The Seven Last Words 十架七言 - 2022.3.20

大齋期靈修 – 胡玉藩牧師

第三言：「母親，看，這是你的兒子。」

我們很難完全明白，耶穌與母親的關係，是何等的深。這段母親、兒子的關係，似乎注定遭到人的誤解。馬利亞一開始被人視為「未婚懷孕」，連未婚夫約瑟也準備暗暗將她休掉。大公教會將她奉為「聖母」，令我們看見慈祥母親的頭上，多了一個光環。基督新教有心無意淡化了馬利亞、耶穌的關係，只記得耶穌曾說「豈不知我應當以我父的事為念嗎？」（路二 49），以及「聽了上帝之道而遵行的人就是我的母親」（路八 21），彷彿耶穌是一個長大後，對母親疏於照顧、親情淡薄的兒子。

耶穌在十字架上第三句說話，表達了祂與母親馬利亞之間，深厚關係：「母親，看，這是你的兒子。」祂將自己所愛的母親馬利亞，交託給祂所愛的門徒照顧。聖經接著記載：「從此那門徒就接她到自己家裡了。」

弟兄姊妹，今日我們如何看待我們肉身上的母親呢？倘若母親（父親）未認識主、未信主的，我們會否以「道不同，不相為謀」，視自己的父母為信仰或事奉上的跘腳石呢？甚至乎，將自己與父母關係疏離，在信仰上予以合理化、神聖化呢？

「母親，看，這是你的兒子。」

禱告：主啊，求你紀念我們肉身和屬靈上的母親，她們一生給我們的愛護、育養，求主紀念她們在你兒女生命中的付出和辛勞。阿們。

Lenten Devotion – The Rev. Angus Wu

Third Word: “Woman, behold, your son.”

It is difficult for us to fathom how deep Jesus' relationship was with his mother. This mother-son relationship seems destined to be misunderstood. Mary was initially seen as "unmarried and

pregnant", and even her fiancé, Joseph, planned to divorce her secretly. The catholic church honours her as the "Holy Mother", which shows us a halo above the head of the kind mother. Protestantism downplays the relationship between Mary and Jesus intentionally or unintentionally, only remembering that Jesus once said, "Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" (Luke 2:49), and “My mother (and brothers) are those who hear the word of God and do it.” (Luke 8:21), as if the grown-up Jesus is a son who neglects his mother and has little affection for his mother.

Jesus’ third word on the Cross revealed his deep relationship with his mother Mary: “Woman, behold, your son!” He entrusted his beloved mother Mary to his beloved disciple to be cared for.

The Bible went on to record: “From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.”

Brothers and sisters, how do we view our physical mother today? If our mother (or father) did not know the Lord or did not believe in the Lord, would we claim “our ways are different; we do

not seek each other” and regard our parents as stumbling blocks in our faith or ministry? Or would we even alienate ourselvesfrom our parents so as to rationalize and sanctify our faith?

“Woman, behold, your son.”

Prayer: Lord, please remember our physical and spiritual mothers for the love and nurturing they gave us throughout their lives, and please remember their dedication and hard work in the lives of your children. Amen.