Reflection by Bruce Cargill
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Many of my brother seminarians I were blessed to have the opportunity to partake in the celebration of Holy Mass in the Chapel of Calvary in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as part of our trip to the Holy Land. The experience was incredible. The site itself seemed to radiate the intensity of what occurred there over 2,000 years ago; the climax of salvation history, the definitive turning of the tides of the war against sin and death. As we approached the sacred place in the early hours of the morning, the sky was still dark, still awaiting the break of dawn. The church seemed to appear out of nowhere as we entered the main pavilion. My gaze drifted from the top of the ancient building to the entryway, and upon seeing the Anointing Stone, where the lifeless body of Jesus was prepared for burial, my knees became weak as the reality of the situation flooded my body. The church was dimly lit; there was a haunting stillness and beauty about it. We walked up a set of stairs, and as we turned to the right, caught our first glimpse of the site of the Crucifixion.
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Time stood still. I could barely believe I was here. I had a strong desire to make myself small in the presence of such a powerful site, and so I fell to my knees, reduced to silent awe as I leaned upon a stone column. I was able to venerate the hole in the rock where the Cross was planted, lifting up our Savior as Moses lifted the serpent in the desert. I gazed upon the gilded icons of the Blessed Virgin Mary and John, the disciple whom Jesus loved. I followed the paths of their sorrowful gazes to the image of Christ on the Cross. I could almost hear his words, calling out to his mother from the Cross: “Woman, behold your son.” And to John, “Behold, your mother” (Jn 19:26-27).
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As I reflect on that experience on Calvary, I am reminded of the vital role that our Blessed Mother plays in each one of our lives. She stands with us through suffering, whether that be our own bodily suffering or interior struggle and anguish. She redirects our gaze away from our present trials and tribulations so that we might keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, “the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 12:2). At times, our Lenten journey can bring us face to face with suffering. It can seem too much to bear. In those times, we have a Mother to whom we can flee, who will cover us in her mantle and lead us to Jesus, to discover him in a new and beautiful way.
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| Bruce Cargill is a Pre-Theology II seminarian for the Diocese of Metuchen.
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