Have you ever sat with a loved one who is in pain, and been unsure of what to say? One of the greatest gifts you can offer is to recognize God's loving presence along with them. Right there, in that moment. Being aware of God's presence in those tough moments is to recall that "God is close to the brokenhearted" (Psalm 34:19).
What did Jesus hear from the cross at the hour of his Passion? He heard those mocking him say, "Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" (Matthew 27:42-43). With Good Friday two weeks from today, the Church selects readings focusing on the hour when Jesus offered his life on the cross. In today's first reading from the book of Wisdom, a group of the arrogant of heart consider the just one to be obnoxious to them. This is because they are filled with jealousy. Instead of being open to conversion, they said, "Let us condemn him to a shameful death; for according to his own words, God will take care of him" (Wisdom 2:20). We see a parallel between this group and those who mocked Jesus on the cross.
When we are taking care of a friend who is in pain, we want to remove their source of suffering. And if we are unable to do so, this is, of course, frustrating. How can the Gospel shed light on this? In his greatest hour of suffering, Jesus clung to God's love even while surrounded by those who wanted him to prove his power by coming down from the cross. Rather, Jesus proves that his identity as beloved of the Father is deeper than any suffering he could endure. When we face our own crosses and help our loved ones do the same, let us recall that Christ has loved us to the end to bring us the fullness of life. To bring us that peace beyond understanding because we know God's abiding love. Like Jesus, we can embrace peace even in suffering because God is close.