The mother of Jesus appears only twice in John's Gospel - toward the beginning (the wedding at Cana) and her at the end (at the foot of the cross).
The beloved disciple appears at the Last Supper, then at the high priest's house (when he is able to get Peter inside the courtyard), here at the foot of the cross, and he will appear again when he and Peter run to the empty tomb.
John never gives the name of the beloved disciple. For that matter, he never gives the name of the mother of Jesus. They represent all of us - the Church - and that is what makes this scene at the cross so important.
Blood relatives don't have the "inside track" with Jesus. When the woman in the crowd called out, "Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed," Jesus responded, "Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it." Hearing the word and doing the word is Jesus' definition of a disciple.
The true family of Jesus are those who are true disciples. In this scene at the cross, Jesus makes his mother part of the new family of disciples.
There is no greater connection with Jesus than discipleship. You have been called to be a part of this family of disciples ... right there with Mary and the beloved disciple.
Can you imagine that.
- Little Black Book, Diocese of Saginaw