Pauca Verba is Latin for A Few Words.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Veronica and Her Towel ~ The Sixth Station




ONLY WOMEN ARE KIND TO JESUS while he walks to his execution. What gratitude Jesus must have felt for Veronica's gift - a towel for his face. 

Spiritual living invites us to ever deepening gratitude. When I awake in the morning, even before opening my eyes, to be surprised that I have eyes for seeing. There are more than forty million people in the world who can't see. 

I have begun gratefulness once I have started to cultivate the attitude that everything is a gift, that I don't have to earn it, beg for it, buy it or score it. My being in this very moment is a gift, to read these words, to detect colors, to notice what's beautiful - this is to have begun gratefulness. 

The poor are more grateful than we are in the rich nations, because the poor expect nothing; they take nothing for granted. The poor don't tell themselves, "There is more to have than what we already have." On Good Friday, Jesus walked alone, entitled to nothing, surrounded by enemies calling for his death. And then, out of nowhere, Veronica appeared, offering the kindness of her towel.


Our Father Who Art in Heaven...
Hail Mary, full of grace...
Glory be to the Father...