The face of the one who suffers.

Amidst cries of violence and utter chaos, a woman surprisingly overcame fear and indifference. Verónica had no power and couldn't even stop the blatant injustice, but she could love.

With a gesture that seemed very simple and insignificant to the crowd, she wiped the face of Christ. At that moment, something happened that has transcended the centuries: the face of Jesus was imprinted on the veil, because true love never goes unnoticed in the eyes of God.

Two issues deserve our reflection this Holy Week: Am I able to draw closer to Jesus when He suffers in the men, women, and children of today? Or do I always try to keep as far away as possible because it has nothing to do with me?

We are all challenged, this Holy Week and beyond, to draw closer to Jesus who continues to suffer, to be denied and rejected even today. Perhaps, like Veronica, we cannot change the whole world because it is not within our reach; what is within our reach is the concrete gesture of love. Using the words of Saint Gaspar del Buffalo before Napoleon, we can say: I cannot, I must not, and I will not, in the face of violence and injustice (the cry of Christ's blood), choose indifference.  

P. Eduardo Indeque C.PP.S