We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.

Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Reading

Matthew 25:36-40 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’

Meditation

Who was Veronica?  No one knows where she came from, or what happened to her after meeting Jesus.  But when she met Jesus in his desperate need she was overcome with compassion and stepped forward, out of the crowd to perform a small gesture of human kindness.  What an amazing gift!  What a perfect offering of simple love and human connection.  Some people are always making it known how they did this, or did that, or met such and such a person – name droppers – but Veronica is content to step out of the furious crowd, fulfil her act of kindness, and then disappear once more into the stream of the forgotten.  She doesn’t even make it into any of the Gospels!  How many little acts of kindness go unnoticed, unacknowledged, and un- thanked ?  Jesus tells us that when we are moved to help, visit, feed, accompany anyone for loves sake then it is Him we are serving in our brother or sister – and that is enough.

Question

Do I always like the limelight; to be noticed; to be known as a good, kind, loving person?  Or am I content to do everything in Jesus’ name and for Him alone?  Seeing Him in the face of my brother or sister?

Our Father………..Glory be……………Hail Mary………….

Prayer

Jesus, help me to leave all pretence and vanity behind and to let your grace working within me lead me on the pathways of compassion and holiness..  Amen

Go to the Sixth Station –