Word to the Wise
Tuesday, September 15, 2009 - Our Lady of Sorrows
[1 Timothy 3:1-13 and John 19:25-27 or Luke 2:33-35]Standing by the cros of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas, and Mary Magdalen.
This feast day is connected, of course, with the one just before it, the Exaltation of the Cross. However, the emphasis here is on those who join in the suffering of another person, and particularly if this is a parent joining in the suffering of her or his child! The Liturgy of the Word includes a non-scriptural hymn that would be familiar at least to my generation: the Stabat Mater. We would sing a verse from that hymn at each Station of the Cross in Lent. The scene is the subject of many works of art in other media as well. As with any scene from the Gospel of John, we can relate to the words above on any number of levels. There is the "cross of Jesus" with all its terrible reality. There is the group of women standing there - a mother, an aunt and a friend who would be the first to proclaim the resurrection! There is the terrible loss experienced by each of them, but especially by the Mother of Jesus, not just as a parent but also in terms of the cultural impact. She is losing her only child and the only male figure in her immediate family and would now be dependent on others. This is why Jesus commits her to the care of the Beloved Disciple. There is a further level. Any parent, whether Mom or Dad, is called by their very vocation to suffer with and for their children because suffering is a part of human life and the God-given bond between human parent and child is one of the most powerful in nature. Empathy and compassion find their deepest meaning here - to suffer with someone. This goes beyond the sometimes rather superficial expression: I feel your pain! This is experiencing a union in suffering and love that is physical as well as emotional. This feast is truly one for parents and grandparents and children. The rest of us can join Aunt Mary and Mary Magdalen, the friend and messenger, in our own but very different empathy and compassion. AMEN
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