Several years ago our youngest son portrayed Jesus in a Christmas Pageant in the Amarillo Civic Center. To some degree I related to the pain, shame and agony Jesus’ mother must have felt. Of course her grief was so much more than mine or any mother anywhere could have experienced.

            Seeing Lane portraying Jesus upon that cruel cross was almost more than I could bear. I started crying long before he came down that aisle with Roman soldiers shouting and beating him. He stumbled as the snap of whips popped against his back. Painted red stains covered his body running down his face from under the crown of thorns. He struggled to carry that heavy splintered cross. Soldiers beat him without mercy and Lane fell down again and again. It was so real my husband had to hold me to keep me

from screaming, “Stop it! Stop it! That’s my son and I love him so. Please don’t do that to him!”

            Even now tears flow as I write. I think of Mary, the mother of Jesus. In the innermost places of her heart the pain had to be indescribable, wrenching and unbearable. Imagine her agony as she looked at her Son dying on the cross. Don’t you know that she too, wanted to say, “Stop it! Stop it! That’s my Son! I gave him birth. I rocked him tenderly. I was there when he skinned his knees. I removed the splinters from his hands. I washed the sawdust from his clothes. I cooked his favorite food. I watched him grow. He’s my Son. Don’t do this to him!”

            Yet in all of this agony, Jesus looked down from the cross and saw his mother,

“When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ‘Dear woman, here is your son’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home” (John 19:26 NIV).

            Only Jesus can know the depths of a mother’s love for her child. Writhing in pain

and nailed to a cross being mocked and cursed Jesus still made sure his mother would be taken care of. That touches the deepest recesses of my heart.

            “Being human, but knowing Divine, Mary pondered, “What have they done to this Son of mine?

            I gave him birth, and held him close. I watched him tenderly,

            And yet they took my precious One and nailed him to a tree.

            Then my Son upon that cross with eyes so lovingly,

            Told John, “See your mother! Take care of her for me.”

            Yes, he was my Son, and he was my Savior too.

            Praise his name, the precious One. He also died for you!”

(“Mary’s Pain”) by Joan Clayton Ó1999

I’m sure it was a terrible and sorrowful day for Mary but I also think she pondered in her heart that it had to be. Jesus’ death on the cross was mankind’s only hope. Jesus was Mary’s Son who became her Savior too. What a wonderful “Mother’s Day” Mary had when her spirit was finally reunited with Jesus.

            The fact that Jesus is coming again for all of his children is the real “Mother’s Day.” For those who are in Christ Jesus, mothers everywhere will see their children.

They will never have to say good-bye. Think of it…the first 10,000 years mothers will have just begun playing and laughing with their children again.

            Because of Jesus, that will be the best “Mother’s Day” of all!