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 fulfill 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.

New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.

How often have you thought, “Oh! I need to call my mother.”  My own mother passed away twelve years ago, but I still feel that urge to pick up the phone and share something with her.

When Jesus spoke from the cross to the disciple, and said, “Here is your mother” she became mother to his disciples, then and today.

St. Ignatius describes an intimate, creative prayer in his Spiritual Exercises 62-63 called the Triple Colloquy. A colloquy is a friendly conversation, in this case, with Mary. We converse easily with her. We then follow her to speak with our brother Jesus, (who can forget her persuasiveness at the wedding feast at Cana?), and finally, to our loving Creator, God the Father, asking:

• What have I done for Christ?
• What am I doing for Christ?
• What ought I do for Christ?

 Whether in a place of decision making, confusion, or desiring a closer relationship with God, this Triple Colloquy can indeed deepen our relationship with God. Let’s call our mother.

—Donna K. Becher, M.S. is a certified spiritual director with the West Virginia Institute for Spirituality in Charleston, West Virginia. Her training is rooted in the Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.  

Mother, help our faith!
Open our ears to hear God’s word and to recognize his voice and call.
Awaken in us a desire to follow in his footsteps, to go forth from our own land and to receive his promise.
Help us to be touched by his love, that we may touch him in faith.
Help us to entrust ourselves fully to him and to believe in his love, especially at times of trial, beneath the shadow of the cross, when our faith is called to mature.
Sow in our faith the joy of the Risen One.
Remind us that those who believe are never alone.
Teach us to see all things with the eyes of Jesus, that he may be light for our path. And may this light of faith always increase in us, until the dawn of that undying day, which is Christ himself, your Son, our Lord!

—Pope Francis, Lumen Fidei