Mary suffered with her Son on the cross. Through that suffering, she became the Mother of us all and likely provided comfort to the apostles after the crucifixion. It is comforting to imagine how Mary looked for Peter, shattered with guilt. She may have also encouraged Thomas, locked in his pain. Can you imagine how she dried John’s tears? Mary came out to encounter them all, to bandage their broken hearts.

She looked at others with the eyes of her Son. Mary imitated the compassionate heart of Jesus and without paying attention to her own pain, spent herself in love for others. For Mary, compassion was more important than pain, failure and death. Those of us who want to be disciples of Christ have in Mary a supreme example, asking for her help so that we can go out and encounter our neighbor. Furthermore, since we have benefited from God’s compassion ourselves, we can give it to others. It is our response to his love for us.

Mary was docile to the action of the Holy Spirit and through her, comfort and compassion came to the apostles in a difficult moment. Compassion is the love of the Lord from the heart. Mary embodies that type of love and never stopes encouraging, comforting and accompanying us.

She could not avoid the suffering of her Son, nor ours, but at the foot of each Cross she shows us how to turn pain into a resurrection of hope. Ask Mary to stir within you a compassionate love, so that you can also be consolation for your neighbor.

• National Team
  Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network (Argentina – Uruguay)