The angel said to Mary: “Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” (Luk 2:35 KJV)

This venerated Mother of God, who is blessed among women throughout the generations and who was showered with joy and gratitude by the angels and shepherds, she is to suffer much pain and sorrow yet. It will be like a sword piercing her inner being. Her pain will be due to her son, but not because he will trespass her will, cause her endless grief by mischief and downright evil. No, her son will not cause her suffering because of any wrongdoing on his part. However he is not just a rock of peace in the storm, but rather the bleeding, hurting, punished, tortured and crucified saviour. He was born to fight the biggest fight of all, struggle through the most serious battle and conquer the most treacherous and evil enemy of all. He will bring life to the world, but only through his own bitter death. He will suffer greatly, cry and fret – and his mother will behold it all. She will witness the enmity and hatred that will flood against her son and see how the severest wrath and punishment of God is concentrated solely on him. She was at the cross as heard all the blasphemy and ridicule and shame heaped upon him as he was hanging there for us and our salvation.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of your mother the blessed Virgin Mary and still her Lord. Her dear child and still her eternal and only saviour. Her joy and pride, yet there under the cross also her most bitter pain. You did’st suffer and die, so that the thoughts of many would be revealed. You know that many adhere to you and are bitterly hated all the more by your enemies and theirs.  O Lord, let us learn obedience in pain and suffering like your faithful mother. Let us behold your eternal glory. Amen.

Stricken, smitten, and afflicted, See Him dying on the tree! ’Tis the Christ by man rejected; Yes, my soul, ’tis He, ’tis He! ’Tis the long expected prophet, David’s Son, yet David’s Lord; Proofs I see sufficient of it: ’Tis a true and faithful Word.

Tell me, ye who hear Him groaning, Was there ever grief like His? Friends through fear His cause disowning, Foes insulting his distress: Many hands were raised to wound Him, None would interpose to save; But the deepest stroke that pierced Him Was the stroke that Justice gave.

Ye who think of sin but lightly, Nor suppose the evil great, Here may view its nature rightly, Here its guilt may estimate. Mark the Sacrifice appointed! See Who bears the awful load! ’Tis the Word, the Lord’s Anointed, Son of Man, and Son of God.

Here we have a firm foundation, Here the refuge of the lost. Christ the Rock of our salvation, Christ the Name of which we boast. Lamb of God for sinners wounded! Sacrifice to cancel guilt! None shall ever be confounded Who on Him their hope have built.

This is a rather free translation of Wilhelm Löhe’s devotion for the 28^th December during the high holiday of Christmas. It is found on Pg. 38 in Lob sei Dir ewig, o Jesu!   (Eternal Praise to you o Jesus!) edited by A. Schuster and published in the Freimund Verlag, Neuendettelsau 1949.