But when the final hour of her Son came, His Mother stood by the cross of Jesus, not just occupied in seeing the dread spectacle, but actually rejoicing that her Only-Begotten was being offered for the salvation of the human race. ~ St. Pius X, Encyclical on the Immaculate Conception But where in all this does Mary remain? We have not spoken of her because Scripture, in its account of the last days of Jesus, does not do so. She is mentioned only at the end, when we are told that "now there was standing by the Cross of Jesus His mother" (Jn 19:25). This sentence covers all the preceding events. She always stood "beneath the Cross," and never withdrew from the holy and terrible domain of Christ's Passion. It was natural for her to be present in whatever place it happened. And it was just as natural that she would come to know all that had occurred.
Every breath the Lord drew passed through Mary's breast; every throb of His heart was her own; and nothing happened to Him that had not also "penetrated her soul," as Simeon had foretold. So we must draw her into all of these events.
Mary connects us with all these happenings. It is she who causes us not only to look and meditate, but also makes us aware that all these happenings concern every one of us, you and me. She is the reason that I do not run away when my faintheartedness becomes unbearable, but that I remain. She herself remained, "until all was consummated" (cf. Mt 5:18; Mk 13:30; Lk 21:32).
And so must I.
~from The Rosary of Our Lady by Msgr. Romano Guardini
Dear Mary, you forever rejoiced in God our Savior, even during His Passion and Death. May it always be my greatest joy to stand with you beneath the Cross of your Beloved Son, the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Amen.
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