Last Seven

Second Word

This second word of Jesus is addressed to a man who probably practiced evil for many years. God found him in the most difficult moment of his life and, nevertheless, He granted him the grace that he could see Jesus with his own eyes, that he could recognize Him, as he finally did.

The Church, through this time of Lent and the Easter Triduum, wants us to also stop to meditate on how we are living life, carrying the cross or not.

I say this because there are many moments in our lives, sooner or later, in which we have to face difficult circumstances – for example, unemployment, death of a loved one, illness, injustice, imprisonment for the truth, etc.

And these problems or crosses can separate us from the One who carried the cross, died and rose again. For this reason, we must ask the Holy Spirit to give us His grace to know how to bear the cross. We must not lose the desire to go to heaven, even if that means without a doubt first going to the cross.

For example, I was in jail because of the truth. For the time I spent there, I accepted it as my moment bearing the cross, and as the space to reflect on how I have lived life with myself, with my family, with my friends and with God.

It was hard being in jail, but God was there. He was the One who assisted us with His strength, patience and humility. Without His grace it would have been impossible to endure as we did.

Brothers and sisters, I invite you to think about this promise of Jesus. Review how you see the crosses in your life: Is it a moment of grace or a disgrace?

— Fr. Óscar Benavides

Third Word

Stripped of everything on the cross, and His life itself being a gift, our Lord gives us the last gift: His mother.

He emerges from the strongest and most natural bond that every human being has. It is the bond with His mother, that mother who accompanied Him to the cross. Most of His apostles, whom He had called “friends,” abandoned Him. Only John remained, and of course, the Virgin Mary.

When we, all of us, find ourselves in these difficult situations or go through a problem or difficulty that overwhelms us, how much we would like to be children again, to be back in the tender and safe arms of our mother.

Well, that is what those of us who found ourselves in jail, unjustly imprisoned, also experienced. We wanted to be with our mothers.

I personally remember the first visit I received in prison. It was from my mother. She entered the small space guarded by police officers, with her tender and serene look, despite the pain that she surely carried in her heart. We hugged and comforted each other.

Jesus our Lord knows that we will need His mother, who is also our mother.

This does not go against faith in Christ; rather, it is He who gave her to us. So we, like good children and like the apostle John, receive her with joy and take her into our homes and hearts.

She will be watching over us at all times in our lives. So do not hesitate to open the doors of your heart to the one who told us, “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5).

Trusting fully in her maternal intercession, Mary is with you at the foot of your cross, she is aware that nothing is missing in your home. She leads us to Jesus.

Thank you, mother, for always being with us! Pray for us, Holy Mother of God!

— Fr. Ramiro Tijerino