- John 18:1-19:42
None of the other three Gospels mention that any of the family of Jesus - or any of the disciples - were near the cross.
But the Gospel of John has two family members there - Jesus' mother and his aunt. We seldom think of his aunt at the cross. She was probably there mostly for her sister, Mary, who she knew was having a hard time.
There they are: His mother, his aunt, the beloved disciple, Mary, the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. Each of them concerned about Jesus, and about each other.
At Christmas, we are touched by the crib scene. On Good Friday, we should let ourselves be touched by the cross scene. The wood of the crib has become the wood of the cross.
Let us put ourselves in the scene, and spend some time with the Lord ... and with his mother, her sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, Mary Magdalene, and the beloved disciple.
- Little Black Book, Diocese of Saginaw