Thoughts our Blessed Mother Might Have Pondered in Her Heart

Somewhere in tradition it has been said that the stable of Jesus’ birth was a cave. If so, he was born in a cave and then at the end of his earthly life, his body was returned to a cave. There are other similarities between the beginning and ending of Jesus’ life.

When it was time for Jesus to be born, there was no place prepared for him and so he had to be born in a "borrowed" place. When it was time for his body to be hurriedly entombed, there was no place prepared for him and so he had to be entombed in a "borrowed" place.

Caves, because they are hewn or eroded from rock, are generally about 55 degrees F. Jesus’ infant body came into an environment that was about the same temperature that his adult body was placed into after his death.

Not only was Mother Mary there at his birth, but she was also there at his death and then at the place where he was laid to rest.

His birth entailed, as does all birth, blood and the gushing forth of water. After his death, from the lance-pierce in his side, gushed blood and water.

When he was born, Jesus’ little body, like those of all neonates, was streaked with blood. And he died with blood streaking his body.

Jesus was born for our salvation and in fulfillment of Scripture, and he died for our salvation and in fulfillment of Scripture.

At Jesus’ birth he was wrapped tenderly in white swaddling cloths and at his death he was tenderly wrapped in white shrouding cloths.

At his birth the God-man accepted the humility of the incontinence of an infant, and at his death, the incontinence that is part of dying.

After his birth, Jesus was laid in the manger from another’s arms and after his death he was laid in the tomb from another’s arms.

At his birth Jesus had the protective guarding of his foster father Joseph and at his death the guard, albeit hostile, of the Roman soldiers.

At Jesus’ birth, some who saw went away in awe of God, and at his death some who saw went away in awe of God. At both his birth and death, some saw and went away yet-unseeing.

There were angels after Jesus’ birth and after his death. In both instances, those to whom the angels appeared were terrified and were told by the angels that they need not be afraid.

At the time of Jesus’ birth, there was the imminent coming of myrrh and at the time of his death, there was the imminence of myrrh.

At Jesus’ birth, some of those who saw could not quite believe he was God. After his death, Mary Magdalen and others of his disciples did not quite recognize him, some yet having difficulty quite believing he was God.

Another similarity, if we care to ponder it, is the obvious fact that Jesus’ birth was necessary for his death and the reason for his death necessitated his birth.... "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him might not perish, but may have eternal life."