John 19:25-34
Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus
were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary
Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing
beside her, he said to his mother, ‘Woman, here is your son.’ Then he said to
the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ And from that hour the disciple took her
into his own home. After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he
said (in order to fulfil the scripture), ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar full of sour
wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of
hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said, ‘It
is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.Since it was the
day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the bodies left on the cross during the
sabbath, especially because that sabbath was a day of great solemnity. So they
asked Pilate to have the legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies
removed. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the
other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that
he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers
pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out.
Reflection
How do I feel when I stand near the cross?
Which of these last words of Jesus on the
cross attract me most? Why? How I respond to them?