Immediately
something is at stake in the book with the simple opening line, “…the
excitement of last night’s Passover feast escaped me this morning.”
Judas’s Mother opens in the festivities of Passover in Jerusalem. During
this time, the streets are filled with visitors and each household vies to
present the most delectable meal and most comfortable resting spot for
family and friends. Mary Iscariot is no different. In fact, she is
revered among many women in Jewish circles for her talents in tending to
her household and managing her family. Mary often teaches young wives the
ancient traditions of household duties, caring for their husbands, and
being responsible mothers. At this year’s Passover, it seems that life
couldn’t get better for Mary – her husband Simon is well-respected in the
Temple, her son Judas is a disciple of Jesus who is traveling to be home
for the holiday, and her best friend Amashia’s home has been selected as
the location for Jesus and his disciples to spend the Passover feast. How
could Mary know that it would be this year’s feast which would prove to
change not only her life but the rest of the world as well?
Upon Judas’s
return to Jerusalem, Mary finds that her son is different than when he
left. She fears it is the long traveling, the stress of following such a
controversial figure as Jesus, or the girl he loves that she and Simon
don’t approve of. Strange occurrences such as Jesus’ prediction of
betrayal and Judas’s odd visit to their home the following morning worry
Mary. However, she puts it from her mind until a friend comes frantically
to her door bringing the news that Jesus has been handed over and her only
son is to blame. She is also informed that Judas was in such turmoil over
his actions that he took his own life. As Mary stands over the body of
her son, she receives no comfort from her husband and only guilt and shame
for the actions she believes she might have taken to prevent this all from
happening. True to Jewish tradition, dishonor has now been cast on her
family because of her child’s actions and she as a mother is forced to
shoulder the blame.
Unable to bear
the weight of this burden, Mary sequesters herself in her home – a shadow
of the woman she formerly was. She will not eat and cannot sleep. She
receives no visitors who come to call and neglects her household duties.
Her once prominent stance as an extraordinary mother and wife is a memory
of the past, as she and her husband Simon grow apart and she refuses to
show her face at the Temple
to teach the young women.
However,
unexplainable events are happening in Jerusalem,
and despite her pain Mary cannot ignore them. Even within the
self-created prison of her own home, her servants bring news of Jesus’
death and resurrection, the ascension into Heaven, and the gifts of the
Holy Spirit. Mary remains skeptical, still believing that had it not been
for her poor mothering, Jesus would have been spared his life. It is not
until a much-needed visit from Amashia and a proclamation from the Lord
that Mary begins to receive hope. Amashia still teaches the young women
at the Temple, and believes that she has been given an extraordinary
message to share. Mary reluctantly begins accompanying Amashia to the
Temple,
but still remains to be unseen. She listens cautiously from behind a
large pillar in the Temple courtyard.
Soon, however,
Mary too is given visions of what the Lord has told Amashia and together
they embark on a journey of knowledge which begins to revolutionize the
traditional ways that Jewish wives and mothers were taught to think.
These lessons are the only saving grace for Mary as she gains strength and
confidence in the love of her Lord and in the message that she as a mother
is not to blame. This is a compelling story with lots of insight.
Personal thoughts:
I find it interesting that Judas’s Mother presents these motherly truths
as being revolutionary for that time period; however we still struggle
with the same feelings of guilt and responsibility today! I can only
imagine a mother going through this exact feeling reading this book and
simply weeping because of the truth contained inside. I enjoyed reading
the different struggles of the young wives to manage their households and
their children, and I believe that this provides even more evidence that
everyone can see themselves in this book. Whether or not you are a
mother, we have all felt guilty and hidden ourselves under the blanket of
blame. This book is an interesting look at one woman’s journey and the
hope that she found which will inspire everyone to overcome obstacles and
begin using our bad experiences for good.
