At our diocesan staff Bible study today, we read next Sunday’s Gospel about the appearance of Jesus to the Disciples, and especially to Thomas.
But we got off on an interesting tangent: Mary, the mother of Jesus is seen at the foot of the cross in the accounts of the crucifixion. But there are no gospel accounts that specifically describe that Mary saw her son after his resurrection.
Was Mary so overwhelmed with grief after watching her son die on Good Friday that she is no longer with his disciples and friends? Is she in hiding, in private grief? Or has she begun the return journey to Nazareth to find a way forward?
Or was there a meeting of Jesus and his mother that was simply private: a chance for her to hug him one more time and be assured that the ministry she had said “yes” to 33 years before was not in vain, and that her son had fulfilled all that was promised? (This is the position of a 5th Century theologian, Sedulius)
Christian tradition developed that at the end of her earthly life, Mary was taken up into heaven to be with her son (the “Assumption” or the “Dormition” of Mary) Perhaps that is the reunion she had with Jesus.
Collectively, our staff felt great sorrow for the loving mother who witnessed her son’s traumatic death, and hoped that she received some sort of encounter with him to know, first hand, like the disciples and Thomas, that he had truly been raised.
4 comments on “The Resurrected Jesus and His Mother”
I am also concerned about the role of Joseph. Without his part in the story, Mary would have been stoned and Jesus treated very differently. Parents have a difficult role to play in such circumstances.
Mary was chosen among all women to be Amma/Abba’s son’s mother and she chose back. She knew exactly who Jesus was, how he came to be incarnate, and why. She raised him as a loving and caring mother. Jesus must have shared himself with her as he grew up as a loving son would do with the mother he cared for and knew was chosen by his father to be his mother. I can’t think she knew nothing of his ministry, his mission, or what the outcome would be for his life. Had she known nothing, I think we would have heard about it at least in the Gospel of John.
She was there all through his life, followed his ministry, was an active participant in his life as we can see from the wedding in Cana, from the familiar manner in which he spoke to her, for example.
She was also there to watch her son slowly die on the cross and hear his last words. That he loved her and cared for her well-being is witnessed by his giving her into the care of John while he was on the cross.
I cannot think for a second that Amma/Abba left the woman She/He chose as the mother of Her/His son without, at minimum, the knowledge, care, and comfort afforded Mary Magdala or Jesus’ disciples.
Thanks for sharing the story.
Thanks