NEAR THE CROSS STOOD HIS MOTHER

PRAYER MOMENT                      

Monday 15 September 2014, Feast of the Compassion of Mary.

NEAR THE CROSS STOOD HIS MOTHER

Pause. Be still in God’s presence.

Reading: “Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clophas and Mary of Magdala.” (John 19:25-27)

Reflection. ‘Compassion’ is the word that sums up the whole work of God towards us. When we ask what was Jesus doing when he walked the roads of Galilee and heals the wounds of the nations, we can simply say he was expressing the desire of God to ‘suffer with’ his people in their struggles. There are momentous occasions for compassion in our world today. To take just two; the beheading yesterday of a young aid worker in Iraq and all the suffering there of which this event is a sign. And then there is the Ebola outbreak which leaves hundreds dead and whole populations in dread. Jesus is there with us. And Mary shows us our place; it is to ‘be with’ people in whatever way we can. We cannot rush off to Iraq or West Africa but we can open our eyes and our hearts to the suffering around us. We may be able to ‘do’ something, but perhaps even more important, we can be with people with our hearts and minds. Mary could not ‘do’ anything at the foot of the cross. But she was wholly there with all her being, suffering with her Son.   

  

 

Prayer. Lord Jesus, give us compassionate hearts to reach out to those who are suffering – both those close to us and those far awaya. Amen.

David Harold-Barry SJ