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| Cottage near Largo, Painting by G L Hunter |
As it's Mother's Day, I am reminded of one of the most touching passages for me in the Bible. It is found in the gospel of John when the apostle describes how Jesus handed over the care of his mother to the disciple "whom he loved". As he hung in agony on the cross, with the weight of salvation of the world on his shoulders, Jesus was still thinking of his mother, making sure that she was getting the best care possible, now that his earthly course was coming to a close. He hand picked the one who was to take over his role as provider and protector of his mother. He surprisingly did not choose his own brothers (we know there were a few as seen in Act 1:14) but his beloved disciple John. Remarkably, this disciple whom he loved willingly took on the role and immediately brought Mary to his home and loved her and took care of her as if she were his own.
I love this scene because it shows me the deep, deep love that Jesus had for his earthly mother and how carefully he went about in providing for her. I can therefore be assured that when I ran to him with all my concerns and anguish over the care of my mother (and father), he knew perfectly how I felt and was ever ready and capable to provide for all her needs, sometimes and oftentimes in ways that I did not anticipate and even found difficult to accept. I must admit that I had many (and still have residual) regrets about the care of my mother at the end of her life. This passage reminds me and assures me that in spite of my shortcomings, he who loved his mother so, who was ever so particular about her care, must have heard my heart's cry for my mother and provided amply for her, more than I could ever hope or will ever know.
Oh, how wonderful that we have a God who took on humanity, to become like us in every respect so that he might be our merciful and faithful Advocate. And because he had gone through life's sorrows and triumphed, he is able to empathize and ever willing and able to help us in our sorrows.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, 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 to his own home.
John 19:26-27
