Mary in the Midst of Israel's Waiting (IX)

"We have been healed by his bruises" (Is 53:5) The mystery of the Messiah thickens in some prophecies that evoke his self-abasement and his suffering, in contrast to the promises of glory and kingship. How would the Blessed Virgin have understood what was written about the Lord's "servant" (Is 42:1), who must first "restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back the survivors of Israel" (Is 49:6)? "He was despised, and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and as one from whom men hide their face he was despised; and we didn't respect him (Is 53:3). "Surely he has borne our infirmities, and carried our diseases; yet we esteemed him stricken, struck by God, and afflicted" (Is 53:4). "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement that brings us peace was on him; and we have been healed by his bruises" (Is 53:5). "The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Is 53:6). "By the knowledge of himself shall my righteous servant justify many; and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors" (Is 53:11-12). "A pack of dogs surrounds me, a gang of villains closing in on me as if to hack off my hands and my feet. I can count every one of my bones, while they look on and gloat; they divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing (Ps 22:16-18). And: "They will look to me whom they have pierced; and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and will grieve bitterly for him, as one grieves for his firstborn" (Zech 12:10-12). Mary must have trembled before these awful prospects. "Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there be any sorrow like my sorrow" (Lam 1:12).