Today, however, my mother-in-law had left for market and I had no one with whom I could leave my toddler son and I am still nursing my infant daughter. I hesitated but a moment and then bundled them both into my arms and followed Tikva to the road that led to Calvary.
There the other women told us it was the gentle healer, Jesus, who had been condemned. I prayed they were somehow wrong. They were not. We saw the crowd approach and began, as official mourners, to cry and wail above the noise. Suddenly silence fell over all. Jesus had stopped before us and turned to comfort the ones who'd come to comfort him. "Do not weep for me." The mouth of my infant daughter went slack at my breast as she turned toward Jesus, a smile playing at the corner of her lips. With my one free arm, I grabbed my son's hand as he began to pull away and reach out to Jesus. "Weep for your children." The tenderness of his gaze upon my children melted my mother-heart even as his words struck cold fear.
His words still rang in my ears as I tucked in my little ones that night. I blew out the lamp and sat in the dark, rocking back and forth, trying to ward off the horror I had seen and the dire prediction I had heard. Ever so slowly, my heart quieted and something began to stir inside me, a resolute assurance that the witness of women was powerful, that Jesus had acknowledged that. I looked at my sleeping daughter and prayed that she would live to have a daughter who would have a daughter.
When I slept I dreamed of daughters, a long line of daughters, granddaughters and great granddaughters. They were many and different--fair faces, dark faces, speaking languages I did not know, but they were all my daughter's daughters. Shoulder to shoulder they stood with babies in their arms and they did not turn their faces away from evil but evil turned from them. For they were strong and they were not alone. Jesus was with them.
Dear friends,
Every Station is this personal and powerful. Witnesses on the Way was first created in 2003, by women from two churches, Maplewood Presbyterian, Edmonds, WA and St. Thomas More Catholic, Lynnwood, WA. The words they wrote have been re-crafted and prayed every Lent since in a variety of settings.
It was my great privilege to write this one anew in our recent retreat. Like the woman in the Station, I only realized its message to me after the fact. So I prayed and pondered and penned for you the fullness of that message as I heard it.
I offer it to you in the middle of this Holy Week, along with the prayer that you will be blessed with new insight, compassion, and tenderness as we enter again this most holy celebration of the year.
God bless,
Kathleen
tarts this Monday
And the reason for Lent is...EASTER
ENCOUNTERS WITH THE RISEN LORD
April 5 - April 10, 2021
St. Placid's Priory cordially invites you to linger in the presence of the Risen Lord, each morning of the week after Easter
Mon, Apr 5 -Sat, Apr 10
9:00-10:30 (PDT).
Begin every day focused on a different Resurrection appearance via Zoom. Kathleen will use the scripture story along with artwork, song, and reflection to help you extend the joy of Easter
$150 / 6 Sessions, full week
Registration is per day @ $25
Single day registrations is A-OK!
