“Near the cross were Jesus’ mother, her sister Mary, the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple whom he loved, he said to her, “Woman, this is your son.” And to the disciple he said, “This is your mother.” From that moment on, the disciple welcomed her into his home. (John 19:25-27)
As we celebrate Easter this year followed by Mother’s Day, I would like to draw your attention to Mary, the mother of Jesus, the mother near the cross. Looking at the above Bible passage, there are two aspects I wish to highlight and apply to all of us during this very special time: the love of the mother and the grace of God.
1. The mother’s love
While all the disciples abandoned Jesus (except John) Mary accompanied her Son to the end, to the cross. Her love for her Son did not allow her to leave him at the hour of his greatest suffering, even at the risk of death. Near the cross was the mother of Jesus (v. 25). Mary’s love was not deterred by the fury of the opponents or by the horror of the sight of her Son nailed to a cross; the mother could not rescue him, nor relieve him, but remained close, demonstrating her love and her goodwill.
Ah, the love of a mother who never leaves her children! How blessed are those who enjoy this presence, warmth, affection, care and affirmation, especially in the moments of greatest pain and suffering (testimonies abound). Mary’s love kept her “near the cross” where Jesus was (v. 25). A mother’s love always keeps her close to her children for whatever they need.
Were it not for this love that kept this mother close to her child, we would not read in Scripture words such as those found in David’s Psalm (27:10): “Even if my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will take me in.” Love does not forsake. Love welcomes. So is a mother’s love.
2. The grace of God
Besides the mother’s explicit love for her Son, my attention is drawn in this text to the grace of God acting in Mary to sustain her standing near the cross.
The scene is strong. The pain of that moment is indescribable: a son dying the worst kind of death – crucifixion; all after being subjected to such inhuman torture, suffering humiliation, and being the victim of terrible injustice.
Mary knew what it is to suffer. She suffered when she said yes to the miraculous conception of the Holy Spirit; she suffered when she gave birth in a filthy stable far from home; she suffered when she heard that Herod wanted to kill her baby; she suffered when she was forced to become a refugee in Egypt; she suffered when she saw an entire nation misunderstand and insult her Son. Here, at the foot of the cross, Mary suffered again when she saw her child being crucified for a crime he did not commit. In fact, we cannot even begin to imagine the pain in that mother’s heart, especially how her soul was being torn apart that day near that cross. What we realize, however, is that God’s powerful grace kept her standing close to the cross, enduring that suffering with serenity.
As parents (especially mothers), we feel anguish and suffer for our children many times throughout life. We suffer when we are deprived of giving them something better; when they are misunderstood, persecuted, wronged; when they get sick, when they die; in short, being a father, and especially being a mother, brings countless joys, but it also carries with it humanly unbearable pain. Only the grace of God can sustain us serenely, despite our torn hearts.
God’s grace is indispensable …
God’s grace is indispensable in keeping mothers close to their children, loving and enduring all the suffering of life and especially of motherhood.
What do we learn from this episode?
- Mothers are called to love; to love to the end; to love without fear; to love by serving.
- God’s grace sustains mothers in suffering; indeed, as Matthew Henry rightly put it, “We do not know what we are able to endure until we are actually tempted, only then will we experience the words of the Lord who said, ‘My grace is sufficient for you”.
A mother’s place is near the cross. It is here they learn about the kind of love they need to exercise for their children; from the cross they receive grace upon grace to endure the pain and sufferings of motherhood.
A mother’s place is near the cross. The closer they are to the cross, the closer they are to their children. A mother’s place is near the cross. Therefore, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Jesus.