2008 PASSIONIST CHARISM RESOURCES - Passionists

2008 SEPTEMBER
OTHERS WHO STAND WITH HIS
Joyce Rupp, Your Sorrow Is My Sorrow, p. 122-123
Mary embodies the faithfulness of divine compassion. She waited as her son slowly
died. Her heart never left him as he suffered the dreadful brokenness of his
crucifixion. Although Mary could do nothing to stop the execution of Jesus, surely
her presence beneath the cross was a comfort and an encouragement to him as he
hung there dying. The courageous presence of his mother was a wordless message
of her unfailing love for him.
When actor Christopher Reeve had his life changing accident on his horse, it
paralyzed him from the neck down. He said there were many moments early on
when he wanted to die, but the words of his wife, Dana, restored his courage and
have ever since given him the desire to live. She said to Christopher, “I want you to
know that I’ll be with you for the long haul, no matter what.”
It is important to note that Mary did not stand alone. She had the comfort and
strength of the three who waited with her. We also need others to be with us in our
Golgotha moments. Whether we hang on our own cross or stand beneath another’s,
we can be overwhelmed by intense emotions and feel the chasm of acute
loneliness. Having others who compassionately stand with us gives us the inner
stamina to hold up under the emotional weight of what we are experiencing.
I have had several times in my life when I have felt hung on the cross. During each
of these agonizing times I have been blessed with kind and understanding friends
and colleagues. It made all the difference to me. Their presence took away some of
the loneliness and softened the unwanted emotions that came with the hurt. Their
compassionate stance gave me courage to be with my cross and not hide out in my
self pity and grief. Their patient vigiling gave me the strength not to give up on
myself.
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