How did John come to receive the assignment
of taking care of Jesus’ mother? He was there.
Of all the apostles, only John walked the road to
Calvary and stood beside Mary at the foot of the cross. Where were the
others? One had betrayed him. One – the "leader" – had
denied him three times and run off. The other nine were hiding.
No fool, John most certainly was frightened. He had
to know that, as a close friend of the condemned prisoner, he, too,
might be arrested, convicted and executed.
But he was there.
Because we’re so familiar with the scene at the
foot of the cross, it can be hard to imagine John’s being absent.
But what if he hadn’t been? To whom would Jesus have entrusted his
mother?
Then, and now, a caregiver is someone who is there.
It’s someone who is present in the sense of concern and service even
when her or she isn’t physically present. Even when because of
living in a different part of the city, state or country, he or she can’t be
physically present. It’s someone who accepts responsibility even
when the conditions are overwhelming and the future so uncertain . . .
and alarming. Even when that caregiver has so many doubts about his or
her own abilities to provide the care that’s needed now. So many
fears about what may be asked of him or her in the future.
Now asked by Jesus to take care of Our Lord’s beloved
brother or sister, the imitator of St. John the Caregiver says yes.
