THE BEAUTY OF MATERNITY
An old widow had an only
son. She was very poor and lived in a little hut in a remote village. She brought
him up with great difficulty, suffering constant poverty and frequent
starvation. When he grew up, he joined the emperor’s army. He was very honest
and dutiful and strictly followed his mother’s instructions throughout his
life.
One day, he happened to witness a serious
crime committed by some of his colleagues. They devised a plan to trap him as
they were afraid that he would reveal the secret to the emperor. They falsely
accused him of a crime of utmost gravity and provided false witnesses against
him. The innocent soldier was arrested, tried and sentenced to death.
The sad news reached his
mother. She was shocked. She was sure that her son was innocent. There was very
little time left before the execution of her beloved son. There was no one to
help them. So she ran as fast as she could to the emperor’s distant palace to
plead for mercy. She forgot her illness and old age and did not care to have
food or water on the way. She was completely exhausted and broken-hearted when
she reached the emperor and fell on his feet. Gasping for breath due to extreme
exhaustion, she begged for mercy using broken words. Then she collapsed and
breathed her last.
Greatly moved by her
affection and sacrifice, the emperor ordered that the execution of the soldier
be suspended. He ordered a fresh and detailed probe about the allegations against
the youth. He deputed a team of just and honest officers to re-investigate the
case. They could establish the innocence of the soldier and collect evidences
against the men behind the conspiracy to fabricate the false accusation against
him. The emperor acquitted the soldier and released him from the prison. His enemies were arrested and imprisoned. The
soldier rushed to the spot where his loving mother was buried. He burst into
tears and fell prostrate on the burial ground.
It is said that God could not be everywhere
and so He created mothers. God says, “Can a woman forget her own baby and not
love the child she bore? Even if a mother should forget her child, I will never
forget you” {Isaiah 49: 15}.
Jesus taught, “My
commandment is this: love one another, just as I love you. The greatest love a
person can have for his friends is to give his life for them” {John 15:12, 13}. Jesus loved us infinitely
and died on the Cross to save us from the clutches of sin and Satan.
……………………………………………………………………..
© By: Prof.
Dr. Babu Philip, Darsana Academy, Kottayam-686001, Kerala, India
( Former Professor, Cochin University of Science & Technology, Fine Arts
Avenue, Kochi-682016, Kerala, India), Prof. Mrs. Rajamma Babu,
Former Professor, St. Dominic's College, Kanjirappally, Leo.
S. John, St. Antony's Public School, Anakkal, Kanjirappally and Neil
John, Maniparambil, Ooriyakunnath, Kunnumbhagom, Kanjirappally,
Kottayam-686507, Kerala, India.
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