All sinners have crucified Mary’s son, Mary: Day 341

All sinners have crucified Mary’s son, Mary: Day 341 June 26, 2016

year_with_mary_alphonsus_4All sinners have crucified Mary’s son

St. Alphonsus reflects on Mary’s grief as she holds her Son’s lifeless body. She laments the cruelty of sinners of all the ages who have crucified him.

It was revealed to St. Bridget that three ladders were placed against the cross of Jesus to take down his sacred body. According to a compiler of stories about the saints, the holy disciples first drew out the nails from the hands and feet and gave them to Mary. Then one supported the upper part of the body of Jesus, and the other the lower, as they took it down from the Cross. The spiritual writer Bernardine de Bustis depicts the afflicted mother as standing with arms extended to meet her dear Son. She embraced him, then sat down at the foot of the Cross. His mouth was open; his eyes were dim. Next she examined his mangled flesh and exposed bones. She took off the crown of thorns and saw the sad injuries that it had inflicted on that sacred head. She saw the holes in his hands and feet, and she spoke to him in these words:

“Son, to what has your love for men brought you? And what evil had you done to them, that they would have tormented you so cruelly? You were my father, you were my brother, my spouse, my delight, my glory. You were my all.” My Son, see my affliction, look at me, console me! But no, you no longer look at me. Speak, say but a word, and console me! But you speak no more, for you are dead. Then, turning to those barbarous instruments of torture, she said, “Cruel thorns, cruel nails, merciless spear! How, how could you torture your Creator this way? But why do I speak of thorns or nails? Sinners, you are the ones who have so cruelly treated my Son.

In this way did Mary speak and complain of us. But what would she now say, were she still capable of suffering? What would be her grief in seeing how men, even though her Son has died for them, still continue to torment and cru- cify him by their sins? —St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary

IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CONSIDER . . .

Since I’m a sinner, I’m one of those Mary complained about; by my sin, I still continue to torment and crucify her Son. Have I asked Jesus to forgive me for this continuing torment? Have I asked Mary to help me end it?

CLOSING PRAYER

From a hymn by Johann Heerman: Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee? Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee. ’Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee. I crucified thee.

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