Seven Last Words of Christ: Dear woman, here is your son. Here is your mother

Seven Last Words of Christ: Dear woman, here is your son. Here is your mother (John 19:26-27).

Mary had been through a lot in the past few days. Her son knew it was the end, and while she was not sure of what all was going to happen, she knew that something was. Events were unfolding in such a way that she knew it couldn’t go on like this forever.

Important people were getting angry with Jesus. Jesus also began to talk about dying, that there was something he was going to have to do. The apostles were worried, and so was she.

He had even said plain out a couple of days before, that he was going to die. As you know, Passover begins in two days, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified (Matthew 26:1).

She was afraid. She had remembered what old Simeon said, the priest at the temple where she and Joseph had gone to dedicate Jesus. He had said: This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, but he will be a joy to many others. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul. (Luke 2:34-35).

Well, she didn’t want a sword, thank you very much. She just wanted to see her little baby grow up and be happy. His brothers and sisters had managed to do that fine, but she had seen early on that Jesus was going to be a different person, not like the rest.

But this was not what she wanted. No! Here he was, hanging in front of her, nailed to a cross, dying, having gone through a terrible beating. And all for no real reason. At least none that she knew. She didn’t know what to do.

She wasn’t going to starve. There were Jesus’ brothers. They were doing well taking care of Joseph’s carpenter shop and all. One of the girls came over every day to help clean and cook.

But her son was dying. How would she live through all this? How could she bear it?

Then Jesus looked down at her. He was really only a few feet up. You could almost see into his battered and bleeding face.

He looked at her and saw her suffering. He was always like that. He could always tell when she was upset, even when no one else could see it. And he wanted to help her.

He knew the brothers didn’t understand. They didn’t realize what was happening. They would later, but she needed the comfort now.

He looked at John. He loved John. He was such a sensitive man. He knew he would help Mary sort all this out, even though he didn’t really understand himself. John was a giving person and would give comfort to Mary.

Through his haze of pain, he said, John, take care of her. and to his mother he said, let him take care of you. The brothers would make sure she had what she needed physically. But John would make sure she had what she needed emotionally, at least until the others came around.

She needed that. And he was more than glad to give it to her. She was, after all, his mother.