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STATION 6 - VERONICA WIPES THE BLOOD AND SWEAT FROM JESUS'S FACE

"Of you my heart has spoken: "Seek his face." It is your face, O Lord, that I seek; hide not your face. Dismiss not your servant in anger; you have been my help. Do not abandon or forsake me, O God my help!"  Psalms 27:8-9

Moved by Jesus’ pain,

Veronica’s love overcomes her fear,

and she courageously steps forward

to wipe the blood and sweat

from Jesus’ face.

She cannot change his fate,

but recognising his dignity,

she faithfully performs

her small act of compassion.

As the guards force Jesus onward,

the image of his face is left on Veronica’s veil

after her small act of kindness.

It is easy to be discouraged by the scale of poverty and need in the world,

but each day offers us the opportunity

to perform small acts of kindness

and generosity. In so doing, we recognise the face of Jesus in our neighbour, and he imprints his face on each of us. Little things done with love. How moving is this example of Veronica who courageously moved out from the crowd to wipe the blood and sweat from Jesus’ disfigured face. Often we are afraid to reach out to others. We do nothing when we should act; we are silent when we should speak out. Jesus, give us a more courageous faith, and help us see your face in others.

VERONICA - MALCOLM GUITE

Bystanders and bypassers turn away and wipe his image from their memory.

She keeps her station. She is here to stay and stem the flow.

She is the reliquary of his last look on her.

The bloody sweat And salt tears of his love are soaking through

The folds of her devotion and the wet folds of her handkerchief,

like the dew of morning, like a softening rain of grace.

Because she wiped the grime from off his skin,

And glimpsed the godhead in his human face

Whose hidden image we all bear within,

Through all our veils and shrouds of daily pain

The face of God is shining once again.

 Emmanuel, God, with-us,

with us even in our deepest sorrows.

Only with the heart can we see Jesus.

Veronica's was an act of love, kindness and courage.

Acts of kindness such as Veronica's

help us to see the true image of God

when we serve the hungry,

the thirsty, the naked,

the stranger, the trapped and the captive.

In these we are brought face-to-face with our God,

who is love itself.