How to portray Mary at the cross?

[lemonadish]

Hello, I hope I’m putting this in the right board.

So I’m a college student and next weekend our Newman Center is having our 11th semester-ly student led retreat (pray for us? ). At the end of the weekend, our prayer staff does a skit that begins with Jesus healing different situations, goes into Last Supper, Agony in the Garden, capture, crucifixion and Resurrection.

So in this skit this semester, I have the immense honor of portraying our Blessed Mother. I’ve been preparing for this for a while, and it’s really got me thinking about what she experienced at the foot of the cross. She obviously must have felt tremendous grief in the death of her son, but she must have also known better than anyone the significance and true hope and victory that the cross brought at that moment… I don’t think she ever doubted that her son would fulfill His promises, but how does this “meet in the middle” with the grief she must have been feeling to watch Jesus suffer and die? I really want to get this right and do it with complete respect to our Sorrowful Lady. Thank you for any suggestions!

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

Hello, I hope I’m putting this in the right board.

So I’m a college student and next weekend our Newman Center is having our 11th semester-ly student led retreat (pray for us? ). At the end of the weekend, our prayer staff does a skit that begins with Jesus healing different situations, goes into Last Supper, Agony in the Garden, capture, crucifixion and Resurrection.

So in this skit this semester, I have the immense honor of portraying our Blessed Mother. I’ve been preparing for this for a while, and it’s really got me thinking about what she experienced at the foot of the cross. She obviously must have felt tremendous grief in the death of her son, but she must have also known better than anyone the significance and true hope and victory that the cross brought at that moment… I don’t think she ever doubted that her son would fulfill His promises, but how does this “meet in the middle” with the grief she must have been feeling to watch Jesus suffer and die? I really want to get this right and do it with complete respect to our Sorrowful Lady. Thank you for any suggestions!

Northern people tend to keep the grief inside when in public.
Southerners show it in shouts and cries.
The europeans paintings portay a rather controlled Mary.
I suspect that she showed more intenselyhis grief.

 

[LilyM]

Imagine you are watching someone you love go through something that is extremely painful for them that you know will be good for then in the end - say going through the pains of labour where you know there will be the happiness of a baby to look forward to at the end.

 

[CEM5]

Hello, I hope I’m putting this in the right board.

So I’m a college student and next weekend our Newman Center is having our 11th semester-ly student led retreat (pray for us? ). At the end of the weekend, our prayer staff does a skit that begins with Jesus healing different situations, goes into Last Supper, Agony in the Garden, capture, crucifixion and Resurrection.

So in this skit this semester, I have the immense honor of portraying our Blessed Mother. I’ve been preparing for this for a while, and it’s really got me thinking about what she experienced at the foot of the cross. She obviously must have felt tremendous grief in the death of her son, but she must have also known better than anyone the significance and true hope and victory that the cross brought at that moment… I don’t think she ever doubted that her son would fulfill His promises, but how does this “meet in the middle” with the grief she must have been feeling to watch Jesus suffer and die? I really want to get this right and do it with complete respect to our Sorrowful Lady. Thank you for any suggestions!

I think Mary would have shown strength and courage in the face of her son, Jesus’, death, just as the mother in Macabees did while watching her seven sons being tortured to death. This Jewish woman in 2 Macabees 7, shed no tears (even though, as a mother, she would have grieved to see her sons pain), and bore it stoically and bravely, trusting and looking to the hope of the promised resurrection, while reminding her sons of this. Showing public tears and grief would have shown to others, or been a signal of, a questioning or doubt in the belief of the resurrection.

In my opinion, Mary, too, most likely would have shown strength for her son and to those around them, not giving in to public tears, but bearing her grief for her son’s pain, in her heart, and putting on a brave face. She would have trusted also, as did the mother in Macabees, in the resurrection, thus showing true faith, hope, and encouragement to those witnesses around her, at the cross.

Blessings,
CEM

 

[Dorothy]

Simeon prophesied that a sword would pierce Mary’s heart.

Our Lady was/is in perfect conformity with the Will of her Son. I also remember that in the Gospel it says Mary “stood” at the cross. In that standing position she supported her Son in his supreme sacrifice. She was being strong for Him.

We need to be strong for Him also! We can do that with His grace.

 

[pablope]

Hello, I hope I’m putting this in the right board.

So I’m a college student and next weekend our Newman Center is having our 11th semester-ly student led retreat (pray for us? ). At the end of the weekend, our prayer staff does a skit that begins with Jesus healing different situations, goes into Last Supper, Agony in the Garden, capture, crucifixion and Resurrection.

So in this skit this semester, I have the immense honor of portraying our Blessed Mother. I’ve been preparing for this for a while, and it’s really got me thinking about what she experienced at the foot of the cross. She obviously must have felt tremendous grief in the death of her son, but she must have also known better than anyone the significance and true hope and victory that the cross brought at that moment… I don’t think she ever doubted that her son would fulfill His promises, but how does this “meet in the middle” with the grief she must have been feeling to watch Jesus suffer and die? I really want to get this right and do it with complete respect to our Sorrowful Lady. Thank you for any suggestions!

Hi, Lemonadish,

My suggestion is to ask this question at the Eastern Catholic section, they have Marian traditions that we do not have in the West, and Mary having lived in the Eastern Churches.

One thing I learned from them…it is their common tradition that at the foot of the cross, with Jesus crucified and bleeding, the BVM stood under the cross, covered in His blood, and looking at Him, she asked to die with Him. Jesus refused, the only known instance that He refused His mother.

Also, I learned from the book The Rite by Matt Baglio, exorcists learned this in their ministry…that demons are forced to speak in reverence in her presence…because at the foot of the cross also, she forgave those who crucified her son, instead of condemning them.

I hope this two tidbits give you insights. God bless…

 

[pablope]

Hello, I hope I’m putting this in the right board.

So I’m a college student and next weekend our Newman Center is having our 11th semester-ly student led retreat (pray for us? ). At the end of the weekend, our prayer staff does a skit that begins with Jesus healing different situations, goes into Last Supper, Agony in the Garden, capture, crucifixion and Resurrection.

So in this skit this semester, I have the immense honor of portraying our Blessed Mother. I’ve been preparing for this for a while, and it’s really got me thinking about what she experienced at the foot of the cross. She obviously must have felt tremendous grief in the death of her son, but she must have also known better than anyone the significance and true hope and victory that the cross brought at that moment… I don’t think she ever doubted that her son would fulfill His promises, but how does this “meet in the middle” with the grief she must have been feeling to watch Jesus suffer and die? I really want to get this right and do it with complete respect to our Sorrowful Lady. Thank you for any suggestions!

Hi, Lemonadish…another suggestion…is to read writings of the saints/mystics…like the one from St. Gemma Galgani…here is the link:stgemmagalgani.com/2010/08/revelations-to-st-gemma-on-coredemption.html