Lourdes Station 4: Jesus Meets His Mother

The open meadow of the Lourdes Lower Prairie Stations

The Prairie, Lourdes

Lourdes Lower Stations

The Sacred Way of the Cross

Path 2 · Prairie, Lourdes, France · Station 4 of 14

Iesus Matrem Suam Obviam Habet

A Mother’s Presence, Then and Now

Here at Lourdes Lower Station 4, we see Jesus meet His mother. What a powerful moment in time to witness. Standing on this trail, contemplating and praying this station, I can’t help but feel the presence of my own mother, who is no longer here on earth.

This moment is so emotional, so full of affection between mother and son. Mary’s heart is filled with sorrow as she witnesses her son’s suffering. I had taken this trip with my sister, and she told me how, in a dream, our mother was so pleased to see us going together on this journey.

“Jesus, I love You, and I am so sorry for all my sins that have caused these scars.”

Jesus had just fallen for the first time, and in spite of His own pain, He shows so much compassion to His mother. That such love could survive such suffering says something about what love is meant to be.

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Station 4, Jesus Meets His Mother, at the Lourdes Lower Prairie Stations

V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we praise Thee.

R. Because by Thy holy cross, Thou hast redeemed the world.

Jesus meets His mother on this journey to Golgotha. She, as any mother would, wants to take away His pain and let it fall upon her instead.

“My most loving Jesus, by the sorrow of this meeting, grant me a devoted love for Thy most holy Mother. And thou, my Queen, obtain for me a tender remembrance of the Passion of thy Son.”

— Saint Alphonsus Liguori, The Way of the Cross

Blessed Mother, just as you prayed for help for your Son, I ask you to pray also for me in my weaknesses. Give me the strength, or the help of others, in my time of need to carry on. Give me also the courage and strength to help others in their time of need.

— My Personal Prayer

V. Have mercy upon us, O Lord. R. Have mercy on us. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Pray Together

Sit With It

Three Witnesses to the Meeting

Mary, Mother of God

A Mother’s Ache

I would take every lash meant for Him if I could. Instead I can only walk beside Him, close enough to let Him see my face, hoping it might be some small comfort in the middle of so much pain.

There is nothing more helpless than loving someone whose suffering you cannot carry for them. And yet I stay. My presence is the only gift I have left to give.

Who might need nothing more from you right now than your presence?

John, the Beloved Disciple

Standing Beside Her Sorrow

I have stayed close to Mary since the guards took Him, because I could not bear to leave her to face this alone. My own grief is heavy, but watching hers has taught me something: I do not have to carry her pain to be beside her in it.

We do not speak much. There isn’t much to say. We simply walk the same road, and that has become its own kind of prayer.

When words fail, what does it look like to simply stay present with someone?

The Crowd Along the Road

Every Reaction at Once

Some of us feel sympathy the moment we see His mother’s face. Others feel nothing at all, too set on seeing this through to the end to notice her grief. A few of us are awestruck by the tenderness between them, even here, even now — and confused by how much love and cruelty can exist in the very same crowd.

None of us fully understands what we’re witnessing. Maybe that’s the most honest thing any of us could admit.

Which of these reactions feels most familiar the next time you witness someone else’s suffering?

I have been in many situations in my life where I needed my mother. There is nothing like a loving mother’s voice and comfort in a time of need — when we are suffering, or struggling with a decision. My mother, I know, prayed for me many times, especially after I left home to live on my own. Even today, all grown up, I still hear myself wishing for her to be with me.

By reflecting on Lourdes Lower Station 4, we learn something lasting about love, compassion, and the power of simply being present with one another.

Continue Your Prayer Journey with the Rosary

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The peaceful meadow path of the Lourdes Lower Prairie Stations