AT SIGHT OF MARY’S CHILD
Fr. Marcelino Diaz II, RCJ
Jesus’ childhood was very much connected to his Blessed Mother. They are intimately united. As St. Hannibal Mary says Jesus’ Heart was coming from the heart of Mary. Their unity is not only at level of sentiments because the tissues of the Heart of Jesus is from Mary’s. As Mary’s Son, Jesus’ Heart was formed according to hers. She was his first educator that is why they understand each other more intimately and deeply even beyond words.
The wedding at Cana in John’s gospel (Jn 2,1-8) demonstrates to us how they penetrated each other’s heart even just with a simple gaze. Mary told her Son “they have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Oh woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” And Mary said to the servants, “do whatever he tells you”. Mary did not take Jesus’ seemingly rude reply as a “no to her concern” with her order to the servants: “do whatever he tells you” and even Jesus did not meet her plea with a “no” with his instruction to the servants “fill the jar with water”. They understood each other beyond words.
At the sight of the crowds his heart was moved pity (Mt 9:36). With this Gospel pericope St. Hannibal Mary tells us that Jesus makes us hear his painful wail: ‘there is a large harvest, but few workers to gather it in’ (RA, p. 396); because the blood I shed for the salvation of souls is dispersed and fruitless, because no one applies it to their salvation (TFS, p. 128). His Heart is so sensitive even to the slightest pain our human heart could suffer as his mother taught him.
Though in silence and keeping it secret in his most tender Heart, Jesus is hurt with the refusal and hesitation of the young ones to follow his invitation to be one of his priests and his consecrated persons, as he intimately suffered due to the refusal of the rich young man to sell his property and follow him (Mk 10); how much more so, when we, his intimate friends, in the priestly and religious life refuse or fail to follow him more closely. How much he suffered when he met, turned and looked at Peter (Lk 22:61) after he denied him three times. That look was a lance that pierced deeply his already bleeding Heart. His most trusted friend denied him; the future leader of his Church was afraid to stand by and for him. He was left alone! “My God, my God why have you abandoned me! (Mt 27:46)”. He also suffered and was appalled by the refusal to accept and believe him even by those people who are not of his time. My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will (Mt 26:36-39). He suffered all these in the silence of his most sacred Heart!
Though intimately pained beyond all telling, yet, he allowed the seed of love implanted by his mother to grow and reach the fullness of his Divine Love. Everything he does is love. In the silence of his Divine Mercy he did not judge but justify us. Jesus hanging on the cross looked at us, cried: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. (Lk 23:34). At the sight of the crowds, united with his mother’s heart, his Heart was indeed moved with pity for our human misery and cried: Rogate ergo…