Sister Poetry

Tradition tells us about a woman named Veronica,⠀
who came out of the wall of fear on that Good Friday⠀
to wipe the face of Jesus along the Via Dolorosa.⠀
Veronica wore a veil,⠀
indicating that she was a married woman⠀
who knew love, compassion and responsibility.⠀
⠀
Breaking through the laws of the time,⠀
she removed her veil.⠀
She broke through the wall of soldiers and religious leaders⠀
on that foreboding Friday⠀
and approached the Holy One,⠀
the Friend without a friend,⠀
the Alone One in a crowd of evil.⠀
⠀
In a burst loving compassion, for the Other,⠀
she wiped away the blood from His face,⠀
allowing His eyes to say,⠀
“Thank you” to the woman⠀
with her kind presence and balm⠀
in His aloneness.⠀
Veronica doesn’t ignore the problem but addresses it.⠀
⠀
Veronica⠀
⠀
She does not resolve the problem,⠀
But gives it all she has,⠀
a band-aide-veil.⠀
That is enough for the Prisoner.⠀
⠀
Society and legislation is contradicted.⠀
The power structure is opposed.⠀
She brings vigor to women down the ages,⠀
names injustice before the Magistrates.⠀
She brings presence⠀
and disappears.⠀
⠀
…yet leaves a spark of courage⠀
for those Veronicas who will follow⠀
seeking peace, justice and consolation⠀
to the Jesus of our day.⠀
⠀
The image on her veil⠀
models the image in her soul.⠀
Veronica-⠀
True Image,⠀
help us follow your example.