On Good Friday this year, I attended the Tre Ore service at my parish. Tre Ore means "three hours" and is a traditional observance of the three hours Jesus hung on the cross. Scripture recounts seven phrases uttered by Jesus from the cross; during the Tre Ore service, 7 homilies are preached, one for each phrase.
- Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do
- This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise
- Woman, behold thy son; son, behold thy mother
- My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?
- I thirst
- It is finished
- Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit
On this Good Friday I found the "Woman, behold thy son" homily especially memorable. The preacher connected this phrase with the visitation, when Mary visited her relative Elizabeth right after the Annunciation. Mary had just been told she would be the mother of the Christ; and the first thing she does is to hurry off to help her elderly relative in her confinement. No standing on her dignity for the mother of the Lord! Anyway, the preacher pointed out how this showed Mary's willingness to bring the Lord to humanity. On the Cross, by this phrase, Jesus gave His mother to humanity. By saying "woman" instead of "Mary" and "son" instead of "John" (by using the general, not the particular), Jesus established Mary as mother of the faithful.
1 comment:
A very powerful and precious thnught. Thanks.
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