Mary, the mother of Jesus, has been on my mind this week. Easter week. Holy Week.
This is the week she would have heard the cries of the people welcoming Jesus to Jerusalem, waving palm branches and shouting Hosanna!—“Save us, we beseech you!”
This is the week she would have heard those shouts of joy turn into shouts of accusation, calling on the leaders to kill her Son.
This is the week she would have witnessed her firstborn Son bloodied and beaten by Roman guards.
This is the week she watched her Son die a slow and painful death.
I wonder if, in that moment at the foot of the cross, the words of Simeon came rushing back to her as she came to the realization of what he truly meant.
Let me explain.
When Jesus was 40 days old—not quite six weeks—his parents, Joseph and Mary, brought Him to the temple to be presented to the Lord. While there, Simeon, a righteous and devout man filled with the Holy Spirit, took Jesus in his arms, blessed God, and revealed that in and through this baby was the prophesied salvation for all people.
This man, Simeon, filled with the Spirit of God, held the Son of God and blessed the Father God for finally fulfilling His promise of salvation.
What an amazing moment. Do you see the presence of the triune God?
So Simeon rejoiced in this moment. He was elated that his eyes had seen the Promised One, the Messiah. He knew at that moment the promise he had received of the Holy Spirit years ago that he would see the Lord’s Christ before his death had finally come to fruition.
However, still filled with the Holy Spirit, it seems that he suddenly becomes painfully aware of something. He understands what this means to his parents.
To the child’s mother.
He then turned to Mary and addressed her specifically. He knew there was a dark path ahead of her.
“This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,
so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.
And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
~Luke 2:34–35
Mary, this is going to hurt you. What will happen to your child will not be easy for you to witness. It will feel like a sword has pierced through your very soul. It will feel like your own death.
That is an accurate description of the death of a child.
A sword pierces through you to your very soul.
Before Ilona died, whenever I read the account of Jesus dying on the cross, I often wondered why His mother was there. Why would she want to witness this? Why would she torture herself like that?
After Ilona’s death, I understand it more.
There is nothing a mother will not do for her child—especially one who is suffering. She will walk with her child anywhere, even to death. And the love a mother has for her child transcends even death.
She was there, I am sure, at the foot of the cross, begging God to fix it.
I have been there too. Begging God for this not to be true. Begging Him to fix it.
And Mary was there at the cross for her Son. She would not leave Him to die alone. She would face it with Him.
This year, I find myself focusing on the humanness of Mary and her relationship with her Son. He was—and is—her Son.
And she watched him die.
I know the torture and enduring trauma of seeing your child’s lifeless body.
Many of you know what I’m talking about.
Mary does too.
This is not a club any of us wanted to be in.
Later, after Jesus is resurrected from the dead, and after He has ascended to heaven, Mary is there among the apostles and early church members. It says she was devoted to prayer.
I wonder what her prayers were.
I imagine they are probably similar to mine–and to others who have lost a child:
How long must I wait for this to end? How long must I endure? O Lord, please return.
~adapted from Psalm 6 & 90
Mary’s waiting is over and is presently reunited with her son, her Savior.
For now, I must wait until I am to be reunited with Ilona and my Savior.
Many of us are waiting…enduring…
But oh, that will be a glorious day.
God, please be with us until then.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18