The Courage to Stay

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Staying is harder than we think. It is easy to stay when things are joyful, when prayers are answered, when faith feels exciting. But Calvary is different. At the Cross, there are no miracles happening. No crowds cheering. Just suffering. Confusion. Silence. And Mary stays.

I think sometimes we tone down this scene too much. We picture Mary standing peacefully at the Cross like a statue. But she is a mother watching her Son die. Every wound tears through her heart too. And still… she stays. That kind of love is rare. Because most people run from suffering. We run from uncomfortable conversations, from wounded relationships, from difficult vocations.

But Mary teaches us something powerful: Love remains. Not because it understands everything or because it feels strong. But because love refuses to abandon. And then Jesus says something shocking: “Woman, behold your son.” “Behold your mother.” In the middle of His suffering, Jesus gives us His mother. Think about that.

Jesus is dying. Breathing is painful. Every word costs Him something. And yet He is still thinking about us. The Church was born from the wounded side of Christ – blood and water flowing out, and at that exact moment, Mary becomes Mother of the Church.

Mother of struggling disciples. Mother of people who fail. People who doubt. People who return after running away. Which honestly means Mary is Mother for all of us. And maybe one of the deepest things about Mary is this: She does not draw attention to herself. She always points to Jesus.

That is why true devotion to Mary never ends with Mary. It always leads you closer to Christ. She is like the moon. Beautiful – but reflecting Another Light.

Some of the holiest moments in life are not dramatic moments of success. Sometimes holiness simply means: “I stayed.”

I stayed faithful. I stayed loving. I stayed praying. I stayed near Jesus. And maybe that quiet fidelity is what Mary wants to teach the Church today.

Prayer: Mary, Mother of the Church, teach me how to stay close to Jesus. When faith feels difficult, help me not to run away. When suffering comes, give me courage to remain faithful. Teach me quiet strength, patient love, and trusting surrender. Lead me always closer to your Son, and help me stand near the Cross with hope. Amen.

– Homily by Rev Fr Patrick Agbeko