Jesus meets his Mother

© PFARRKIRCHEN STIFTUNG ST. LAMBERT SEEON
Via Crucis, Felix Anton Scheffler - 1757
Church of Saint Martin - Ischl, Seeon (Diocese of München) - Germany

FOURTH STATION
Jesus meets his Mother

V/. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
R/. Quia per sanctam crucem tuam redemisti mundum.

From the Gospel according to Luke. 2:34-35,51

Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother:

Behold, this child is destined for the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed and a sword will pierce through your own soul also.

Then he came down with them and went to Nazareth. And his mother kept all these things in her heart.

MEDITATION

Every mother is love made visible,
an abode of tender affection
and undying fidelity.
Because a true mother loves,
even when she is not loved in return.

Mary is the Mother!
In her, womanhood is unalloyed,
and love is not poisoned by the waves of selfishness
that constrict and smother human hearts.

Mary is the Mother!

Her heart faithfully accompanies
the heart of her Son,
shares in his sufferings, carries his cross,
and itself feels the pain
of every wound inflicted on the body of her Son.

Mary is the Mother!
She continues to be a Mother,
for us, for ever!

PRAYER

Lord Jesus,
we all need a Mother!
We need a love
that is faithful and true.
We need a love
that never wavers,
a love that is a sure refuge
at times of fear,
at times of pain and trial.

Lord Jesus,
we need women:
wives and mothers
who can restore to our world
the fair face of humanity.

Lord Jesus,
we need Mary:
the woman, the wife and the mother,
who never cheapens or refuses love!

Lord Jesus, we pray to you
for all the women of the world!

All:

Pater noster, qui es in cælis:
sanctificetur nomen tuum;
adveniat regnum tuum;
fiat voluntas tua, sicut in cælo, et in terra.
Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie;
et dimitte nobis debita nostra,
sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris;
et ne nos inducas in tentationem;
sed libera nos a malo.

Quæ mærebat et dolebat
pia mater, cum videbat
Nati pnas incliti.