~to be a spiritual mother~

to hold the hearts of those in your life without reservation or judgement
to approach the well
drawing on graces for them

to sorrows at their sorrows
and rejoice in their triumphs…

our lady of sorrows,
you teach me how to be a mother

**

dearest pope john paul
you have truly been a father for me
taking me into your family
with a pierced heart
like the woman that has been entrusted to you

with scars across her face
etched into your heart.

she holds the victim of the holocaust
the burnt offering
and the one holding all other victims who go to die

**

and me

you hold me, the crucified and crucifier.

you hold elizabeth, whose name means God is my oath and who received an experience of the pierced and bloodied hands of the holocaust while being yet a wanderer in a world without you.. she bears contradiction within her and you hold her and love her

mary, you are pierced and scarred by her
…
what a contradiction it is to love.

in the depth of john paul ii’s sorrow
his love is visible
because the two are inextricably interwoven

**

pain and love, sorrow and love, grief and love, woundedness and wounding and love

there is no way to escape this, and the spiritual mother holds it all

our lady of sorrows,

pray for me.