"Woman, behold your son. Son, behold your Mother."

"Woman, behold your son. Son, behold your Mother."
Standing beneath the cross watching her Son be crucified, our Blessed Mother was certainly not immune to His pain. On the contrary, she was more closely united to it than anyone on earth ever was or ever will be. I sometimes wonder what could have been going on in her Immaculate Heart at that moment?  Was she recalling the words of the prophet Simeon in the temple that a sword would pierce her heart?  Or did she think of the words she sang to her cousin, Elizabeth, in the Magnificat before her Divine Son was even born?  Or were there no words pulsing through her mind, but rather a simple heartbeat of trust?

Our Lady completely abandoned herself to God's perfect will and grace. She trusted so utterly in God's plan for the world and for her life that there is not even one word spoken by Our Lady in the Passion narratives of the Gospels. She did not question, she simply obeyed and followed wherever the Lord led her. The last recorded words of Our Lady in Scripture are "Do whatever he tells you" at the wedding feast at Cana. She completely trusted in her Son and the goodness of God. She trusted that even while she had to endure the crucifixion of her dearly loved Son and the piercing of her own heart, that God would bring something good and beautiful out of her pain. Trusting him did not mean that she was not experiencing pain on Golgotha. No, rather it meant that she did not waiver in her belief that there was a good purpose for the pain and that she was willing to love through it. 

Do you trust God with your life as Our Lady did?  Do you believe that God has a good purpose for your suffering?  Are you willing to suffer for Love? Why is it difficult for you to trust him who loves you so perfectly? As we enter the Triduum, now is the time to ask these purgative questions of yourself and allow the light of Christ to illumine the darkness of your heart. The more light you allow to penetrate the inner depths of your heart the more joy and hope will fill your soul dispelling the darkness and bringing you to new life. 

Lord, fill me with your radiant light that I may trust you with my heart. Rosa Mystica, my Mother, intercede for me that I may imitate your Immaculate Heart in giving myself fully to the Spirit and with confidence bring me closer to your Son.