Who is Veronica?

As you read this, we are well into the Christian season of Lent, a time of self reflection and “fasting”, giving up something which is difficult to do without. As those of you who read my Vicar’s Voice column regularly will know that for me, giving up chocolate takes a lot of self discipline and self will!! It doesn’t always work!!

During Lent, a variety of churches from varying backgrounds will journey through what is traditionally called, ‘the stations of the Cross’. The fourteen stations, depicting various stages of the journey of Christ through Jerusalem to Calvary, help us each year to reflect upon Jesus’ betrayal, his suffering, death and eventual rising.

Across these stations we encounter Jesus in different ways. I love walking the stations, but they are not always easy to reflect on. The 4th station is the one I always find hardest, where Jesus meets his mother, who can only stand by and watch what her son is going through. She can no longer protect him or keep him safe. As a mother and grandmother myself, my heart breaks for Mary’s agony.

But, there is also one of the stations the 6th, which has always fascinated me because the person involved in this station with Jesus, doesn’t actually appear in scripture. But she is the one who is said to have wiped the face of Jesus’ as he carries his cross. Her name is Veronica.

In Latin the name Veronica means: ‘true image or honest image’. As the story goes, Veronica, out of compassion for Him, wipes the face of Jesus with her veil and subsequently the image of Jesus’ face was imprinted upon it; creating what could be seen as a ‘true’ or ‘honest image’ both of herself and Jesus as well.

Whether the story of Veronica actually happened or not, the meaning behind the story a strong Lenten lesson in this single station. Veronica ignored all the terror, the horror of what was happening, and simply demonstrated love and compassion.

As we try to follow the way of the Cross this Lent, especially during this time of anxiety and unknown due to the pandemic, let each of us try to imitate the story of Veronica’s encounter with Jesus to our everyday lives. Let us be the true, honest and lasting images of what it is to be human, to love one another, as family, friends and neighbours, serving one another through the love of God that Jesus shows on his way to the Cross.

With love and blessings, Rev Mandy