the mother of forgiveness
"Seeing His mother there with the disciple whom He loved, Jesus said to His mother, Woman, there is your son.' " —John 19:26
A few moments before Jesus died, He commanded His mother Mary to adopt all His disciples for all time, who were represented at the cross by a nameless, beloved disciple (Jn 19:26). In effect, Jesus told Mary to adopt those who were accomplices in His brutal death through their sins. Would you have the love, mercy, and forgiveness to adopt someone who helped torture and murder your son?
Moreover, Jesus told Mary to adopt us at the very time when the results of our sins were literally killing Him. Would you adopt your son's murderers at the very hour they were murdering him?
Our Lady of Sorrows is the Mother of Sorrows. The Mother of Sorrows is the mother of those who caused her sorrows. She chose to be the Mother of her Son's murderers, of us who helped kill Him through our sins (Catechism, 598). The Mother of Sorrows and the Mother of her Son's murderers adopted us when we were least adoptable because she is the Mother of Forgiveness.
Mary, our mother and the Mother of Forgiveness, pray for us to be saved, forgiving, and forgiven.
Prayer: Jesus, give me true devotion to Mary, my forgiving mother.
Promise: "Son though He was, He learned obedience from what He suffered; and when perfected, He became the Source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him." —Heb 5:8-9
Praise: Our Lady of Sorrows, like her Son, was perfected in God's love and mercy in and through her sufferings (Heb 5:8).
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our tape Redemptive Suffering on audio AV 75-1 or video V-75.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, February 27, 2017
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