Standing Beside The Cross

Stabant autem iuxta crucem Hic notatur compatientium paucitas; quia ex omnibus caris eius tres aderant mulieres, inter quasi et Mater Domini, cui etiam Dominus compatiebatur. Et notantur hic quator: mulierum ad Dominum compassio, Domini erga Matrem sollicitudo et ex sollicitudine recommendatio et ultimum recommendationis acceptio. Notatur ergo mulierum compassio in hoc quod dicit: Stabant iuxta crucem Iesu; ideo corpore appropinquabant, quia affectus compassionis trahebat. Alii vero longe recesserant per incompassionem; under dicitur in Psalmo: Qui iuxta me erant de longe stererunt. Sed istae steterunt iuxta, quae magis diligebant, scilicet Mater eius, quae super omnes compatiebatur; under Lucae secundo: Tuam ipsius animam pertransibit gladius; et soror Matris eius Maria Cleophae; haec fuit mater Iacobi. Notandum est, quod Anna dicitur habuisse tres viros: Ioachim, Cleopham et Salome, et ex istis tribus viris habuit tres Marias, scilicet Matrem Domini, quae fuit filia Ioachim; matrem Iacobi, quae fuit filia Cleophae; matrem Simonis et Iudae, quae fuit filia Salome. Et Maria Magdalene, quae dicata est a Magdalo castro. Istae tres mulieres tanquam magis compatientes stabant iuxta crucem Domini Cum vidisset ergo Iesus. Hic notatur secundum, scilicet Domini erga Matrem sollicitudo, in hoc, quod respexit eam et cui posset eam recommendare; under dicit: Cum vidissset ergo Iesus Matrem; cum vidisset ut sollicitus; primae ad Timotheum quinto: Si quis suorum et maxime domesticorum curam non habet,etc. Et Chrysostomus: Hic multam dilectionem monstrat Dominus ad Matrem et commendat eam discipulo, erudiens nos, usque ad ultimam respirationem omnem facere diligentiam eroum qui nos genuerunt. Exodi vigesimo: Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam. Hoc quod praecepit, implevit. Et discipulum stantem, quem diligebat; et ideo eam sibi familiariter recommendare poterat. Stabat Ioannes, non recesserat; unde erat unus de illis quibus dicitur Lucae vigesimo secundo: Vos estis, qui permansistis mecum in tentationibus meis. Dicit Matri suae... Hic notatur tertium, scilicet diligens recommendatio; unde dicit: Mulier, ecce, filius tuus; quasi: ita confidas de eo sicut de filio. Deinde dicit discipulo: Ecce, mater tua... Quasi: ita eam custodias ut matrem. Et ex illa hora accepit eam discipulus in suam. Hic notatur recommendationis acceptio; in suam, scilicet matrem, accepit, ut illam, sicut matrem filius, honoraret, custodiret, et servaret. Sanctus Bonaventura, Commentarius In Evangelium Ioannem, Caput XIX Source: Here, p1140-43

But they stood beside the cross...1 Here should be noted the fewness of the compassionate. From all his dear ones there were three women who drew near. Among whom was the mother of the Lord, to whom the Lord Himself was compassionate. And here may be noted four things: the compassion of the women for the Lord, the care of the Lord for His mother and from the care the commission, and finally the acceptance of the commission. The compassion of the women is noted when it is said, 'They stood beside the cross of Jesus,' therefore they were near in body because the force of compassion drew them. Others, however, had withdrawn to a distance because of a lack of compassion, whence it is said in the Psalm: 'Those who were near me, stand far off.' 2 But these women stood near, because they loved more, that is, His mother, who above all suffered with Him, whence in the second chapter of Luke: 'A sword will pass through your soul,' 3 and also the sister of His mother, Mary of Cleophas, she who was the mother of James. It must be noted that it is said that Anna had three husbands, Ioachim, Cleophas and Salomas, and from these three men were the three Marys, that is the mother of the Lord, who was the daughter of Ioachim, the mother of James, who was the daughter of Cleophas, and the mother of Simon and Judas, who was the daughter of Salomas. 'And Mary Magdalene,' who was so called from the town of Magdala. These three women, as those who were suffering more, stood beside the cross of Christ. When Jesus saw...4 Now secondly the care of the Lord for His mother is noted, in that He looked on her and to whom he entrusted her, whence it says, 'When Jesus saw His mother...' 'When He saw,' that is, with care. In the fifth chapter of the first letter to Timothy: 'If someone among you has no care for the members of his own household...' 5 And Chrysostom: 'Here the Lord shows great love for His mother, and he entrusts her to a disciple, teaching us to love to the last breath those who have given birth to us.' 6 In the twenty second chapter of Exodus: 'Honour your father and mother.' 7 This He commanded, this He fulfilled. 'And the disciple standing there, whom He loved...' Thus He was able to entrust her to one with whom He was familiar. John stood near, he did not withdraw, therefore he was one of those concerning which the twenty second chapter of Luke says: 'You are those who have continued with me in my trials.' 8 'He said to His mother...' Thirdly the care of the commission is noted, whence He says: 'Mother, behold, your son,' that is, you may have confidence in him as if in a son. 'Then he said to the disciple: Behold, your mother...' That is, guard her as a mother. 'And from that hour the disciple received her as his own...' Here the acceptance of the commission is noted. As a mother he received her, that as a son he honour and guard and attend to her as a mother Saint Bonaventura, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint John, Chapter 19 1 Jn 19.25 2 Ps 37.12 3 Lk 2.35 4 Jn 19.26 5 1 Tim 5.8 6 Chrys Hom On John 85 7 Exod 20.12 8 Lk 22.28