VI. Veronica helps Jesus.

Play this music before you begin.

Hold your heart and the whole world in your hands.

Station 06

If Simon was conscripted to get involved
without any intention to do so,
today we meet a woman who actually made the choice
to get involved.

Surely it must have taken a lot of courage
to step out of that angry mob,
not to mention extending the kind gesture
of wiping Jesus’ face with her veil.
But her compassion got the better of her.
She felt so much for Jesus
that she found the needed courage
to do what she did.

In return, we are told, our Lord rewarded her with a gift:
a miraculous imprint of his Holy Face on her veil.
More, legends have it that this same veil
–the cloth that bore our Lord’s holy portrait–
became a miraculous relic used to bring people healing.

Veronica’s story is not found in Scripture,
but the Church has always told this story
to teach a profound truth–
a message that we so need to hear today:
Compassion brings courage and cure.

Boy, do we need courage at this time more than ever!
And do we need to find a cure–and soon!
Each day we are confronted
with the rising global number of infections and deaths.
It can get frustrating because you can’t help
but feel helpless and overwhelmed at times.

But the age-old and venerated story of this woman of compassion
reminds us that it is not the cold objective statistics
that will give us the courage we need;
nor the faceless numbers that will bring about
the much-needed healing.

What will matter–what will make the difference–
is our compassion,

our ability to put ourselves in the place of those suffering
and our willingness to put ourselves out there
the way Veronica did for the Lord.

So many in our midst have been exemplifying this compassion:

We have the front liners–
the doctors, nurses, and other health workers–
who have been, despite exhaustion and risk,
generously and courageously putting themselves out there.

We have the people manning the supermarkets and groceries,
pharmacies and other essential outlets:
They’ve been reporting to work
despite personal inconveniences and worries
just to make sure that our needs are met.

There are countless others
working hard and quietly behind the scenes

to ensure social order and survival:
law enforcement officers, farmers, truck drivers–
let’s not forget the cleaners and garbage collectors!

Let’s take a moment to thank the Lord for these heroes
and to pray for their health and protection.
They are–all of them–courageous agents of compassion
who bring healing in their own way.

What about us?
How can we do our part to show compassion,
to build courage and to spread cure?
Each of us will have to discern and decide
what we ought to do to help–
and there’s so much each of us can do!

There are the countless volunteers
who have taken it upon themselves
to send help in the form of donations and goods,
to provide shelter and food for those displaced, and
even to improvise face shields and other much-needed protective gear.
There are also those who are holding online concerts, art classes,
and religious services just to help people cope with
their sudden change in lifestyle.

But you don’t have to do anything too extraordinary:
Praying for others is a generous act of compassion.
Hoping in the midst of anxiety and negativity
is a much-needed act of courage.
Bringing the presence and face of Jesus to others
is a powerful source of healing.

Ask the Lord what you can do today:
How can you bring His Presence and Face to others?

How can you be an agent of compassion,
to let others know that they are not alone,
that no matter how hopeless or hapless they feel,

they will be found?

“Behold the Wood” (St. Louis Jesuits). Image for Station (Fratel Venzo). “You Will Be Found” (“Dear Evan Hansen”)

Feel free to share your thoughts, questions, and prayers below.

If you wish, visit ENTRUST, our virtual prayer wall.
Post your prayer intention there
especially the ones we need Mary’s intercession for.
Share your prayers with our global faith community.

Click HERE.

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10 replies on “VI. Veronica helps Jesus.”

Lord, grant us the grace. Make our hearts feel for others. We may help in different ways. Bottomline, let love rule our hearts. Let compassion come in.

Dear Father,

Teach me at this time to be more fervent in praying, to truly focus and offer my prayers for all our frontliners and those sacrificing during this time of pandemic. Teach me to give more, even to the point of hurting! I know that You cannot be outdone in generosity, so grant me the grace to give more. Amen.

father, thank you so much for guiding us in our spiritual journey. This station of the cross helps me to enter the mystery of Christ Suffering. I like so much the music at the beginning of the station. I played it three times. After a few days of reflection this station of the cross I feel a sense of direction. I’m on a journey with our Lord.
God bless po.

Lord, I feel limited. I can’t go out to help the victims. In my simple way let me offer a prayers to the health workers and victims of this virus. Let me share something with our neighbor. Make me aware Oh Lord, that the simple act of kindness that I do, I do it for you.
Veronica wipe the face of Jesus with his veil. For Veronica, the veil is something personal yet she let go of her personal things to express her compassion. Lord, help me to detach myself with my personal belonging. instead whatever I have and whatever I can do let me use it to express compassion to those who needed me.

Grocery shopping has become my least enjoyable activity ever since the pandemic. I constantly worried and I become tired lining up.

Today, as I was waiting for my turn at the counter, I started to watch the lady cashier handle the groceries. Not only did she ring them up, she bagged and boxed them as well. It made her slow down, and the people in the line had grown a little impatient. But I was just fascinated at her precision and skill and that she only had kind words to her co-workers and customers. Watching her calmed me down, made me reflect on how much she sacrifices for us.

I lift her, along with her companions, up to You, O, Lord. Shield her from the disease, not only the disease of Covid, but of unkindness and apathy. Bless the men and women who go to work everyday for us.

Today, I also saw 3 elderly nuns, Franciscan missionaries, coming out of a van to buy groceries, and they were walking slowly and they were aiding one who could not walk as fast. I also beg You, O, Lord, to keep them safe always. Save them from the disease, Lord, provide them with what they need for they have provided Your children guidance by serving You.

God, keep my mother safe from harm, please.

Thank you Fr. Johnny for your beautiful reflections and the songs you you have carefully chosen to bring across the message intended for each station. I ponder in my heart the reflection points as I spend time in Adoration listening in silence what God is telling me. And as I listen with my heart, it brings so much comfort and consolation in these trying times .

May we show compassion every day in our own spheres, no matter how small… the world needs more and more of it now more than ever.

Lord we feel so overwhelmed with what is happening that at times we forget that there are so many people sacrificing their lives for us… thank you for these Frontliners who are at risk everydsy… keep them healthy & safe always…

Thank you, Father Johnny. You have no idea how much your reflections have helped me get through these trying times.

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