We may find it startling to hear Jesus address Mary, not as "Mother," but as "Woman," in His last words to her before He died. Commenting on this situation, Maria insisted that in calling the Virgin "Woman," Our Lord was alluding to her perfect womanhood, her status as the exemplar for all women. Anne Catherine perceives yet another layer of meaning in the word, seeing in it a reference to the woman who would crush the serpent's head through her seed (Genesis 3:15). The Woman became on that day the mother of the Church.

When Jesus saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing near, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then He said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. – John 19:25-27

With excerpts from:

• The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ by Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich (https://bit.ly/3kaeP6l)
• The Mystical City of God by Ven. Mary of Agreda (https://bit.ly/3IhySaO)

GET THE BOOK - The Passion: Reflections on the Suffering and Death of Jesus Christ by Paul Thigpen (https://bit.ly/3IiSNpM)

On the day Jesus was crucified, when the midday sun hid its face in shame and darkened the landscape, it was indeed a sign. Anne Catherine elaborated on that sign. She saw the whole cosmos, from the little sparrows to the immense galaxies, injured and crippled by this assault on its Creator and Sustainer. Even in that hour Our Lord prayed for God's will to be done, so that even in the catastrophic darkness, the heavens might "proclaim His handiwork" (Psalm 19:1).

It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed. - Luke 23:44-45

With excerpts from:

• The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ by Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich (https://bit.ly/3kaeP6l)
• The Mystical City of God by Ven. Mary of Agreda (https://bit.ly/3IhySaO)

GET THE BOOK - The Passion: Reflections on the Suffering and Death of Jesus Christ by Paul Thigpen (https://bit.ly/3IiSNpM)

The two thieves crucified with Christ hang before us like a microcosm of Judgment Day. Enthroned on His Cross between them is the Judge, with the "sheep" at His right hand and the "goat" at His left-one on his way to eternal life, and the other to everlasting punishment. Dismas' example gives to even the worst of us a reason for hope, and a motive for humility. St. Augustine summed it up: "Do not despair; one of the thieves was saved; do not presume; one of the thieves was damned."

When they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. ... One of the criminals who were hanged railed at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong." And he said, "Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." And He said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." - Luke 23:33; 39-43

With excerpts from:

• The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ by Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich (https://bit.ly/3kaeP6l)
• The Mystical City of God by Ven. Mary of Agreda (https://bit.ly/3IhySaO)

GET THE BOOK - The Passion: Reflections on the Suffering and Death of Jesus Christ by Paul Thigpen (https://bit.ly/3IiSNpM)