And as Jesus looked upon these two, his Mother and his friend, he saw into the hearts of each, the one broken by grief, the other by penitence; and to each he brought comfort.

“Woman, behold your Son”.  To her he gave the beloved disciple to take the place which he himself had occupied at Nazareth.  She would not have to face the years alone.  She and John would share and lighten the mutual burden of their sorrow; and from him she would be able to learn the inner story of the past three years, and so piece together the pattern of that part of her Son’s life which she had not shared.

“Behold your Mother”.  That was John’s absolution.  In what surer way could Our Lord show his forgiveness and his continuing love and trust, than by committing his most precious earthly treasure, his Virgin Mother, to the still beloved apostle.  And John, by caring for her, could make amends for his failure to stand by her Son in his hour of need.