Where's Mary?

  Mary was a common name at the time of Jesus, as it is today.  In the death and resurrection accounts we hear of several women named Mary.  In Mark's Gospel, for instance, the women who are watching the crucifixion are identified as Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and Salome.  There were also many other women followers watching (see Mark 15:40-41).  Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses also watch to see where Jesus is laid to rest.
  In Matthew's account, the three women watching from a distance are identified as Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's son's (Mt 27:55-56).  The same two women as in Mark watch to see where Jesus is entombed.
  Luke has an unidentified crowd of women (Lk 23:27, 49, 55-56) at the cross and tomb.
  John has a slightly different grouping.  "Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene" (John 19:25).  John also relates to us the story of Mary, the mother of Jesus, being given into John's care.  John doesn't mention any women watching where Jesus' body is laid, but Mary Magdalene is the first to go to the tomb.
  If not for John's gospel, I would be asking myself, "Where's Jesus' mother?"  Forget "Where's Waldo?", "Where's Mary?"  In the movies of Jesus' life, we always see Mary somewhere in the crowd.  She's watching the scourging; she is following along as Jesus carries the cross; she weeps at the foot of the cross as Jesus dies.  Mary is always there somewhere.  But was she?  According to Matthew, Mark and Luke, it appears Mary was not there.
  For reflection:  Set aside preconceived notions of what happened.  Imagine that you are Mary.  Would you follow along to the place of crucifixion and be there when your son dies?  Could you handle that?  Or would you be elsewhere, not able to face the execution of your son?
  Let us pray.  Jesus, . . .

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