Station 4: Jesus Meets His Mother

By Henry Troell

As a father, I had the experience of walking with my daughter through the most intense battles of her eating disorder. Watching her suffer — emotionally and physically — from a pain that was self‑inflicted yet undesired, connected me deeply to our Blessed Mother Mary, who witnessed her Son’s suffering along the Via Dolorosa.

I can imagine how she longed to take His pain upon herself, just as I longed to relieve the pain my daughter carried. Yet both of us relied on an unfailing belief in the faithfulness of our Father — the One whose will assures us that no pain, when united to faith, is ever without meaning or redemptive value.

It was Mary’s experience with her suffering Son that became a bright and unfailing light of hope for me. Her steadfast presence gave me the strength to support my daughter and our entire family, who shared in the same suffering — which is the literal meaning of compassion: to suffer with.

I now thank God unceasingly for the pain He supported us through, and for the grace to unite that suffering to the Cross.