Mother to Mother
© 1990 by Janine Freed and Meleta Lane
Permission granted to use for noncommercial purposes.

Mary: Those Roman Soldiers are finally quiet.
Judith: Yeah - I'm glad Joseph went out to silence them. He's a good man. I came here when I saw a light in the window. No. I didn't come. I was drawn.
Mary: Did you feel that too? A power. Just pulling you here.
Judith: Yeah - and you couldn't resist it!
  PAUSE
Mary: Who are you?
Judith: A nameless one who came to Joseph's house to mourn.
Mary: Why do you call yourself nameless?
Judith: To lose myself in a world that will hate me. I put it from me like a curse. Covered my face and played the leper.
Mary: I thought only one could feel such agony.
Judith: You mean He who lies in the sepulcher?
Mary: I mean myself! I feel like it is all an awful dream - that I should wake up and be next to a manger bed once more.
Judith: A manger bed! Tell me the rest!! Who are you?
Mary: A woman.
Judith:

A mother?

Mary NODS
Judith: I hoped you were a mother like myself. Maybe a peasant who had a son in a lowly place - who came to mourn one who valued motherhood and taught us God is good.
Mary: You had a son?
Judith: Yes
Mary:

And would you, if you could, have him a baby again? To hold close....... sorry..... I just felt that every mother in the world were wishing that with me tonight.

Judith: I wish it.
Mary: And I! I remember how He grew and learned and different things He did..... like giving away His new sandals, and His supper! And it seems like He was born only yesterday with that glorious star above.
Judith: Star? Who are you?
Mary: Don't you remember those little things?
Judith: Yeah, I remember..... as a child, he always wanted to be a merchant like his father. He'd go with his father to watch the camel trains come in and unload expensive goods from the east. Then as he became a teenager, his ambition grew. But he saw the oppression of the Romans --- and how they tax us so heavily ---- he knew he wouldn't earn as much as possible.... OH THOSE HORID ROMANS.... This world is such a a mess and its ALL THEIR FAULT!!! People hanging themselves and they crucity others.... Why? Why? Why? (pause) Why didn't He overthrow the Romans? Did you ever think Jesus was the Messiah?
Mary: The angel told me, and so claer, I know.. but yet I have doubt. But... It wasn't just the Romans. They might have let him be ..... but OUR PEOPLE PUSHED IT! They put Him on the cross. WE KILLED MY SON!!!!!
Judith: YOUR SON!  NO! NO! NO!  That means my son ---betrayed----your son!! PAUSE
Mary: Betrayed --- No wonder you call yourself the nameless one.
Judith: Yeah -- and the shame --- it's been unbearable and I know it's gonna get worse.
Mary: Unbearable --- I know unbearable. The pressure of people around and their condemning attitudes. ---- I don't understand it all --- but He would want me to forgive.
Judith: Do you think He'd forgive me? I failed so often --- and I never took the time to accept Him!
Mary: I've accepted Him ---- but I've failed Him too! I always wanted to do everything my way.
Judith: But why would He forgive me?
Mary: Even as a child He was forgiving. Why when He was a child I could hold Him close and comfort Him -- but when they drove the nails through His hands and hung His bleeding body on the cross there was absolutely nothing I could do to comfort Him. I could do NOTHING for Him --- HE DID IT ALL!!! And for what? He even forgave the ones putting Him there. After all that pain and agony - surely wouldn't He forgive us for anything?
Judith: FORGIVENESS -- Is that why He came??? Could that be the reason?

 


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Last Updated September 20, 2011

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