24/05/2026
Reflection for Monday of the 8th Week in Ordinary Time, Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church
May 24, 2026
Gospel Reading John 20:19-23
One of the most touching moments is seeing Mary standing at the foot of the Cross while Jesus was suffering. As a mother, her heart was surely filled with pain because no mother wants to see her son wounded and dying. Yet Mary did not leave Jesus. While many others ran away in fear, she remained beside her Son until the very end. This reminds us of the love of a true mother—when a child is struggling, failing, or suffering, a mother continues to stay, pray, and sacrifice quietly for her child. Even when she cannot remove the pain, her presence alone becomes a sign of faithful love.
This scene also teaches us something about our relationship with God and with one another. When Jesus said, “Woman, behold your son,” and to the disciple, “Behold your mother,” He was giving Mary not only to John but to all of us. Even in His suffering, Jesus was thinking of others. He teaches us that love means caring, remaining present, and treating one another like family. Sometimes in life, we also experience loneliness, struggles, or moments when we feel abandoned, but like Mary at the Cross, God never truly leaves us alone. Through Mary, we are reminded that there is always a mother who accompanies us in our journey of faith.
The words of Jesus, “I thirst,” also speak deeply to our hearts. Jesus was not only thirsty for water but thirsty for our love, faithfulness, and closeness to Him. Many times, we become distracted by the world and forget God, yet Jesus continues to call us back to Him. When blood and water flowed from His side, it became a sign that grace, mercy, and new life continue to flow from Christ even in suffering. This Gospel reminds us that true love is not measured only in happy moments but in our willingness to remain faithful even at the foot of the Cross.
Fray Arnold Sabanal, O.Carm.
2nd Year Simple Professed Friar
