Reading
John 19:25-34
25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” 27 and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
28 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” 29 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
31 Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32 The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.
Comment
The person of Mary, who appears discreetly in the Gospels and only in John's is shown under the cross, was present during the first miracle of Jesus at the wedding in Cana of Galilee. On that occasion she had brought to her son's attention the lack of wine for the diners, receiving the enigmatic answer: "'Woman, why do you involve me?”... My hour has not yet come'" (Jn 2:4).
The transformation of water into wine is not a miracle of healing or liberation, but with it, Jesus seems to foreshadow in a bloodless way the gift of his blood for the life of reconciled sinners.
That "now" which is a "not yet" in Cana, occurs in the culminating moment of the Passion, in which Mary becomes the mother of believers - personified by John - and at the same time the object of the disciple's concern.
Mary under the cross was raised as a symbol of the Church and as the one who intercedes for men with her Son, yet in their simplicity, the words of the Gospel show us the Son who intercedes for Mary and entrusts her to the disciple he loved.
A mother is certainly worthy of being honored - "Honor your father and your mother" (Ex 20:12) - and at the same time a son, as John is defined in relation to Mary, is the object of maternal care.
Mary represents the Church, entrusted to believers so that they take care of her. But at the same time, the believers are children of the Church, from which they received the doctrine of the apostles, through the gospel.
The Church is not a human institution, but the community of the redeemed of Christ's thirst for souls.
Prayer
We praise you, o Heavenly Father, for having given us your living Word, clothed with a true body in Mary's womb; may your Spirit always guide us in love for your Church, generated by the blood of your Son. Amen.
- Rev. Dr. Luca Vona
