What Have They Done to Our Lady?

I suppose she could be considered, "Our Lady of Perpetual Sorrows." Her head is missing and the lost-to-some-cause vandal who cut off her hands as well as her head is I suppose looking at the same picture I looked at this morning in the newspaper. The act of rage is now for all to see.

She still stands in the midst of the flowers that her eyes used to watch over. She was placed there by some artist so that those who passed by her would not pass by her without stopping and remembering. Someone must be very mad at her or perhaps the God or church or son she is associated with. This butcher wants her to be remembered as thoughtless and helpless. After all he took her head and her hands so surely she must now be useless.

But alas this statue of the Virgin Mary is not only the subject of this article but she is in the news yet again thanks to some poor soul who wants to do away with her. She is used to being dismissed. Joseph was offered a chance to "put her away" when her shame was exposed that night in Nazareth. Her son even slighted her one day when she showed up to speak to him. "Hey your mother and your family want to see you," they shouted. Jesus responded with something like, "My real family are those who follow the will of God." I wonder if Mary thought, "Gee thanks for the support son?"

No one paid much attention to her when she stood beside his beaten body that day. She probably begged somebody to stop it. She was only part of the crowd the afternoon that they nailed him and his cause down for good. She is used to being dismissed.

But she keeps showing up in my life and in my writing. I've probably written more about her than any character in the Bible...except maybe her boy. She wonders around my soul I think. It may have something to do with hanging around my Catholic dad when I was young. Maybe that water that poured over my head from the hand of some priest when my father had me Christened seeped into my mind.

Whatever the reason I really like Mary. And now I get to write about her again because of one of her enemies. I bet that is not what you wanted is it O one who wants to chop her up?

Her eyes still peer into my soul and her hands still reach out to me. Her tender yet strong love cannot be destroyed by hate. She taught her boy well. Who do you think helped make Jesus who he was? No, it was not all God's doing. God picked Mary for a reason.

You reach to me once again, Mary, from your woundedness. Though a stranger took your silent smile with a stroke of anger you still reach out to me from your silence. Your hands go missing but they are there as they always are...reaching...hoping...loving.

Wherever you are O stranger, I hope you discover that in this act of destruction you have allowed Mary to live again...even in these words. In her tradition she prays for you. Perhaps you thought that you silenced her but her words are for the ages. Her hands that you thought you destroyed are even now seeking to comfort your hurting spirit.

Hail Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners...as you always do.
Blessings
jody