Scriptures:  Ephesians 4:32 (NIV) – “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Matthew 25:40 (NIV) – “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”

Message:  I am always fascinated by little known events of our Christian heritage that are seldom explored.  I like to learn more and my search led me to St. Veronica.  Never heard of her?  Actually, she is portrayed in the Sixth Station of the Cross.  Veronica is the compassionate woman in Christian tradition who offered Jesus a cloth to wipe His bloody, dirty face as He carried the cross to Calvary.

Of the fourteen Stations of the Cross that are often viewed in beautiful stained-glass windows of many older churches, Veronica is the Sixth Station.  While there is no explicit reference to Veronica in the Gospels, her gracious act on the Via Dolorosa has lived on in legend for centuries.  She was there at "Sorrowful Way," the route in Jerusalem that Jesus is believed to have walked carrying His cross.  VERONICA WIPED THE FACE OF JESUS ON HIS FINAL DAY.

This event makes me think of my own life.  How many times have I been so caught up in the big picture, a major news story, that I missed the smaller needs of a neighbor.  Compassionate actions toward others are a way to connect spiritually with them to reflect God’s love.  In Matthew, Jesus says that Final Judgement will be based on our compassionate actions to the “least of these”, the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the sick, the naked, the imprisoned.  Remember every small gesture matters.

I realize that these little events are meaningful, but how do I recognize them in my daily walk in life?  Maybe I should be more aware of what is going on around me, and be aware of someone’s body language, taking the time for them beyond my own selfish need, recognize the need to validate another person’s feelings with love.

Prayer: O Divine Master, let me feel Your presence through the Holy Spirit to be the person I should be, to act with compassion, empathy and love, when others are in need.  Give me the strength and vision to not ignore the simple moments where there is opportunity to show Your love to others.  Amen.

Jim McElhose

Don't forget, today's Lenten Gathering with John Berry