As a mother, my heart weeps for Mary, the mother of Jesus this day. What pain she must have felt to see what her son endured as He was beaten, reviled and humiliated, and crucified so mercilessly on the cross. What mother could bear to see her child in the throes of such agony? What depths of despair and grief she must have felt! I imagine she cried out when she heard her son utter words of love from the cross, “Woman, behold thy Son!” (John 19:26) Oh, blessed Mary, my heart aches at the mere thought of what you witnessed this day.
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke eloquently about this Friday, when they crucified the Son of God:
On that terrible Friday the earth shook and grew dark. Frightful storms lashed at the earth.
Those evil men who sought His life rejoiced. Now that Jesus was no more, surely those who followed Him would disperse. On that day they stood triumphant.
On that day the veil of the temple was rent in twain.
Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Jesus, were both overcome with grief and despair. The superb man they had loved and honored hung lifeless upon the cross.
On that Friday the Apostles were devastated. Jesus, their Savior—the man who had walked on water and raised the dead—was Himself at the mercy of wicked men. They watched helplessly as He was overcome by His enemies.
On that Friday the Savior of mankind was humiliated and bruised, abused and reviled.
It was a Friday filled with devastating, consuming sorrow that gnawed at the souls of those who loved and honored the Son of God.
I think that of all the days since the beginning of this world’s history, that Friday was the darkest.
Everything that I’ve learned about Mary tells me that she was a mother in every sense of the word. She would have been the kind of mother that would have rushed in to protect and defend her child without any thought to herself. I’m sure she wished that she could have taken that cup from her son if she could. How utterly helpless she must have felt. Yet, I also believe that Mary was prepared by the Lord for such a time. I believe that even in the midst of her pain and suffering, she was surrounded by angels who comforted her in her hour of need.
Mary was no ordinary maiden. She was virtuous, honorable, humble, and faithful. She was selected by God to be the mother of Jesus.
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:26-35)
Words cannot express the depths of my love and gratitude for Mary, the mother of Jesus. In my mind she stands for everything that is praiseworthy and honorable about motherhood and womanhood. I know that she understood Jesus was only hers for a time, that He was meant to endure what He went through to save mankind. She knew this, yet, she was still His mother and so she suffered. Oh, how she must have suffered!
In my mind’s eye I see her sorrow turn to pure joy when Sunday came. I can feel her burdens immediately lightened when she realized that He is risen. For Sunday did come! Elder Wirthlin continued;
But the doom of that day did not endure.
The despair did not linger because on Sunday, the resurrected Lord burst the bonds of death. He ascended from the grave and appeared gloriously triumphant as the Savior of all mankind.
And in an instant the eyes that had been filled with ever-flowing tears dried. The lips that had whispered prayers of distress and grief now filled the air with wondrous praise, for Jesus the Christ, the Son of the living God, stood before them as the firstfruits of the Resurrection, the proof that death is merely the beginning of a new and wondrous existence.
As I praise and honor my Savior and Redeemer and celebrate His glorious resurrection on Sunday, I will also remember in my mother heart another mother – Mary, the mother of Jesus.
