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Leader: We never meet Veronica in the Bible, but remembering her simple act of kindness to Jesus as he approaches death is a tradition that tells us much about living out the love Jesus showed us. We are called to be the hands of Jesus. Each time we run a warm, damp cloth over the face of a sick child of God, we are

recalling that commandment. Helping to usher another person through earthly death into eternal life is an imitation of what God did for us. God loved each of us

so much that, in the human form of Jesus, he stepped into our earthly life, into our own agony of death, to wipe our tears, to help us live so that, in death, we will live with God. Jesus' own death on the cross was the ultimate act of care for a dying people. Each of us can be Veronica, the "true image" of Jesus, as we tenderly care for God's children. We can imitate her small act of kindness every time we wipe the tears from a child's face or place a cool rag on the face of a dying person we love.

Leader: Dear Lord, in all the evil, hatred and darkness of that day, a woman showed compassion and love for Jesus without regard for her safety. May we be able to follow your teaching to love our neighbor, and to do unto him as we would want done unto us. May we take the risk to help the needy and comfort the sick, regardless of the situation.

All: Amen