Behold, Your Mother

 John 19: 25-34

Mary, Our Mother

²⁵ Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶ When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” ²⁷ And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home.

The Death of Jesus

²⁸ Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.”^{[a] 29} A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. ³⁰ When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

³¹ It was the day of preparation, and the Jewish leaders didn’t want the bodies hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath, because it was Passover week). So they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down. ³² So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. ³³ But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs. ³⁴ One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out.

We might be asking why this Calvary scene appears after the triumphant jubilation of Pentecost, but it serves as a somber reminder that the victory of Jesus, the victory of the Church is accomplished in the shadow of the cross.  Look at our world today, or just our country::  at least 12 shootings over the weekend. Dislike, division, anger discontent over gas and food prices, or over just everything.  There is something amiss and the cross reminds us of what we have been reflecting on since Ash Wednesday. Yes, Easter is real and the victory is ours, but it's not "free":...there's a price to pay  Jesus paid it but asks us to bear it also.  Let us not lower our guard, but be willing to follow him to Calvary. He gave us the Holy Spirit and entrusted us to his Mother;  she will be as faithful to us as she was to him. We can and must proceed with confidence and joy.

Bro. Rene