John 19:25-27

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. 

Opening Prayer: Lord, as I come before you in this moment of prayer, my heart is full of gratitude for the gift of your mother. May my love for Mary deepen as I contemplate your word. 

Encountering Christ:

1. Abandoned: How devastating it must have been for Jesus to have been abandoned by most of his friends and followers during the hour of his greatest human suffering. Yet, Jesus focused not on his own physical and emotional pain, but on the practical needs of his mother and the spiritual needs of his followers. In the time of Jesus, his widowed mother would have needed a man to take care of her after the passing of her only son. Jesus entrusted John to handle this precious responsibility. Christ also knew that his followers needed a mother. Could he have offered to us any better than his own Blessed Mother, Mary? How blessed we are to be children of his holy mother!

2. Behold Your Mother: Mary, this beautiful woman who suffered the loss of her husband Joseph and the brutal death of her beloved Son, was no stranger to the pain and agony of human existence. She went before us, and today she offers to accompany us in our suffering, our doubts, and our struggles. We can have no more powerful, more loving, more perfect human companion in hard times than the Blessed Virgin Mary.

3. Standing at the Foot of the Cross: When a friend or family member is suffering, we often cannot solve their problem or make their pain go away. Instead, we emulate our Blessed Mother, along with Mary the wife of Clopas, Mary Magdalene, and St. John, and stand with them at the foot of their cross and seek ways to assist them (a hot meal, an errand, a visit). Despite our feeling of helplessness, we refuse to abandon them to suffer alone, in imitation of Mary, our mother.

Conversing with Christ: Dear Lord, in the midst of your pain and suffering, you still had concern for others and gave me the most beautiful possible gift, your own mother. Please teach me to appreciate this unmerited blessing. Help me also to look beyond my own problems and suffering to see the needs of those around me.

Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will ask the Blessed Mother to open my eyes to a neighbor or family member who needs me to accompany them at the foot of their cross. I will ask for the wisdom to see how I can best serve this person and act to do so.

For Further Reflection: At the Foot of the Cross: An Easter Reflection.