GOD DOESN’T ABANDON THE ONES WHO ARE SUFFERING

 A reflection from Jo 19, 25-27

This text invites us to reflect about the solidarity of the Mother Mary before the suffering of his son Whom is the Son of God.

Among the several characteristics of the Virgin Mary, this text of the gospel of John brings to us her silent testimony as First and Faithful disciple of his Son. She assumes her mission up to the last consequences. While other disciples went away, Mary remains stand up by the cross. Together with her, other three women and the disciple who Jesus loved remain also. Only the love can explain the strength and perseverance of the women in this particular moment of the life of the Master. Really, they learnt the lesson of the generous discipleship in the total gratuity. They renounced to themselves, carried their cross and made themselves sympathetic in the following of the footsteps of the Master.

We contemplate in this scene the supreme gesture of love of the Son of God, who surrenders his life for the life of the sinner humankind. His passion is the beginning of his victory upon the death, making to revive all hopes of the peoples. For him, there is no greatest love than to give the life for the good of the friends. Before the passion of the Son, we contemplate the compassion of the Mother, who knows how to love and how to suffer for the beloved. Mary assumes in her heart all sorrows of his son. Like this it is fulfilled the prophecy of Simeon in the Temple when he took the little child Jesus up in his arms: “a sword will pierce your own soul”. 

Both Son and Mother help us to reflect the hard reality of the human suffering and to believe that God doesn’t abandon the ones who are suffering. Both teach us how to welcome the suffering with serenity and to be active presence in the life of the people who are suffering. May the example of Mary, the Mother of sorrows, motivate us to live with fidelity our identity of disciples of his Son Jesus and assuming with courage our daily cross, being able to surrender our lives like Jesus for the good of others.

Fr. Ndega