I passed by the statute, and stopped. Somehow, I have walked by this same place for all these weeks and never really noticed it. Down the hill, and nestled among tall grass and shrubbery, was the image of Our Blessed Mother. She was on her knees, and laid out in front of her was the body of her son, Jesus.

It was the expression on her face, however, that gave me pause. It is the expression you would expect on someone who gazes heavenward in excruciating pain; with the word “Why” kept at bay behind their lips. Such pain, such agony, such confusion at a world filled with so much hate, cruelty and evil.

I guess it was the fact that I, and all the other churchgoers were just passing by – oblivious – that drew me up sharply.

How different were we than all those who passed her when she was in the flesh – 2,000 years ago?

I mean; we know who Mary is today. She is venerated, admired and respected by billions. Yet ‘who’ was she then? When she knelt before the bloodied corpse of her son – really, did anyone take notice? She was a poor peasant. Like any other peasant woman of her day, she would have been a quiet observer of life. If people were cruel or indifferent to her – she would have had no recourse. If people were cruel or indifferent to her son – her options would have still been the same.

So often I feel that the things I go through, struggle with, endure under – are unnoticed. I am, like Mary, really no one important in this world. We all are. CNN is not coming to my door, fans do not buy magazines with my picture. I can spend entire days going to and from work quietly unnoticed. And when things get really, really bad – it is very easy to feel that I am all alone in the world. Does anyone really notice? Even those who care; can they really, really know?

But look at our Lady. She is on her knees. She is alone. She is silently offering up her pain, her confusion, her sorrow to her God. She is trusting that He cares, that He knows, that He will act.

And that silent, unnoticed, unappreciated offer has quite simply, and wondrously…… changed the world.