At the foot of the cross

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala (John 19:25)

Since the 1960’s cultural revolution in the US and the transformation from extended families to nuclear families, people often identify with their friends rather than their family of origin. Friends are deemed “family of choice” as if we are ‘stuck’ with our birth families. Yet how many of these so-called friends will be by your side when you suffer the worst of your trials? Very few. And people are no better now as they were in the time of Jesus. 

But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit.  And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split,  tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.  And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many. The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus feared greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was happening, and they said, “Truly, this was the Son of God!” There were many women there, looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to him.  Among them were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. (Matthew 27:50-56)

His closest friends were The Twelve. Yet one betrayed Him, ten ran away when trouble came knocking on their proverbial door, and the only one who stayed with Him in His passion was His younger cousin John. Following Him step-by-step in His passion were His own mother Mary, His aunt Mary of Cleopas (St. Joseph’s sister-in-law), his aunt Salome (Mary’s sister) with her son (Apostle John), and Mary Magdalene. 

All were His close extended family except for one: Magdalene. She didn’t grow up in His village observing Jesus as He hung out with other boys His age or doing His religious duties. She wasn’t part of His extended family in a distant town hearing from visitors how the Nazarene branch of the family is doing. It was when He healed her that she came to know Him. She let Him heal her completely, and her purified heart could never be separated from His again. 

“Can we say that parents don’t need a commandment to love their children? Is this because it is deeply ingrained in their nature to cherish this relationship with their children, even at the cost of extreme sacrifice?  History is replete with stories of heroic parental love.” (Fr. Eamon Kelly, L.C.)

Easter has always been a time for families to celebrate the resurrection together. Yet in this modern cancel culture, too many adult children have abandoned their families. God knows our rebellious nature and foresaw the failure of children to honor their parents even as adults themselves. His first three commandments pertained to honoring Himself. The fourth commandment then is for us to honor our parents. Note that God didn’t make a commandment for parents to honor their children—regardless of our brokenness, it is in our very being to love our children. 

“Could we allow money to break our family ties? Could we allow the sickness of our parents to break that relationship? Could we allow potential damage to our comfort zone to break that affiliation? Besides power, property, prestige and pleasure, we could add politics, political opinion, philosophy, and even play and certainly peer pressure to the basic issues which can destroy relationships. We humans can recklessly sacrifice our most valuable relationships for much lesser values.” (Fr. Eamon Kelly)

Close friendships are important but families even more so. This Good Friday, stand at the foot of His cross with your family members and your closest friend. Trust in His redeeming love to heal whatever is needed in those relationships.  Then allow yourself to live as a new creation in Christ come Easter. 

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam 😊

(Image by Domenico Becca Fumi from Wikiart public domain)