At that time, there stood by the Cross of Jesus, His Mother and His Mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. When Jesus therefore had seen His Mother and the disciple standing whom He loved,
He saith to His Mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that He saith to the disciple: Behold thy Mother.
And from that hour the disciple took her to his own.
~St. John 19:25-27
This is the Gospel from today’s Mass, the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
This particular scene makes it into my prayer life multiple times a day, captivating me from every angle. The moment of death is when souls often bring forth words that are meant to never be forgotten.
This was an extraordinary Soul, an extraordinary Death. Extraordinary Words from the Word made Flesh. So not only words to remember…words to live and experience with every part of our being.
And yet the scene is also so ordinary, so relatable and reachable, we can all place ourselves in it.
This scene is the ultimate moment of separation. Something that I also feel multiple times a day from every angle…from minor seconds of being alone in a room, to the deeper ache of an empty nest, to the echo of souls already passed.
The human soul was made for union, connection. For love. It is constantly seeking for it and feels levels of loneliness throughout the entire earthly experience.
“Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find rest in Thee.”
~St. Augustine
But I look at this scene now burned into my heart and see solutions to every type of loneliness.
We are never alone if we possess Jesus.
We can stand there by the Cross, with that little group of souls who never left Him, and find the souls all around us who are still with Him.
My prayer intentions have become the same when I contemplate this mystery in the Rosary, in the Dolorosary, and in the Stations of the Cross. My prayer is the same any time my soul feels the ache for connection even across thousands of miles or thousands of years.
“Jesus, may we always find this connection to You, and through You to each other, at the foot of Your Cross, with our Good Holy Mother, and good holy priest, and a good holy friend.”
St. Elizabeth of the Trinity said it this way:
“For souls, there is no distance or separation…the souls on earth and those glorified in the light of vision are so close to each other, since they are all in communion with the same God…He is the same One, and we carry Him within us.”
How do we mere mortals even begin to possess Jesus in a union that is strong enough to conquer every type of separation? He keeps no secret, He has revealed everything we need. He told us from the Cross how to always find Him. It is only a question of our response.
When Jesus therefore had seen His Mother and the disciple standing whom He loved,
He saith to His Mother: Woman, behold thy son.
After that He saith to the disciple: Behold thy Mother.
And from that hour the disciple took her to his own.
Happy Feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary!
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