There are many aspects of John’s account of the Passion read through the world today. One is to reflect that Jesus was thrown down and nailed to the cross, which was then lifted up. It is symbolic of how he emptied himself of his divinity to assume our humanity and in doing so he divinizes our humanity and reveals the God who is love.
He dies; all is plunged in darkness; the earth quakes. A soldier opens his side; blood and water flow from his heart; the Church is born. Pilate’s declaration, written in three languages, broadcasting that Jesus is the King, finds an echo in a Roman centurion, a gentile, beneath the cross, who becomes the spokesman of all humanity: Truly, Jesus is the Son of God.
Then, there is Mary, his mother. She walked beside him on his way to Calvary. She now watches him dying in agony. Let us pray to her to look lovingly on the many people in our world today who have undergone terrible sufferings that make them believe God is dead. Despite what she experienced, Mary had faith. Ask her to plead with God to give suffering unbelievers an abundance of the same faith he was so generous in giving to her.