EMMAUS' JOURNEY

April 2004 

Have you ever imagined what it might be like for Đức Mẹ on that special day of Jesus’ Resurrection? Here’s my humble version of what happened with Our Blessed Mother on that fateful day. I hope you like reading it. Remember, it’s only my personal reflection of it. It’s my Easter gift to you. I’m hoping that you’ll be somewhat "inspired" to read and reflect on different events in the Bible. It’s a great way to make reading the Bible meaningful and alive!

Tess Nguyen

Mary’s Encounter

Desolation

Sitting alone by the window near the corner of the room, Mary is readjusting the mantle on her shoulders to shield out the early morning chill. This mantle was one of her son’s favorite piece of garment that Mary made for him on his 30^th birthday. He liked to wear it when he traveled far from home, it kept him warm on many cold nights and brought him pleasant thoughts of his mother. These past few days, Mary has not part from this garment, she’s been wearing it over her shoulder every where she went. It still carries the soothing scent of her son. She loves the way the mantle smells, for now, it’s the closest thing she has to her beloved.

Ever since that dreadful Friday, Mary has not been eating, nor sleeping much. She spent most of the time praying through tears and trying to make sense of everything that happened. Her grief-stricken face seemed pale and exhausted. Her tired, puffed up eyes kept staring into a far away place, to a time long ago, when her life was much simpler and happier. when her baby boy was still snuggling safe and secure in her warm embrace. It’s been almost 3 days since her son died, it feels like an eternity. Everything happened so fast, her whole life world was turned upside down. Her sole reason for living was cruelly snatched away from her. The emptiness inside was unbearable at times. She found herself asking God "How could such hatred and cruelty exist in the heart of men?". She couldn’t understand how her son, one who showed good will and compassion for all, the good and the bad, could be treated with such horrid violence. Her heart felt as though it was pierced over and over as she remembers what happened to her son on Friday.the scourging, the spitting, the crown of thorns. Mary remembers distinctly the large nails which pierced through her son’s hands, those beautiful hands that used to build her bed, chairs & tables with such exquisite craftsmanship. the very same hands that touched the heart of the multitude and healed them from their infirmities. She replays in her mind the scenes of her son, struggling every step of the way, to carry the heavy rugged cross on his trembling shoulders. Seeing him that way made her (at times) wished that God, in his Mercy, would release her innocent son from his misery. The relentless torture upon his already torn body seemed endless, the suffering was much too immense for anyone to bear . Tears stroll down her face once again.

Pressing the shawl close to her face, Mary takes a deep, deep breath, inhaling a much as she could, of what ever remnant that’s left of her Son. The warm, wonderful scent of Jesus fills her lungs and soothes her aching heart. Mary whispers softly: "Oh, my son! my son!"

Even before sunrise, Mary, moved by love and longing for her son, wraps herself in her mourning mantle and set out for her "walk". She feels an ardent desire to walk through the paths which her son had walked 3 days ago. Mary remembers clearly each important events that took place at the exact spots where her son passed by. She walks sadly toward the house of Caiaphas, then to Pilate’s palace, then through the deserted street. She pauses at every significant spot upon which her son suffered in his bitter Passion. When she gets to the place where Jesus fell the first time, she kneels down, and touches the stones upon which Jesus had smashed his cheek against when he landed face down from his fall. With great reverence and love, Mary also kiss each sacred place that has a trace of Jesus’ blood stain on it - parts of the walls, and even the stones along the road. The events of her son’s Passion unfold clearly in her mind as she reflects upon each one of them. When she reaches the place where she met her son face to face for the first time, Mary’s heart is overflowed with grief. She remembers the feeling when their eyes met - no words was exchanged, no words would suffice. Oh, the look in his eyes, the pain and anguish he felt for her when he saw her grief-stricken face. He was more concerned for her than for himself. That’s just like him, always placing the welfare of others before his own. Mary remembers trying very hard to be strong for her son, and with all the motherly love that she had, Mary gazed tenderly into his weary eyes. Her eyes, fixed on his, desperately trying to re-assure him that she’s here with him now, and she’ll be here with him to the end. For a very brief moment, her son’s agony disappeared as his eyes met hers. In that short moment, frozen in time, peace prevailed, and a mother’s love had overshadowed hatred. In those few seconds, Jesus find solace through his mother’s eyes. Mary thanked God for that precious moment.

Mary continues to walk her Way of the Cross with great reverence and sadness, until she approaches Mount Calvary.

By now, the warm orange glow of dawn begins to set its gentle rays over the top of Mount Calvary. The land was enveloped by a beautiful shade of gold. As Mary reaches the end of the walk, a sense of peace and hope gently permeates her soul. She remembers her son’s solemn words once he was at the Temple of Jerusalem: "Destroy this temple and in three days I will build it up again". Mary thought about how the chief priests and the people have actually destroyed the temple of his body, and today marks the third day since his death. Though she can quite understand what he meant, yet she longs for Jesus’ word to be fulfilled. The more Mary reflects on Jesus’ words, the faster her heart beats. Mary senses a renewal in spirit. She has a feeling that something wonderful is about to take place, something very extraordinary. Suddenly, Mary comes to a halt. About 3 yards in front of her, she sees a most beautiful bright light that’s far more magnificent than the sun itself. Yet the brightness of this light is very soothing for the eyes to behold. Mary, mesmerized by this beautiful light, gazed intently at it. Then, from the midst of this radiance, appears the figure of her beloved son, Jesus. Mary’s heart leaped for joy as soon as she sees his face. As Jesus gets closer and closer, Mary wonders if her eyes are playing tricks on her. Could she be hallucinating? Could all this be real? Three days ago, she had just buried his wretched body, torn to the bone. Now, he’s here in all his splendor, looking transcendently beautiful and glorious, like never before. His pure white garment seems to float in the breeze as he walks toward her. Mary feels overwhelmed by what’s taken place, she could hardly breathe. Now, her beautiful son is standing right in front of her, smiling and gazing lovingly at her. And once again, their eyes met. Mary knows right away that it is truly him. She recognizes the same passionate eyes that captured her heart ever since he came into the world. Yes, indeed, her Son has truly risen! Engulfed by an incomprehensible joy, mother and son tenderly embrace each other . Not a single word is uttered, no word would suffice! Tears of joy replace grief and sorrow. After the long embrace, Mary reaches for Jesus’ hands to examine his nail wounds. Jesus gently smiles at his mother and shows her all his wounds. The nail wounds were rather large, enough to insert a finger in there. The wounds however, are no longer wounds, they are the marks of wounds and they sparkled radiantly...as if through these wounds, God’s healing grace will be poured out to the world. Upon seeing Jesus’ radiant wounds, Mary, compels by reverence and awe, exclaims: "My God! My Lord!" She then quickly kneels down on the ground to kiss his feet, but Jesus grasps her by the hand, raised her up and speaks earnestly to her: "Mother, thank you for being there with me from the beginning until the end; thank you for saying "YES" to the Father’s plan". Mary affectionately raises Jesus’ hands to her lips and kiss it tenderly. Then she press his hands on her face and takes a deep, deep breath, inhaling as much as her lungs can absorb, the divinely wonderful scent of her Risen Son. As for this sacred encounter, Mary will cherish the memories in her heart forever.