Christ at the Border

On Good Friday I reflect on the suffering of Jesus as an individual, as one person stumbling to Calvary and hanging on a cross.  However, I need to reflect more on Jesus’ solidarity with all the suffering and powerless people of the world before and after the first Good Friday. Jesus is with his people, for his people, a solidarity always in readiness for a Simon of Cyrene, a Veronica, a centurion, a Peter, a John, a Mary of Magdala, and a Sorrowing Mother. In his helplessness Jesus offers an example of attention to others. Each receives a gift: Simon of Cyrene a deep understanding of suffering on behalf of others, Veronica an image of God, the centurion belief, Peter forgiveness, John a mother, Mary of Magdala discipleship, and the Sorrowful Mother a son to cradle a last time and every son and daughter in whom her Child lives.