31st March : Our Lady Of The Holy Cross
31st March
Our Lady Of The Holy Cross
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Mary knew when the hour of her Son’s Passion was approaching; she noticed the ever increasing envy and hatred of the Chief Priests and the organized plot to kill Him. When the Passion itself began, the Apostles kept her informed of what was going on; and when the death sentence was passed, she set out with the other holy women to be near Him. On Calvary’s Hill she heard the nails being driven in; heard the words her Son spoke; then, as darkness came, she permitted John to lead her to the Foot of the Cross, and there took up her stand.
This was her sacrifice—she provided the Victim. Jesus on Calvary offered Himself to the Father; and assisted, not only by the perfect union of her will and intention with His, but actually, “A Body Thou hast prepared Me”; and that Body came from Mary—with Blood drawn from her veins He redeemed the world.
As she stood there, her heart enlarged—He was dying for the whole world, for the whole human race, present, past and to come—she was His Mother; all His interests were hers. Jesus addressed Himself to her: “Woman behold Thy Son!” He was dying. He counted on her power of suffering to become the universal Mother. He was dying and his legacy to His Mother was the whole human race. He spoke to John as the representative of the human race: “Behold thy Mother!” He meant each and all of us; to each He said, “Behold thy Mother!” And so all who will, have the right to take her to their own. Jesus had ME in His mind, as well as St. John when he said, “Behold thy Mother!” It was of me He thought and to me that He spoke.
It is my duty to love and cherish her, to support her and to take care of her—that is, to stand up for her and shield her from those who will NOT behold her as their Mother.
