Veronica wipes the face of Jesus

By A.Vonn Hartung

Another woman steps forward from the crowd. It is Veronica, a friend of Mary’s and the family. She wipes the face of Jesus. She represents Perfect Faith, composed and without any trace of fear or anxiety. She calmly wipes the blood and sweat from our Lord’s face with her Veil on which appears the perfect Image of God. The short man sees this miracle and tells the man next to him who cannot see it. The Centurion is mesmerized by the Faith of Veronica which is symbolized by the stages of progressive belief that shadow her—from complete despair and unbelief furthest away, to doubt and a sense of powerlessness, and finally to hesitant timidity next to Veronica’s faith-filled act of compassion and courage. This is the moment that, for the Centurion, confusion and doubt is melting away. He is SEEING BELIEF, and he is stunned by what he SEES! There is a Power he feels that is stronger than his own and what he represents, “Imperial Rome.” And it is coming through these powerless children, old men, women, and this beaten, condemned criminal who is struggling to get to where it is that He will die! NOTE—These original Stations of the Cross were painted for a Catholic church in Puerto Rico. The artist conceived them with the community in mind and they include many of the spiritual and cultural qualities of Puerto Rico. (Photo by Greger Norrevik)