The Stations

This woman cares for her two disabled children in a cramped room on the roof of a house in Lebanon. Aged 17 and 24, her sons need constant care, which made the journey from her home in Syria extraordinarily arduous. Despite the difficulty of their living conditions, she shows remarkable dignity and courage, and is determined to do the best for her children.

By determining not to shrink back from carrying his cross, Jesus demonstrated his willingness to suffer in order to meet the demands of something bigger than himself, namely love. By calling on others to do the same, he challenges the tendency towards wanting only a comfortable life and urges us instead to engage with needs that are beyond our own.

A narrative of stepping up, of being willing to suffer for the sake of others, can seem out of sync with a culture so often focused on living a beautiful life. Significantly, it suggests that we have responsibility, not only for our actions, but also of our government’s.