Day 18: With Jesus and Mary at the Cross
Take a moment to quiet yourself: close your eyes and take some deep breaths.
Pray this prayer or something similar in your own words: Jesus, help me draw close to you by seeing my suffering in yours and your suffering in mine.
When Jesus was about a month old, Mary and Joseph presented him at the temple. Simeon, an elderly man who had long prayed for the Messiah, recognized him and told Mary that a sword would pierce her own soul, too (Luke 2:34-35). We can imagine that Jesus knew his mother would suffer as she watched him suffer.
As you read today's passage, consider what Jesus might have seen and experienced as he looked from the cross at the faces of those he loved: his mother, the women who had followed him, and his disciple John. Where do you find yourself in this scene? What do you see on their faces? How do you imagine they responded as Jesus spoke to them?
Stay for a moment in this scene with Jesus, simply offering your presence as you watch and wait with Mary and the disciples.
As you close this time of prayer, talk with Jesus about what this passage has brought up for you.
Reflection Questions
Personal reflection:
As you read the passage a second time, consider: What might it have been like for Jesus to see his mother's soul-piercing anguish as she watched him on the cross, powerless to save her son?
Community discussion:
How might Jesus' experience of seeing his mother suffer resonate with your own experiences, whether watching someone you love suffer or having loved ones watch you suffer?