Stations of the cross: 4 Jesus meets his mother
Today we reach the 4th Station of the Cross:
Jesus meets his mother
Jesus said: Woman, you must not tell me what to do. My time has not yet come. John 2:4
And he said: Who is my mother? Who are my brothers? …Whoever does what God wants him to do is my brother, my sister, my mother. Mark 3:33-34
Jesus, you feel so alone with all those people yelling and screaming at you. You don’t like the words they are saying about you, and you look for a friendly face in the crowd. You see your mother. She can’t make the hurting stop, but it helps to see that she is on your side, that she is suffering with you. She does understand and care. When as a little boy he stumbled or fell she was the one who would lift him and comfort him in her arms and make everything all right again. Now all she can do is walk besides him and accept whatever comes next.
As a child, sometimes we feel like too many things are going on. Sometimes other kids pick on us and call us names. We need to look around us for a friendly face, and for the help we need. We need to share our troubles with those who truly care about us.
As an adult we sometimes feel overwhelmed by many things. Life is so competitive, and we worry so much about the future and those who have some control over it. We need to remember that being an adult does not mean having to solve every problem on our own. We need to look around us for a friendly face, for the help we need.
We know, Lord, that we find it difficult to love enough to be able to let go. Help us to honour the freedom you give to all human beings, so that they may grow into the people you call them to be. We pray for parents who fear for their children and do not know how to help.
Lord, in your mercy: Hear our prayer