40 Days at the Foot of the Cross: A Gaze of Love from the Heart of Our Blessed Mother

"40 Days at the Foot of the Cross: A Gaze of Love from the Heart of Our Blessed Mother" was written as a daily devotional by which you are invited to prayerfully ponder this most profound mystery of our faith. You are invited to stand at the foot of the Cross and gaze at our crucified Lord in openness to the mystery of His death. As you do, be assured that Jesus has much to teach you and reveal to you about your own suffering. His lessons will be ones taught by His own witness and saving act of love. You will be invited to enter into this act of sacrificial love and unite yourself more deeply with its power and truth.

The meditations in this book are presented from the perspective of the greatest disciple of our Lord: His own dear Mother. Mother Mary was one who faced the Cross of her Son with perfect openness, faith, love and devotion. Her fidelity to her Son throughout His life was unwavering. As she stood before the Cross during those long three hours, that fidelity never ceased.

This devotional attempts to ponder that which our Blessed Mother would have pondered during those three hours. What was she thinking as she stood there gazing at her own Child dying? What memories went through her mind? What filled her heart, emotions and feelings as she watched this final act of love?

The Scriptures do not reveal much about the interior ponderings of our Blessed Mother during those three hours, but the Scriptures do reveal to us many encounters between this Mother and Son. Since the Cross was the culmination of the life of both Mother and Son, it’s beautiful to bring to this moment of the Cross all the many experiences that these two shared throughout their earthly lives. It’s inspiring to unite all that they did and said to this moment, since all was a preparation for this moment.

This book is helpful any time of year, especially if you find yourself facing a difficult cross in your own life. It is also perfect for Lent in that it offers 40 reflections as well as prayers that can be used throughout Lent and for Holy Week.