary was there not only as a loving mother, but also as a disciple who follows her master unto the hour of his exaltation by God the Father. She stood by his side and behold him all torn by the scourges, thorns, and nails and she understood that these wounds are signs of the Father’s love, that every single drop of blood is necessary to save mankind. That although she will experience sorrow and anguish, she needs to be there. From the cross she receives her mission. Mula sa paanan ng Krus tinanggap niya ang kanyang magiging bagong bahagi sa gawain ng pagliligtas. Ang samahan ang mga kaibigan ni Hesus.

We wonder what Mary did after the crucifixion.

In the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, we heard that the disciples gathered and prayed in the upper room together with her. For sure, Mary visited many of Jesus’ followers to tell more stories about him. She may have come to many of them to strengthen their faith, to comfort them in times of persecution, and to pray with them. SHE JOURNEYED WITH THEM. She journeyed and listened to them, She journeyed and gave admonitions to them. She journeyed and became a mother to them. We know how painful and traumatic Mary’s experience was at that Calvary encounter pero hindi doon nagtatapos ang lahat. She was firmly resolved to follow her son’s command: to take care of his disciples, to look after them, and to be with them.

Going back to the dreadful Calvary encounter, we see both a mother full of pain and a follower resolved to do her master’s will. For Mary there is only one thing that is need to be there with Christ… TO BE ONE WITH HIM in his mission of saving all of us, HIS FRIENDS.

We are certain that Mary was there behind Jesus at that first Good Friday procession. Surely, Mary followed him on his way to Calvary and she knew that the road was a tiring, rough, and patchy one. Behind Jesus who was carrying the cross, she trod that road. Full of confidence we know she will be with us, too. She will always be ready to take the journey with us and tread every grueling and arduous path of our Christian life. That sorrowful encounter of Mary and Jesus at Calvary on that first Good Friday became a moment of grace for us: Jesus gave us Mary. Thanks to that wonderful encounter we were given a mother and a companion. Those words of Jesus to Mary were not only comforting words for her, but also reassuring words for us, his “friends” who keep on fleeing… na laging nang-iiwan sa ere kapag hindi na komportable. We may repeatedly abandon him, but he will always think of us. All thanks to Jesus. All thanks to His redeeming love!



Prayer

Panginoong Hesus, maraming salamat po sa nagliligtas Mong pag-ibig. Maraming salamat sa pagbibigay Mo kay Maria sa amin upang maging aming Ina. Patawad po sa mga panahong kami ay lumalayo at tumatakas kapag may paghihirap at krus. Tulutan Mo nawang matularan namin si Maria na hindi ka iniwan at tulungan Mo kaming maging katulad niya na puno ng tapang at pagmamahal. Amen.


Billy F. Del Carmen is currently the Parish Worship Ministry Head at the Sagrada Familia Parish, Manila.  He is also a Liturgist at the Shrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus in Pasay and an active servant of the Catholic Church (Assistant Master of Ceremonies -  Military Ordinariate of the Philippines; Secretariat - National Organizing Committee for the Visits of the Pilgrim Relics of St. Therese of the Child Jesus to the Philippines)


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