Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint 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.
Mary’s sorrows
1. By the cross. You and I both have our crosses—those burdens that hurt, that affect us, and that stir us deep inside. Mary bore her crosses, and it pained her to see her Son on the cross, but she didn’t turn away. She didn’t reject the cross. She accepted it, embraced it, and cried over it. Hope is what kept her standing. Today, I invite you to let hope keep you standing, too. Don’t give up. Accept your cross, take it on, look at it, and carry it. If you don’t accept what’s happening and piercing your life, you won’t be able to rise again. Mary is always by your side and suffers with you in silence. I know that in hard times you can’t see clearly, you can’t see a way out, and you feel crucified, but Mary is always with you.
2. The disciple. We are never alone. This means that during tough times, we are and must be together. The Church today must work to be close to those who suffer the most and carry their crosses with them. This is your task and mine. Let’s not give up; let’s help others who need support. When I say “Church,” I don’t mean an organization; I mean you and me, because we are the Church.
3. He took her into his home. Our life also means taking on the life of others, not seeing them as strangers. Someone who is suffering and needs us should know that we’re there to accompany them. We must be present and fully embrace those who are suffering. Our life is part of other people’s life, and together, we build a home in the Church.
Today, reflect on whether you have taken on the life of the person next to you, the one God has entrusted to you. Take responsibility for those who God places alongside you and walk with those who are carrying their cross, with the hope that lives within you.
Something good is on the way!
God bless you and protect you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
