Wednesday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Timec

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/111611.cfm

Lake Quinault in
Olympic National Forest

It happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested
and tortured with whips and scourges by the king,
to force them to eat pork in violation of God's law.


From its beginnings during the New Testament era, the Church has found "types" in the Old Testament that anticipate Jesus. This "typology"  ponders the ancient heroes and recognizes the spirit of Jesus long before he was born. Thus: Adam condemned all people by his sin and Jesus redeemed all by his fidelity; Abel was murdered and his blood cried out to heaven; Noah built a wooden ark and Jesus carried a wooden cross; Abraham offered his most precious son as Jesus offered his life; Isaac was the "first born son" to be offered; Moses gave the Law as Jesus gave the New Law; and so forth. Patriarchs, prophets and wisdom teachers are types who give us a key to understanding the mission of Jesus. 

Similarly, we find types of Mary in the Old Testament: Eve was the mother of all the living and Mary the mother of the Church; Sarah was the mother of the first-born son of Abraham and Jesus the first born son of Mary; Ruth traveled far from home as Mary left Galilee for Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Egypt; Judith and Esther prayed for their people as took enormous risks, as Mary also she prayed for her  people and was heard. 

But few of the women in the Bible demonstrate the ferocious courage and faith of Mary as well as the Maccabean widow. Saint John tells us Mary stood at the foot of the cross as Jesus died. She received his last breath as he "handed it over" to her and the Beloved Disciple. She might have been "baptized" in the blood and water that flowed from his side when he was pierced by the lance. (It's a grisly detail but this is a grisly story.) 

We can imagine Mary as fainting and keening as she endured his long agony, or we can imagine her supporting and encouraging her son with every fiber of her being:

"I do not know how you came into existence in my womb;it was not I who gave you the breath of life,nor was it I who set in orderthe elements of which each of you is composed.Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universewho shapes each man's beginning,as he brings about the origin of everything,he, in his mercy,will give you back both breath and life,because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law."

"Son, have pity on me, who carried you in my womb for nine months,nursed you for three years, brought you up,educated and supported you to your present age.I beg you, child, to look at the heavens and the earthand see all that is in them;then you will know that God did not make them out of existing things;and in the same way the human race came into existence.Do not be afraid of this executioner,but be worthy of your brothers and accept death,so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with them." 

Even now Mary stands with us through the ordeals of anxiety, doubt and fear of mothers as they watch their children enter life. It was not easy for her; it is not easy for us. But we have her spirit, courageous, generous, gentle and fierce. And we thank God for her standing with us.