How humble is Our Lord and God to allow mere women to cry the tears of motherhood for Him – He who is INFINITE!
I have been reflecting on the eight Station of the Cross. During the eighth Station, we commemorate the women of Jerusalem who met Christ on His walk to Calvary and lamented His fate and we recount the words that Christ spoke to them that day...
“A great number of the people followed Him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for Him. But Jesus turned to them and said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.’” (Luke 23:27-31).
And I have been thinking of these tears of these women on that day…
You see, women in those days were unimportant. They did not hold any power – and could not hold any power. They were the property of their fathers and then their husbands. They had no legal, political or social rights. All of their property (and even their children and the clothes on their backs) was the property of their husbands and fathers. They were lowly…
And yet – even in the process of redeeming the world – the Master of the Universe made time to stop that day to speak with them…
You see, I can imagine that scene in my mind. I can see those women. I can hear their wailing. I can imagine their tears of utter frustration at being powerless to stop anything – powerless to change anything. I can imagine their sorrow at being unable to help Him – who they loved so much.
Just as I cry my mother’s tears of frustration and grief at being unable to help my children, they cried the tears of motherhood for the Creator of the world… And the Creator of the Universe ALLOWED such a thing…
How humble is Our Lord and God to allow mere women to cry the tears of motherhood for Him – He who is INFINITE!
I can see how those women followed behind the Christ and His Cross. I can see how their clothes and veils would have become filled with dirt and dust and sweat and tears. I can see how they might have been hungry and tired and thirsty. And I can see how they would not care about any of those things!
I can see that some of those women had young children trailing at their skirts, or in their arms, or slung across their backs. I can imagine that for others, husbands and children and chores and work waited for them at home. And I can see – even knowing all of that – they kept their eyes fixed on their Blessed Lord.
I can imagine the eyes of their children moving from one woman’s face to another. I can see the confusion and innocence of those children. I can see their solemnity – the solemnity that children are unexpectedly capable of when they witness their mothers in real distress…
And I can see the face of Christ too – swollen, beaten, bloody – abused beyond recognition… And I can see how He – God, King of the Universe – STOPPED on His walk to Calvary. You see, God stopped there that day – even in the midst of REDEEMING the world – He stopped where the women were crying and lamenting.
I can see His Beloved Face turn to the wailing women…
And I can see that – because He stopped – God endured more whipping and more beating and more flogging and more abuse. I can see that He endured more spits and more kicks and more blows from the guards and the crowd. He did not rush to finish His suffering – for there was work to be done…
And I can hear His voice – soft and panting from pain, quiet and intense. I can hear the compassion in His voice…
“‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.’” (Luke 23:31).
My Beloved consoled those women on that day. He soothed their hearts – even in the midst of His torment…
And as He consoled those women twenty centuries ago, so He consoles me today …
And how I love Him for that… For my Beloved allows me to cry the tears of motherhood for Him – and He allows me to do this – even weak as I am…
How humble is my Lord and God, who stopped to speak to the women… And how I marvel at this wonder…
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.