The women at the cross
the women at the cross
the women at the cross
gazed at the broken Body
of our Lord.
The women wept openly;
the women bowed so low.
The women beat their breasts.
Oh, what woe; oh, what woe!
The women stayed as close,
as close as they could dare.
The women would not leave;
His suff’rings they would share.
The women waited long;
they sighed with every groan.
They watched Him breathe in pain
as if it were their own.
The women of the cross,
three Marys and Salome,
prepared anointing spices
bought with their own money.
Today we still stay close;
we do not walk away.
We will not turn aside
from the broken Body.
The women of the cross
the women of the cross
the women of the cross
will see the resurrected,
holy Body of our Lord!
“and a sword will pierce your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:35 NASB)
~ Janet Faye Mueller, writer
~ The Descent from the Cross by James Tissot
~ Rogier Van Der Weyden: ‘Descent from the Cross’ (detail)
