My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?
(St. Matt. xxvii. 46)
These words must have echoed in Mary's
heart when the Body of her Divine Son was placed
in her arms. She was alone! Jesus was dead.
She had heard His last cry of agony, and seen
the spear pierce His Sacred Side. She was alone!
O Mary, what must have been thy desolation, now
that thy Son and thy God is no more! Listen to
her words: "Therefore do I weep and mine eyes
run down with water, because the comforter of
my soul is far from me" (Lament, i. 16).
Watch the Holy Mother as she washes the
blood from the Body of her Son: How she kisses
each wound with adoring love! Amid all her
desolation there is nevertheless an underlying
fount of joy at knowing that these Wounds have
wrought the salvation of the world; that in the
Paradise of God they will shine like jewels to all
eternity.
In this mingled joy and sorrow Mary is especially
full of love for sinners; and she loves them
because they cost her so much anguish and because
her Divine Son loved them so dearly that for them
He suffered and died. Mary loves me because I
am a sinner--this at least may comfort and en-
courage me--Jesus died for me because I am a
sinner.
O give me tears to shed with thee
Beneath the Cross of Calvary.