“Her Son hung upon the Cross; his Mother offered herself to his persecutors. If she had been there for no other reason than to be slain before her Son’s Cross, then she would deserve praise for her maternal affection, because of which she did not want to outlive her Son. But if she wanted to die along with her Son, it was because she looked forward to rising with him.
Ambrose of Milan, De institutione virginis 49; PL 16, 333
Well did she know the mystery, that she had given birth to One who was to rise; moreover, she knew that her Son’s death would happen for the good of all. Thus, by her death, she hoped to add something to the common good.
Her Son’s Passion, however, had no need of help, just as the Lord had foretold long ago: “looked, but there was no one to help; I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold; so my own arm brought me victory” (Is 63:5).”
If you are told that you will be the next prime minister in a few days, would you care about a friend who bought a new house and needs your help moving?. It seems that Virgin Mary just did that. She went to Elisabeth, although she was told she would be the Most High’s mother. Moreover, she went through that journey despite being in her first trimester. When my wife was pregnant with our first baby, she received a lot of “advice”; to rest, not to carry stuff, etc. Obviously, Virgin Mary wanted to serve her aged cousin rather than look after herself; what a selfless act of love!. This morning I heard a talk on finding meaning in life. And to do so, one needs to look outside themselves and care for others.
If you are interested in more quotes on Virgin Mary, you can find them in Mary and the Fathers of the Church on Amazon in both in Kindle and paperback formats.
References:
Gambero, L., 1999. Mary and the Fathers of the Church 1st ed. Translated by Buffer, T., San Francisco: Ignatius Press.
