Mary at the Foot of the Cross

 

From the very beginning, Mary was a voluntary witness to God's majesty and omnipotence. She accepted the angel's announcement that she would become the Mother of Christ, although it meant hardship and disgrace, encouraged Jesus on his journey to adulthood, stood by him through his sufferings, and gave him her unwavering love and strength while standing at the foot of the cross, watching him die.

Mary believed in God's goodness despite the evil around her. She did not question the angel's message that Jesus would do great things. She knew in her heart that something momentous was happening despite her personal heartbreak.

Mary believed and had faith. 

One of the things lacking in America right now is FAITH. Every time something happens, people react with doomsday predictions and fear. Protesters take to the streets, denouncing things they don't even understand. They have an agenda with an ultimate goal, and they use shrill voices and violence to try and fulfill that goal.

Sometimes, we have to have faith that things will work out according to God's plan. After Jesus's death, the Apostles were devastated, feeling uncertain about where to turn. God did not fail them. Jesus appeared to point them in the right direction. 

How is your faith? Do you trust in God to do the right thing? 

This Easter, embrace the message of renewal and rebirth. God is in control.

Beatus Pascha!

Dawn Pisturino

Mary: The Ivory Tower

Mary is often called "Turris Eburnea," the Ivory Tower. When the apostles denied Christ and ran away from Roman persecution, Mary stood at the foot of the cross and remained an ivory tower of strength for her son, Jesus Christ. She demonstrated her love, humility, and strength, steadfast in her faith and devotion to God. She is a role model for all women and all Christians everywhere.

The day after Palm Sunday 2019, Notre Dame burned down in Paris. This remarkable Gothic structure was a tower of strength which survived war, revolution, and secularism. But impotent French officials allowed it to burn to the ground. These officials, so deeply entrenched in secularism and socialism, have vowed to rebuild it. But the spiritual love and devotion which inspired the original Notre Dame may be gone forever. I pray that I am wrong. I pray that the people of France will reclaim their Catholic heritage and find renewed strength in their faith. I pray that they will defeat the evil of socialism and the intolerance of the European Union. I pray that Europe and Great Britain will return to our Lord, Jesus Christ, and build a new Union of Faith that will last forever.

A few days later, a professor attempted to burn down St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. St. Patrick's has long been a symbol of Catholic unity in a city which has been corrupted by liberal politics and insanity. Thankfully, this attack was foiled. But I pray it will be a wake-up call to the people of New York that something is dreadfully wrong in their city. An attack on St. Patrick's is an attack on God Himself. It's an attack on freedom. It's an attack on the United States Constitution, which grants religious liberty to all believers.

During this Holy Week, I pray that ALL Catholics and ALL Christians will band together in the name of Jesus Christ to defend America, our religious freedom, our faith, and our remarkable President.

Dawn Pisturino
April 18, 2019
Copyright 2019 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.

Meditations on the Sorrowful Mysteries

 

The First Sorrowful Mystery: The Agony in the Garden

 

When Mary agreed to be the mother of Jesus, did she understand the great mission He would fulfill?

 

The agony in the garden represents Jesus' moment of Truth. He has come to the end of His ministry and the beginning of the fulfillment of His great destiny. He has agreed to become a willing sacrifice to the Great Work of God, His father.

 

What are we willing to sacrifice in our own lives for God?

 

The Second Sorrowful Mystery: The Scourging at the Pillar

 

Jesus suffers pain, loss, and humiliation at the hands of His enemies. From the moment of Judas' betrayal, Jesus is stripped of His dignity, humbled, and punished.

 

 How many times have we been betrayed by a friend, a husband, a lover, a family member? We remember the pain, the humiliation, the loss of dignity and self-respect.

 

Jesus forgave His enemies. Do we have the strength to do the same? 

 

The Third Sorrowful Mystery: The Crowning with Thorns

 

When Jesus is crowned with thorns, His enemies believed they were humiliating Him and making fun of Him. But this crowning foreshadows Jesus' ultimate victory.

 

We too will achieve ultimate victory over our enemies and our sins, if we are humble, steadfast, and patient.

 

The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery: The Carrying of the Cross

 

Such weight! Such burden! Jesus carried the sins of mankind on His back, along with the Cross. He stumbled and fell but never wavered on His journey.

 

What burdens do we carry on our backs? What crosses do we bear? Do we bear them happily and willingly, for the sake of God? Or, do we grumble and fret, looking to free ourselves?

 

Love God and trust in His mercy.

 

The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery: The Crucifixion

 

Mary stood at the foot of the Cross, weeping, as her beloved son's life slipped away. Darkness filled the world. But Mary never gave up hope. She trusted in God's will while waiting for Her son's resurrection. She forgave His enemies and gave comfort to the apostles. She became a mother to all mankind.

 

We honor Mary for her love, strength, and devotion. She raises us up, just like she raised her beloved son, Jesus.

 

Dawn Pisturino

Copyright 2015 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.