J 19,25-27

Stand in God’s presence. God is present here and now, looking upon you with love.

Ask for the Grace: I will beg God our Lord that all my intentions and actions may be directed purely to the praise and service of His Divine Majesty

Fixing a place, a picture for meditation: See Golgotha, the place where Jesus died. Jesus is hanging on the cross, and next to him there are two more crosses to which the criminals are nailed. Near the dying Jesus stand: John, four women, one of them is Mary.

Ask for the fruit of meditation: that I become more attentive to the needs of others and myself

1. Near the cross of Jesus stood …

To stand next to someone means to want to give your support, help. This attitude is the result of love for the other person whom we want to accompany in every moment of life, at the good time and the difficult. Being with someone to the end requires us to be faithful, repeatedly shifting our attention from ourselves to another person. In a difficult situation, we also need courage to look at the suffering of our loved ones. To stand by someone means to be with someone, to be present at that moment with that person not only physically but also emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Sometimes you can be closer to someone geographically separated from you than someone who lives with you in the same house. In the above context, it may seem that we should be closest to ourselves, but we often run away from ourselves. How are you with your loved ones, how do you stand by them? How close are you to yourself? What kind of support do you give to others and yourself?

2. When Jesus saw his motherthere, and the disciple whom he loved…

Notice that, when Jesus was dying, he saw those who were with him. Despite his suffering and pain, he saw those who wanted to be with him. It can be said that Jesus sees every human being all the time, cares for each of us all the time: when we have a pleasant time, when we are faced with difficulties and when we sin. It is important that we have a desire to live with Jesus, to include him in our everyday life. It means we desire to seek what will bring more God’s glory in our lives and more goods.Think about your view of others? How do you experience seeing yourself through others? How do you look at yourself?

3.Woman, here is your son (…) Here is your mother.

When Jesus is dying, he leaves his testament: he tells Mary to see his beloved disciple as her son, and he tells the disciple to see his mother in Mary. He tells each of us that Mary is our mother. Going further, it means that Jesus is our brother and he wants each of us to feel looked after by him and Mary. Look at your relationship with Mary and Jesus: who are they to you, how do you feel in this relationship?

Meditation: St Ignatius encourages in The Spiritual Exercises No. 2 … Because not so much knowledge, but internal feeling and the taste of things please and saturate the soul, that is, we stay where we feel interior movement … and nervously do not try to go on.

The final conversation: Spend a little time at the end, being with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit….as you would with a good friend: sometimes talking, sometimes listening, sometimes being together in silence. Speak to God about your feelings. Remember that times when ‘nothing is happening’ can also be significant. When you’re ready, end your prayer by saying thank you or using words that are familiar, such as the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)–whichever feels right and comfortable. (The Spiritual Exercises No.54)