Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus

This station comes from the devotional tradition of the Church; the Gospels do not tell it.

“For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you welcomed me; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to see me.” (cf. Mt 25:35-36)

“And the King will answer them: ‘Truly I tell you, each time you did this for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me.’” (cf. Mt 25:40)

Look

The Gospels do not mention Veronica; tradition tells of a woman who stepped out of the crowd with a cloth. Look at that gesture: it could not change the sentence or lift the cross; it only wiped the sweat and blood from a face. Among so many onlookers, she came close and wiped the Lord's face. Tradition also says that his face was imprinted on the cloth. Jesus himself said that he is present in the least of his brothers and sisters: whoever wipes the face of someone who is suffering today is also touching his face.

Ask your heart

Recently, whose tired face have you seen and still walked right past?

One small thing

Do one small act of mercy for a specific person today: bring them a glass of water, ask how they are doing, or help with something they can't do on their own.