Out of the Shadow
John 19:25-30
Meanwhile standing near the cross of Jesus was his mother…v.25
In our Good Friday liturgy, we often read the story of Jesus’ Passion from the Gospel of John. It’s a story of betrayal, denial, condemnation, crucifixion, and death. The other gospels picture Jesus’ disciples and family standing at a distance as Jesus is crucified. John, however, tells us that Mary the mother of Jesus and two other women named Mary stood “near the cross.”
These women come out of the shadows, out of the anonymity of life, to stand near the cross. Made bold by their love for Jesus and Jesus love for them, they step up to attend to his dying. Because they did, they also received Jesus’ blessing. The beloved disciple has also managed to screw up his courage and stand with the women. Jesus turns to his mother and to his friend and pronounces them family for each other.
As we mark Good Friday, can we stand near the cross, come out of the shadows of our world to declare that we honor that cross, own that cross, shoulder that cross in our world? As we stand near the cross with others from life’s shadows, the least of these, can we hear Jesus creating a family out of all of us? Near the cross, can we find common cause with all those God loves so dearly? Near the cross, can we make sense of Jesus command to “love one another?” Near the cross, can we experience again the powerful and all-encompassing love of God?
Jesus gave up his spirit at the cross. Where did it go? To God? Or did it go to us? Jesus’ work was finished, but the work of the disciples had just begun. Through the centuries the followers of Jesus have fed the hungry, gave a drink to the thirsty, welcomed the stranger, clothed the naked, visited the sick and the imprisoned. The Spirit of Jesus didn’t die but remains alive in us who now do his work in the world.
May we stand near the cross today.
Pray: God of cross and glory, when we stand near the cross, we stand in its shadow. Here in the shadow and darkness of our world your spirit is poured out on those whom you have chosen for your beloved community. As we stand near the cross, help us to hear that you have given us to each other to love so that we may go from your cross to love the world as you have done. Amen.
...the least of these... 