Jesus Christ has redeemed us on the Cross. The Holy Cross is the sign of our Faith, the sign of hope and grace. We venerate it, and it gives us hope, but when it really comes close to us we are terrified.

Still, as we all know at the bottom of our hearts, we have to carry our own crosses in union with our Savior. The Cross is there, and we have to accept it in whatever form it comes to us.

Sometimes it takes time for us to recognize the loving and adorable face of the Crucified Lord in the horrible and tiresome sufferings that we encounter during our pilgrimage here on earth. Our Lady can help us to see Jesus in the cross of our own existence and in the cross of humanity.

She stood beside the Cross of Jesus, and she also stands beside us when we have to carry our own crosses. As a loving Mother taking care of her beloved child, she is always there.

For many people, it seems easier to look upon Mary standing at the foot of the Cross of Jesus than to look directly upon Jesus hanging on the Cross. Being the Mother of Jesus and of us, she can unite us to Jesus and help us to recognize and adore His holy Cross in our own little cross….

When we really suffer, words cannot console us, however pious and loving they might be. We cannot be consoled in any way whatsoever, except by the simple presence of another person simply sitting down with us or holding our hand.

That is important for us to remember when someone we know suffers. To be present, to sit down at the sickbed or deathbed, to hold someone’s hand is always immensely helpful for those who suffer.

This is also the way of Mary—to be present in our dark night of the soul. She is there. It is all very simple and natural.

She is our Mother and Sister who wants to help us to carry our crosses. She helps us to see Jesus in our night. Just by being there, she points to her Son and makes us aware of His constant presence in our life.

So have confidence. In the dark night of the soul, in our suffering, Mary will be with us, silent but fruitful, because she is the Mother of Christ, the Mother of us.

Cardinal Anders Arborelius, O.C.D.

To Be Responsive Like Mary (excerpts)

Arborelius OCD, A. 2020, Carmelite Spirituality: The Way of Carmelite Prayer and Contemplation, EWTN Publishing, Irondale, Alabama.

Featured image: Crucifixion sculptures like this early 16th-century French Calvaire are found in towns and along byways all throughout Brittany. The ancient village of Rochefort-en-Terre in the department of Morbihan is no exception. This historic Calvaire still stands in the plaza next to the 12th-century collegiate church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Tronchaye in the center of town. It is so picturesque that it has been featured prominently in paintings, such as Le calvaire de Rochefort-en-Terre (or, L’Office du soir) by Ferdinand du Puigaudeau (French, 1864–1930). According to legend, the church was built on the spot where a statue of the Virgin Mary nursing the Infant Jesus was discovered in the 12th century. It is said that the statue was hidden in the trunk of a tree two centuries earlier when the Vikings were attacking the region. Another historic image in the parish is a polychrome statue of Blessed Françoise d’Amboise, the 15th-century Duchess of Brittany who established the Carmelite nuns in France. Image credit: David Matthew Lyons / Adobe Stock (Stock photo)

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