Monday of Holy Week reflection

Each day we will take a look at a sentence from the Lord’s Prayer.

Our Father in heaven Our Father who art in heaven

‘Standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdelene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then he said to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.’ John 19:25-26

From the moment Mary had received God’s invitation to become the mother of Jesus – the Messiah, she had said yes to God and, at great cost to herself, and had devoted herself to Jesus. She had not always fully understood his mission but she stayed by him and here she was, loving him to the bitter end.

There is a beautiful moment in this story of death and desolation, when Jesus notices Mary and meets her need, despite his own anguish and pain. This must have stayed with Mary and brought her some comfort through the challenge of the next days.

The prophet Simeon had warned Mary that ‘a sword would pierce her (own) soul’. That must have been happening as darkness fell and as she heard her much-loved son complain of thirst, before screaming out to his Father: ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ What pain must she have felt as she watched Jesus slump forward and die, may be this is what Simeon meant.

Prayer

Pray for those who have no one to draw alongside them – especially at this time of ‘social distancing’

Thank God for his love for you and pray for two other people who don’t yet know His love.

A project

Think of occasions when you have been distraught and God has come to you through the kindness of friends. Give thanks to God for those friends and why not give them a call or write to them. Put a photograph or names of friends next to your Palm Cross from yesterday.