Station twelve: Jesus takes care of Mary

Bible reading

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

John 19:26-27 (NIV)​

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Pause

Jesus in his last moments on the cross notices his mother, Mary, and one of his disciples, who we think was John. Jesus is concerned about who will take care of his mother after he dies. We think by this time Joseph, who according to tradition was older than Mary, was dead. Without Jesus Mary would have been alone and so Jesus asks John to take care of her. This idea of becoming part of a new family once you become a Christian is seen in a lot of the New Testament. The Early Church were known for taking care of each other and sharing everything that they had. It was this that made them distinctive.

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Ponder

• Who is part of your family?
• Are there any people that you know who might need to be adopted into your family because they are alone or in need?
• How might we help other people in a way that makes them feel that they belong to a bigger family?