"And you yourself a sword will pierce"

Simeon's prophecy to Mary, our Blessed Mother, from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 2, vs. 35.

It feels a little like a sword has pierced my own heart, hearing of the death of my dear friend's baby (see post below). All the pain of losing a child wells up within me as I see her go through it. If I could take any of her pain away, I would; God, give it to me. My emotions are raw, as if my own had just died, and I remember the prophecy of Simeon to Mary, "And you yourself a sword will pierce" foretelling the death of her Son, our Lord. Oh how great a Mother's grief at having to bury her child!!!!!!

And yet, hope remains. For we women are all called to be icons of Mary, our Blessed Mother, and how much greater a depth of understanding we have of her, whom we are called to emulate in our Christian living, when one of our own children dies. How much more we grasp just what the cost of our salvation is, and how much our lives are worth! If you ever doubted your worth, go to our Blessed Mother, who watched her only Son die on a cross, held His body in her arms after they took Him down from the cross, was there when He was laid in the tomb, and rejoice with her in the glory of the resurrection.

Elizabeth has done all this. Elizabeth is an icon of Mary...she, like Mary, gave up her body to grow this precious baby; she gave birth to her child; suffered through the Agony in the Garden; seen her child living one hour, gone the next; held her child in her arms after her beautiful child had passed from this life; and laid her baby in the grave; And she did all of this with great faith in God. Elizabeth, my dear friend, rejoice now with Mary in the joy of the resurrection, the cause for our hope. You are beautiful and I love you.