As mothers we would do anything for our children's well-being. Sleepless nights bedside a sick child, driving all over town to find the right color folder for a school supply checklist, conducting a eulogy for a goldfish, working long hours to provide, then home to clean, cook, laundry, and hug our kids.  We do that because it's in our nature as a parent.

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Do you ever wander how Mary must have dealt with that innate nurturing for Jesus?  How do you raise the Son of God, the Messiah?  From His birth, she treasured all of these things in her heart.  (Luke 2:19)   For years, she couldn't reveal what she knew, though she herself didn't fully comprehend what was about to take place. And then she finds herself on that day of crucifixion, a witness to the most heinous crime being dealt to her baby boy. Helpless, she looks on.  Torn between a joy of prophecy fulfilled, knowing this has to be done and utter grief of wanting Him down from the cross and to be in her arms.

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At that moment, He sees her and provides.  His last two acts before He released His spirit was to grant salvation for a thief next to Him who had faith and believed, and the second act was this, to give provision for His mother.  His earthly father Joseph, was not there, and we likely assume had passed on. As custom, Jesus would be the provider for her being the eldest living son. He knows He is about to leave earth and return to Heaven so He looks to her and passes this responsibility on to His disciple, John. He doesn't entrust her to His younger brothers. John was a close disciple, someone who understood what was unfolding, someone who would continue to preach the Good News of the resurrection despite persecution and obstacles.  That was the person He wanted to care for His mother.  

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He knew what she needed, He saw it, He saw her; her shame that she endured from conception out of wedlock, her faithful service through His life, her grief now at His crucifixion.  He saw it all and provided for her.  What an honor she must have felt to be of the last recipients of His ministry before He drew His last earthly breath!  Something I'm sure she continued to treasure in her heart, just as she did when the angel came to announce His birth, she would then treasure this moment at His death for all of her remaining days.

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To all of the mothers and grandmothers out there that sacrifice their time and energy, many of you without recognition or praise, know that Jesus sees you! He thought so much of you that He exemplified the 5th commandment of honoring your father and mother (Exodus 20:12) even unto His dying breath. He had been beaten, scorned, had a crown of thorns embedded on his head, and nailed to a cross.  He was taking on all of the sins of the world.  The amount of pain, agony and burden He bore is completely unphathomable to any of us.  Yet, He still made it a point amidst all of that, to provide for His mother.  Don't ever think that He doesn't know what you are going through or doesn't care.  If He was willing to do that in His darkest hour, you have to know this of our Lord... 

You are loved!   

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