Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. (JN 19:25-27)
The word “behold” signifies an action whereby one draws all their energy, all their attention, to recollect themselves and see, really see without distortion or distraction that which our undivided attention has been requested to gaze upon. To see something as it is. To see it as it really is or to see someone as they really are. That is to say: to see clearly what or who is set before us. To see without judgement, without comment, without rush. Jesus asks us to behold his mother, to “behold, your mother.” What do you see when you set your gaze upon Mary? Do you, “behold, your mother” or do you only see the mother of Jesus? To behold Mary, is to have a personal, intimate relationship with her – that is, to understand that Mary is truly the Mother of Jesus and our beloved mother, the Mother of God. We must realize, accept and rejoice in the fact that we are beloved sons and daughters of God, our Father and beloved sons and daughters of Mary, our mother. Jesus loves his mother. He loves her with a great and perfect affection and Mary loves her son with her whole undivided heart, with her whole undivided body, with her whole undivided mind, with her whole undivided soul. Mary loves Jesus in her lowliness and in her joyfulness, in her poverty and in her holiness, with all her heart and with all her strength. She loves Jesus with her entire being. It is a mother’s perfect love for her God and for her child. Jesus loves Mary as he loves us. That is to the point of death, death on a cross. Jesus’ concern at the foot of the Cross is that his Mother would be loved and looked after in his absence as he returns to the right hand of the Father. Jesus wants you to behold, your mother, Mary. Will you spend some time in prayer with her this week at the foot of the Cross to comfort her in her great sorrow? Imagine how Mary feels at the foot of the Cross to see her poor child, innocent of the crimes he was accused of, rejected for believing in God, mocked with unspeakable blasphemies, beaten to the point of being unrecognizable, murdered by excruciating pain and torture, then dying on a cross. Mary could use some comfort. Mary could use your undivided attention, a commitment to prayer and your loving presence. It would bring great consolation to our Mother Mary. It would bring great comfort to our Beloved Savior. Know that when Mary is asked to behold her child she draws all her attention to us. She draws all the attention of her Son to us. Mary loves us. We are her beloved children. So behold your mother for she has already set her gaze upon you.