Mary, Jesus' mother, is never named in the Gospel of John, and she only appears twice. She's there in the beginning, at Jesus' first miraculous sign, which 'manifested His glory' and caused His disciples to believe in Him (2:1-11). And she appears at the end, standing by the cross (19:25ff).
When she addresses Him at a wedding, at the beginning of His ministry (pointing out that the wine has run out) He says, "What is that to Me and to you, woman? My hour has not yet come." (John 2:4)
The Lord seems to be holding her at arm's length, and treating her as one who is not closely connected with Him and His mission. (She doesn't seem deterred. She says to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do." And, of course, He does give them instructions that miraculously generate new wine.) But many more things must happen before His hour would come.
What hour? The 'hour' is when the Lord would be finishing His work in the world — the work that would bring about our redemption.
In chapters 7 and 8 they try to arrest Jesus, 'but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.' (7:30, 8:20) But six days before He lays down His life He says:
"The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ... Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour." (John 12:23-27)
On the night of His capture, when He met with His disciples for the last supper, John records:
'...when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.' (John 13:1)
And later that evening, His disciples heard Him pray:
"Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him." (John 17:1-2)
It was in 'laying down His life for His friends' that the Lord finished His work, because that act represented His complete dedication to His Divine soul, the 'Father' within, His complete victory over the 'power of darkness' that was trying to extinguish the light that He brought. With His victory that light could be guaranteed to every person who sought it. Every person could enjoy 'eternal life' (the life of heaven).
So, when the Lord's hour had finally come, we see His mother again, at the foot of the cross. And, despite what must have been unthinkable pain, He speaks to her in tender love. (For as we read earlier: He 'loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.') Again He calls her 'woman', for she is no longer His mother. He is her God. Yet Mary represents the gathering of human beings who foster those spiritual truths and ideals that we call 'the church'. She represents those who nurture the understanding of spiritual life — in infants and children and young people and adults, from cradle to grave.
And what does the Lord say to her in that minute of His final 'hour' (moments before declaring, "It is finished")? He says, "Woman, behold your son." And to His most beloved disciple, He says, "Behold your mother." 'And from that hour that disciple took her into his own home.'
This tender act of care for His mother represents the Lord's love for His church, the very love that led Him to this hour. He loves His church 'to the end' by linking her with the best son that she could have to keep her happy and secure.
Why is John (the Lord's beloved disciple) the best son? John represents the part of us that receives the Lord most fully, and finds His greatest blessing. He represents 'good in act' *1. We love the Lord when we act to 'keep His commandments'. And in the measure that we do this, He can dwell with us and 'make His home' with us (John 14) *2. So, in leading Mary into John's home, the Lord is symbolically linking His church with the actual life of love.
The message? Actually 'doing it' is what brings peace and blessing! And our ability to 'do' this is what the Lord came to restore and secure. This was the very goal of His advent. Because when we are actually engaged in the life of love and usefulness, we are in His life! And in that measure we are experiencing the Divine joy which He shares with us!
'Woman, behold your son. … Son, behold your mother.' … This bond between the church and acting represents the goal of the Lord's coming!
As we celebrate Easter, may we be inspired to keep 'doing it' — actually practicing the simple truths which the Lord teaches, so that we 'may have life and may have it more abundantly.'
[I]t is useful service according to which happiness is given in heaven by the Lord; and it is useful service through which the Lord is mainly worshiped. It is from this that John lay on the Lord's breast at table, and that the Lord loved him more than the rest; but this was not for his own sake, but because he represented the exercises of charity, that is, useful services.
(Arcana Coelestia 7038.3)
Footnotes
- *1 Apocalypse Explained 411.12; cf. 821.6
- *2 Thus John also represents love to the Lord Apocalypse Revealed 879
