As the eyes of Jesus wandered over the multitude about Him, one figure arrested His attention. At the foot of the cross stood His mother, supported by the disciple John. She could not endure to remain away from her Son; and John, knowing that the end was near, had brought her again to the cross. In His dying hour, Christ remembered His mother. Looking into her grief-stricken face and then upon John, He said to her, "Woman, behold thy son!" then to John, "Behold thy mother!" John understood Christ's words, and accepted the trust. He at once took Mary to his home, and from that hour cared for her tenderly. O pitiful, loving Saviour; amid all His physical pain and mental anguish, He had a thoughtful care for His mother! He had no money with which to provide for her comfort; but He was enshrined in the heart of John, and He gave His mother to him as a precious legacy. Thus He provided for her that which she most needed,--the tender sympathy of one who loved her because she loved Jesus. And in receiving her as a sacred trust, John was receiving a great blessing. She was a constant reminder of his beloved Master.

Medens Jesu blik vandrede hen over skaren, som omgav ham, var der en skikkelse, der fangede hans opmærksomhed. Ved korsets fod stod hans moder. Hun kunne ikke udholde at være borte fra sin søn, og Johannes, som vidste, at der ikke var lang tid tilbage, havde atter bragt hende hen til korset. I sin dødsstund huskede Kristus på sin moder. Han så hende ind i hendes fortvivlede ansigt, og derpå så han på Johannes og sagde så til hende: "Kvinde! se, det er din søn." Derefter sagde han til Johannes: "Se, det er din moder." Johannes forstod Kristi ord og tog mod hende, som blev betroet til ham. Han førte straks Maria med sig til sit hjem, og fra den samme time drog han den kærligste omsorg for hende. O, medlidende og kærlige Frelser! Midt i al sin legemlige smerte og åndelige kval havde han tanke for sin moders pleje og beskyttelse. Han ejede ikke penge, hvormed han kunne sørge for hende; men han havde en stor plads i Johannes hjerte, og Jesus gav sin moder til ham som en dyrebar arv. Således sørgede han for, at hun fik det, som hun allermest trængte til: den kærlige deltagelse fra et menneske, der elskede hende, fordi hun elskede Jesus. Og ved at modtage hende som en betroet skat fik Johannes megen velsignelse. Hun var en stadig erindring om hans elskede Mester.