The Passion of Mary

By Jillian Cooke, MTh, MAPM

Fr. Kolbe Missionary of the Immaculata

Originally written for Be Not Afraid cancer ministry

 Mary shed no blood, received no blows, and did not know the gradual loss of health through old age anddeath. Yet, Mary's Passion was a real passion, a death to self, a loss of all held dear, a slow letting go and a persevering adherence to God's holy will. Mary's heart was pierced by a sword of spiritual, psychological, and emotional steel. As sparsely as Mary is present in the Gospels, they reveal this Passion undergone by our Mother and how she can teach us and accompany us through our own.

Mary and Joseph presented their healthy and holy baby boy in the temple, and were told that he would be a sign of contradiction and that she, herself, would suffer greatly for the sake of the "many." They lost sight of God, literally. Upon finding him, she was challenged to rethink her relationship with her Son and husband, Joseph. At some point in her young life she lost her guardian, the foster-father of her Son, and husband Joseph to death. She saw Jesus "leave the home" and manifest himself before the world, with miracles, prayers, teaching, and admonition; she knew the sign was beginning to be seen by all. She witnessed his arrest, imprisonment, torture, and death. Mary's heart was pierced; Christ was already dead when the lance went through his flesh, but his Mother stood watching and felt that cold steel like only a mother could.  She held his dead body, buried his purified corpse, and she prayed with those who had betrayed his friendship. She rejoiced at the resurrection, but then only watched as he ascended once again to his Father, perhaps recalling that time in the Temple many years ago. She was left behind to do his will.

Through it all, Mary loved and became Mother not only to these men, but to the whole world… blessed among women, faithful among generations. She did not always understand, but rather than giving up or giving in, she pondered these things in heart and faithfully pursued the will of God - by staying with her Son.

Mary's passion gives us "permission" to grieve, not only loss through death, but the many, many losses associated with cancer and similar illnesses. When something changes, there is always a loss involved, because one thing cannot change without giving up something in order to take on something else. Mary could not watch her Son go out into the world without losing the little boy, she could not be redeemed without experiencing his death, she could not discover the Father's will without losing him in the temple.

Mary's passion invites us to recognize and respect, honor and accept the quiet passion that purifies and transforms the simplest parts of life when we suffer that poignant empathy that we call compassion.

Mary's passion reminds us that we will not always understand, and we ought to ponder these things of uncertainty in the peace of our own hearts.

Mary's passion is a star in the dark night, a compass in our agony, a sure and steady hope in our pursuit of heaven. She is that peace in the stormy souls of the afflicted, because her Passion is Christ's, because she is Christ's!