[Mary continues her reply to Anselm.]
After this, my Son returned to His disciples and found that they had succumbed to sleep. He said to them with some disappointment, “Could you not remain awake for just one hour with Me?” And He added, “Behold! The one who will betray Me now draws nigh.” Just at that time, Judas appeared on the scene, together with a large crowd of the temple priests and guards. Now there were two amongst those in the garden who were of very similar appearance— namely, James and Jesus. For this reason, [that is, in order to identify Jesus,] Judas said to the guards, “The one that I shall kiss—He is the man. Arrest Him.”
And when Judas approached, accompanied by the crowds, Jesus stepped forward and said, “Whom do you seek?” To this they responded, “Jesus the Nazarene.” And Jesus answered them, “I am He!” And when He had replied thus, all of them fell to the ground overcome by a mysterious awe. My Son then repeated, “I am He.” In this way, the words of Scripture were fulfilled, which declares, “Not one of those whom you have given me shall I lose.
Then Judas approached Him and kissed Him. And Jesus said to him, “Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” And then the guards and the officers seized Him and held Him.
At this point, Peter drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest. The servant’s name was Malchus.
Anselm: Was there not a miracle which occurred at that time?
Mary: Yes, indeed! For my Son turned His attention to that injured servant and cured his wounded ear. And He said to Peter, “Return your sword to its sheath! For he who lives by the sword shall die by the sword. Or do you think that I am not able to ask My Father in Heaven, Who would immediately send more than twelve legions of angels to defend Me?” At this point, all the disciples took to flight, leaving my Son alone in the power of His enemies.
Anselm: Tell me, my Lady, were you also there when these things happened?
Mary: No, I was not.
Anselm: Why was that, since you love Him so dearly?
Mary: Night had then fallen, and it was not proper for a young woman (such as I then was) to be outdoors at that time.
Anselm: Most sweet Lady, where were you then when these things transpired?
Mary: I was in the house of my sister, the mother of the apostles James and John.
Anselm: How and by whom were you informed of what had happened to your Son in the garden?
Mary: Hear me, O Anselm, for what I have to tell you is truly lamentable! The disciples came running to me, their eyes filled with tears. They cried out to me, “O most dear Mistress, your beloved Son and our Master has been captured! They have taken Him away, bound, and we do not know where, nor what has become of Him, nor even if He is alive or dead.
Anselm: My Lady, you must surely then have wept yourself?
Mary: Indeed. For though I knew full well that my Son was to redeem the human race through His death and glorious resurrection, at that moment because of my maternal affection the sword of which Simeon had spoken prophetically passed through my very heart!
This article is taken from a chapter in The Passion of Christ Through the Eyes of Mary, which is available from TAN Books.
Photo caption: Arrest of Christ by Heinrich Hofmann (image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons).
