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John 19: 25,26  NIV

“Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala.  When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.”  From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.”

Jesus is dying, hanging on a cross.  His mother stands watching.  We can scarcely imagine this.   Mothers want to protect their sons.   The relationship between mothers and sons is often complex and multi-layered.   It is no different for Jesus and his mother.  In John’s gospel, the mother of Jesus appears twice – at the very beginning of his ministry and then as she stands at the foot of the cross.  In the first instance, in John 2, his mother is at a wedding celebration and informs Jesus that “They have no more wine.”   Jesus’ response seems abrupt and impersonal – “Dear woman, why do you involve me?   My time has not yet come.”   Not to be completely put off, his mother instructs the servants to do whatever he tells them.   She anticipates that he will do something.   And he does.  Water becomes wine.   This was the first of Jesus’ miraculous signs.

By chapter 19 a lot has changed.   Jesus’ time has come.  His work is almost completed when he speaks these words from the cross.   Soon he will declare, “It is finished.”   But first he reaches out to his mother and the Beloved Disciple.   In keeping with John’s Gospel, these words are multi-layered.   Jesus is doing more than making provision for his mother.  In fact, his words are first addressed to his mother:  “Dear woman, here is your son.”   He gives her a new maternal role before he entrusts her to John’s care.
At this crucial hour of his passion, he institutes a new family to be formed around the nucleus of his mother and one of his disciples.  This community would move beyond flesh and blood to include all who believe in his name – “children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (John 1: 12, 13)

So in these final words of Jesus, seemingly personal words to his mother and to his disciple, there is much more going on. While Jesus is dying on the cross, he draws attention to new relationships: the formation of a new community, the Church of Jesus Christ.  All is now completed.  It is for us to live out this vision of God’s new community, made possible through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Major Cathie Harris