Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - May/87

Contributor - Rev. Ray Dekker

Title - Mother's Day Meditation

Topic - Meditation

"Hi, Mom! Love ya 'Mom!" How often have we read these words from the lips of football players as the sideline camera zooms in on the players bench and the players there. There is something significant happening when, during the emotional highs and lows of a football game, a grown athlete has these utterances as the expressions which first come to mind as the camera zooms in. There is a special place in the hearts and minds of virtually all men for their mothers, whether they be professional athletes or average folks like you or me, who likely never will get to express those things on camera.

Much more significant is the love for His mother which Jesus expresses in this passage:

"Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, 'Dear woman, here is your son,'and to the disciple, 'Here is your mother.'From that time on, this disciple took her into his home." (John 19:25-27)

Jesus has arrived at the vortex of the swirling events of the past few days, the point of His greatest humiliation and suffering. His disciples and friends had abandoned Him en masse during the time when He needed them most. Nearby, among the crowd which came to watch this horrific spectacle, Jesus sees from the cross a group of familiar faces, among whom are His mother and His greatest personal friend, the apostle John.

How great must have been Jesus anguish at this time - physical anguish, for the searing pain of recently driven spikes was wracking his body; emotional anguish, for he had been abandoned by virtually all His friends; spiritual anguish, for He knew that He carried the sins of the world upon Him and that even His heavenly Father was momentarily forsaking Him. And yet, in the midst of all this, Jesus thinks of His mother's needs as taking priority over His own and He took special thought of her. His mother's presence powerfully states that she is not about to abandon her son and Jesus is not about to abandon her either.

All of you who are mothers can feel, in part, the agony of Mary in seeing her beloved flesh and blood suffering so violently and feeling so helpless about not being able to do anything to relieve that anguish. And then directing His attention to John, "Here is your mother." What profound love and filial concern are contained in these words. It is as if Jesus is saying, "I love you mom! I love you so much that I am making sure that all your physical and material needs will be met, because you will soon be on your own. But I don't want you to be alone so here is John, the person I most trust to care for you." And then we can hear Jesus say, "I love you mom! That is why I am on this cross. Now you will never have to carry the burden of sins alone. I am doing this so that your spiritual needs will be provided." THAT IS ETERNALLY SIGNIFICANT.

This little conversation Jesus has with His mother and John so reflects for us what this Easter event is all about. Jesus on the cross, as sacrifice for our sin as mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, whoever we are is saying, "You are not forgotten. I love you." The Easter event enables each of us to focus on that love, that love which can reconcile our broken relationship with heavenly Father or earthly family and that love and forgiveness which forever transforms Jesus' relationship with us. Because of what happened at Easter we can say, "Behold, my sister in Christ. Behold, my brother in Christ. Behold, I am never abandoned or forgotten by my Father."

When the camera focuses in on our lives, may that be what is expressed. Praise God.

Rev. Ray Dekker is the Pastor of Elmwood Reformed Church, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

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