From a friend of the community, Stabat Mater (The Mother Was Standing)

Here is an excerpt from a message written by a friend of the monastery who has our Cross of Affiliation.

Our Lady experienced great suffering during the Passion of her Divine Son and gave Him strength by "being there”… "standing" (Stabat Mater). In the face of her Son's incredible suffering Our Blessed Mother's heart nearly broke as she watched her Divine and Loving Son unjustly tortured and murdered by us --the same people whom her Son would later give as her children (!).

Can you imagine the additional suffering that tore her heart almost completely open knowing in all her holiness, her new "adopted" children would be us, those who murdered her Son and the Only Beloved Son of God Himself! What Love Jesus had put into his Mother's heart---even though in her Immaculate Conception, she was unsurpassed in holiness except by God Himself--that her new children would be us, those who murdered her Son and the Only Beloved Son of God Himself! What Love Jesus had put into his Mother's heart, even though in her Immaculate Conception, thus unsurpassed holiness (except by God Himself), Our Lady could never, ever hate us, because she knew that her Divine Son went through all of this immense & unsurpassed suffering so that we, God's children, could have the chance once again for Eternal Life.

But as His heart was pierced with a lance, and all His remaining Blood and Water poured out for us, to seal the New and Everlasting Covenant, her heart was "poured out" for us in a slightly different way by that lance.

"Now, at length, the sword has passed." (Stabat Mater)

With love and prayers in Their Hearts,

Donna

Donna N. Wilkes, OFS and Visitation Affiliate