The importance of Starting near the Cross

GOSPEL THOUGHTS

*Ordinary Season : Eight Week:  Monday*

*Gospel :  John 19: 25-35*

*First Reading : Genesis 3:9-15; 20*

*Responsorial Psalm : 87:1-7*

*The importance of Starting near the Cross*

*1) Standing near the cross means remaining with Jesus in suffering*

Many disciples had fled in fear. But these women, along with the beloved disciple, stayed close even when the situation looked hopeless.

The cross was: a place of pain, humiliation, rejection, apparent defeat.

Yet they remained.

*Spiritually, standing near the cross means:*

Not abandoning Christ during difficult times,

Staying faithful when faith is costly,

Remaining with God even when we do not understand His ways.

Faith is tested not only in moments of blessing, but also in moments of darkness.

The cross reveals the depth of God’s love

The cross is the clearest revelation of divine love in Christianity.

*To stand near the cross is to contemplate*:

The seriousness of sin,

The cost of forgiveness,

The immeasurable love of Christ.

*The cross says*:

God does not remain distant from human suffering,

God enters suffering Himself.

When believers meditate on the cross, pride softens, gratitude grows, and the heart becomes more humble.

*3) Standing near the cross changes the human heart*

People who remain close to the cross are transformed.

*Near the cross:*

Anger can become forgiveness,

Selfishness can become surrender,

Fear can become trust,

Despair can become hope.

The cross confronts us with truth about ourselves and truth about God at the same time.

That is why Christian spirituality often emphasizes meditation on the passion of Christ — not to remain in sadness, but to enter deeper love and conversion.

*4) The cross teaches silent companionship*

The women near the cross could not “fix” the situation. They could not stop the crucifixion.

Yet their presence mattered.

*Sometimes love is simply*:

Remaining present,

Refusing to leave,

Sharing another’s suffering.

*This becomes a model for caring for others:*

Accompanying the sick,

Standing with the grieving,

Remaining faithful in broken situations.

Presence itself can become an act of love.

*5) Standing near the cross means accepting sacrifice in discipleship*

Jesus had already said:

“Take up your cross and follow me.”

To stand near His cross is to accept that authentic Christian life involves:

Self-denial, Perseverance, Obedience, Sacrificial love.

Not every cross is suffering for its own sake. Often it means:

Choosing truth over convenience,

Forgiveness over revenge,

Service over self-centeredness,

Faithfulness over comfort.

*6) The cross is also the place of new relationships and new life*

Near the cross, Jesus entrusted His mother to the beloved disciple:

“Behold your mother.”

Even in suffering, Jesus was creating community, care, and spiritual family.

The cross is therefore not only about death; it is also about:

Reconciliation, New beginnings, Spiritual adoption, Hope beyond suffering.

*7) Why is there a “need” to stand near the cross?*

Because human beings naturally try to avoid pain, sacrifice, and uncomfortable truth.

But avoiding the cross often means avoiding transformation.

Standing near the cross helps a person:

grow in compassion,

deepen faith,

understand love more fully,

become spiritually mature,

learn surrender to God.

The cross becomes a school of love.

Spiritual reflections

Here are a few reflective thoughts for prayer or meditation:

“Am I close to Christ only in blessings, or also in suffering?”

“What crosses in my life am I trying to escape rather than carry with faith?”

“Can I remain faithful even when God seems silent?”

“Whom can I accompany in their suffering?”

“What does the cross teach me about love?”

*Think about it*

*God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones*

*Fr Maxim DSouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*