23-07-24 Menemukan Yesus di Mata Maria: Memahami Kasih Ibu dan Kontemplasi

Tuesday 16th week in ordinary time "Mt 12:46-50" While Jesus was still speaking, his mother and his brethren stood outside, asking to speak to him. But he replied to the man who told him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brethren?" And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brethren! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother." How lovely to find Mary following Jesus and imagine her listening to Him, paying attention to His every word, story, gesture and smile; as a thirsty soul drinking in every word that came from His Lips, smiling to herself on hearing that Voice that she knew so well. She had her eyes on Him every time she had the chance. Even when Jesus was talking to someone else in the distance, she couldn't help looking at her Son and recalling so many conversations with Him. Have you ever found your mum staring at you with a curious gaze when you are doing something? And when you discover her looking at you, you frown and ask a bit restless, 'What are you looking at?' And your mum replies, smiling, 'You take after your father more now' or 'You are growing up so quickly' or 'A penny for your thoughts...', or even 'Do you need anything?' We call that 'love' - Mother's love! Love leads to 'contemplation' and if we are to love Jesus like Mary, we ought to look at Him like His Mother. Mary, Mother of Jesus and my Mother, teach me to look at your Son, to follow Him everywhere, to listen attentively to Him, to contemplate Him during my prayer, during my day, during my work, during my life. I want to love Jesus, your Son, as you do and to be always with Him as you are... And always and in everything to do the Will of my Father, as Jesus' Mother and brethren do. Mary, My Mother, help me to look at Jesus with your eyes; to see Him as you see Him and to love Him as you love Him. "The contemplation of Christ has a remarkable model in Mary. In a unique way the face of the Son belongs to Mary. It was in her womb that Christ was formed, receiving from her a human resemblance which points to an even greater spiritual closeness. No one has ever devoted himself to the contemplation of the face of Christ as faithfully as Mary." (St John Paul II)