By Sister Laurie Orman
This fourth Friday of Lent, we reflect on the Stations of the Cross when Jesus is met by the women who accompany him to his crucifixion. The fourth station: Jesus meets his mother; the sixth station: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus; and the eighth station: Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem.
These three stations are dedicated to moments when Jesus meets women on the road to Calvary. Later, at the Crucifixion, it was the women who stayed with Jesus. Throughout the Passion and Resurrection, it is women who accompany Jesus. As I reflected on these stations, what came to me was to “suffer with” (compassion). In the Spiritual Exercises, particularly the third week, Saint Ignatius calls for accompanying Jesus in his Passion, which translates into sitting with and aiding those currently suffering, cast out or in pain.
The women were not there to fix or change what was happening; they were there to sit with and be with Jesus in his pain and suffering. They were “compassionating,” which is the present participle (the “-ing” form) of the verb “to compassionate,” meaning showing deep sympathy, sorrow and desire to help alleviate another’s suffering, often described as feeling their pain as your own.
A few years ago, I was invited by God to participate in the Spiritual Exercises. I spent 40 days at Loyola House in Guelph, Ontario. During my time, I experienced a newfound relationship with Mary. Ten days into my retreat, I rolled my ankle and had to ice it every day. While I was sitting with the ice, I began to pray the rosary. Before I went on retreat, I didn’t have much of a relationship with Mary. I wasn’t one to pray the rosary or go to her to intercede for me with Jesus. I didn’t plan to bring my rosary with me on retreat but put it in my bag just in case. Little did I know that it would become an important part of my prayer during the 40 days. Not only did I find a deep relationship with Mary during that time, but it has also sustained me regularly through many decisions and needs on a daily basis. While on retreat, I walked with Mary as she followed Jesus to the cross. I stood with her at the cross of Jesus. Though I felt at times that I needed to “say” something, Mary was appreciative that I was willing to just “be” with her. She said I didn’t need to say anything; she was grateful that I was willing to stand with her in her pain and suffering, as she stood with her son in his suffering. I was “compassionating” with Mary during her time of need.
That is what the women were doing in these stations. They were “suffering with” Jesus and his mother. Many times, in our daily lives, we “compassionate” with others. We don’t need to say anything; we just are asked to sit with others in their time of need, pain and suffering. I believe that we can also do this with all that is going on in the world right now. We may not be able to physically be with someone, but we can be with them spiritually.
During this time of Lent, how can we be like Mary and the women at the cross and “compassionate” with Jesus? Our lives can be so busy that we sometimes struggle to find that quiet space to be with him. Who in your daily life do you encounter that needs you to be with them physically and spiritually? During this time of Lent, I encourage you to reflect on how you can “compassionate” with others and thank God for the ways that others have “compassionated” with you.