Holy Mary-Blessed- who not budged in the crisis of life
There was a man who stumbled or showed suspicion on Jesus.It is St.John the Baptist.In his first half of life,he professed Jesus as his all.He introduced Jesus by declaring,"Here is the Lamb of God."-John 1:29 and proclaimed 'he must increase and,but I must decrease"-John 3:30.He even send out his two powerful desciples named John and Andrew for his majesty-John 1:41.But the second-half life of this prophet Starts in the prison of Herodos.He aloofed there and no desciples.Devoid of the care and love of people he became alone. With the usual difficulties of imprisonment_ food, sleep pattern;everything became unbalanced. Along with the unaffordable nuissance of insects and fasting ,there was a shocking -unexpected action from the Jesus Christ which make his faith in great dilemma .That is the approach and concern of Jesus Christ towards the sinners,prostitutes and tax collectors .Because he assumed that Jesus consider this persons as the chaff and by separating the chaff from wheat will burn the chaff in unquenchable fire-Matthew 3:12.But what he witnessed and heard is opposite to that.St.John the baptist who stumbled with Jesus activity send his desciples to Jesus with this question-"Are you the one who is to come or are we to wait for another?"-Matthew 11:3.How much dreadful faith-stumble?? starting from the stumbling on the activities of Jesus Christ with the shaking of foundation of his faith this question left as such.Any how, Jesus not answered that quesion .But to remove the blindness of the person who not believed on him,He has been giving sight to the blind and giving healing to deaf -reluctant to profess faith inorder to make them free. Then he revealed this divine truth-"the blind receive their sight,the lame walk ,the lepers are cleansed,the deaf hear,the dead are raised...And blessed is any one who takes no offense at me.'-Matthew:11:5-6.
What is the meaning of this??Although St.John was great prophet ,he stumbled on Jesus.Does he was revealing this naked truth to us??Yes.Is this is the state of great prophet like St.John_the miscreant namely stumble can affect our faith life too.
But Jesus gave us a strength that St.John cannot receive.Yes,it is our Mother.In fact When Jesus helplessly struggling in the cross to death _with out any stumble she was standing beneath the cross.By seeing this, to people who may stumble In future with the same life event ,He told:"Here is your mother."-John 19:26.Oh Mother,Holy mother ,the strength of God you stood beneath the cross with fire of tests with out any fatigue and giddiness_and your fearlessness and unbudging making us more powerful .While standing beneath the naked-dead body of Christ,You belived the word that told by Our father through the angel in your age of Sixteen- "He will reign over the house of Jacob forever."-Luke 1:33. Oh,mother we knows_ adding to this faith,with sealing of holyspirit it has been spoken through Elizabeth-"Blessed is she who believed that there would be fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."-Luke 1:45.This is what Jesus told against the stumble of St.John," blessed is any one who takes no offense at me.'-Matthew:11:5-6. Who really stood with out any stumble?? It is only our Mother of God.It is only you.Yes Mother you are blessed!!you stood beneath the cross with out any stumble on him in the crisis time of life.Yes now we realizing the meaning and depth of the Word-Luke 1:48 has been spoken through Holy spirit,with the light of faith.And we understanding the real meaning of 'blessed',that is who not budged in the crisis of life and with hope in prayer converting the cross and problems in to grace . That means with the surety of faith proclaimg fiyath-"Here am I,the servant of the Lord"-Luke 1:38 to plans of God by submitting yourself to God for eternal rejoice as the word reveals in 1Peter 4:13-"Rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ's sufferings,so that you may also glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed." Mother of God pray for us to receive this crown of glory_as you won the fiery ordeal in form of tests that provides self-anointing.
V.P Achan,Kreupasanam.