Mothers Share In The Passion of Christ

Gospel reading today Mathew 6:7-15
"..may your Kingdom come; may your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven."

This morning as I was meditating on the Passion of Christ while praying the Sorrowful Mysteries of the rosary, the thoughts were so clear of how mothers share in the Passion of Christ. (ofcourse on a much much lighter note.)

The first sorrowful mystery, The Agony in the Garden. How many of us have read that pregnancy test and fell to our knees in tears begging the Lord to not let this be....pregnant with a child that was not in your plan. Tears, fears, agony in the heart of what was to come fill your soul. But you look up with tears streaming down your eyes and you say..."not my will, but yours be done, Lord."

The Second sorrowful mystery, The Scourging at the Pillar. How many of us have painful and agonizing pregancies? Or Births? My pregnancies continue to get worse.....I have horrifying vericose veins in a place that will make you cringe! So painful I can barely walk all the while lifting up and caring for toddlers. This is a form of scourging at the pillar....when you walk daily in agonizing pain for the Lord's will to be done in in you. Or another example is the days where all of your children are screaming at once and you kneel to the floor and feel like you are being scourged (or that you think you might lose your mind!).

The Third sorrowful mystery, The Crowning of the Thorns. I came across a woman with nine children yesterday in the Donut Shop. She is devout Catholic and radiates love and peace. I have watched her for two years now as we cross paths around town. I couldn't help but think yesterday the mockering and judgement she must endure everyday. She might as well wear a crown of thorns for all of the laughs, snares and bad looks she receives daily. Her work is not of this earth, but only for the Kingdom of God.

The Fourth sorrowful mystery, The Carrying of the Cross. How many of us help carry one of our children's crosses everyday? From the moment we found out Ben had a hearing loss, I have helped carry his cross. I share in his suffering and frustration as I walk daily with him.

The Fifth sorrowful mysterday, The Crucifixion. I hope none of us reading this right now will ever have to witness one of our children's suffering and death. But for the mothers who do, they share in the crucifixion of Christ as their hearts are crucified with heart break. For the mothers reading this who have lost a child in the womb and had to deliver a baby who was born into Heaven, shared at that moment the crucifixion of Christ and the heart break Mary must have felt as Jesus breathed his last.

There is just no other work on earth like motherhood, that will bring us closer to Christ in so many different forms. The hard times of sharing the cross of Christ is nothing but a gift. For we are growing in holiness and there is no other virtue that is more pure and perfect.

Blessings to you this Tuesday.