The Third Word
By Rev. Mark Breese, Community Missions

““Woman, here is your son!”  “Here, your mother!”

I know that what I am about to say, is not equivalent in any way to what the Third Word of Jesus from the Cross is saying. But it is what always comes to mind for me when ever I read it.

I had a car accident once. Totally my fault. I was distracted and frustrated about some kind of nonsense or other that I can’t even remember now. The long and the sort of it was I ran right into the back of someone’s car. SO my fault.

I hit my head because I’d loosened up my seat belt to reach for my wallet a moment earlier– it was annoying me in the middle of my other annoyances, poking into my backside. So I hit my head. Not hard. No concussion. But a good, firm bell ringing wack. As I sat there stunned, trying to figure out what happened, the guy I hit jumps out of his car and runs back to me.

“Are you OK?” he asks.

“Yes, I… I think so” I answer. “Hit my head.”

A little while later I find myself sitting on the side of the road, staring at my car the front barely damaged. Right in front of me, well, kind of welded to my car, is this tiny sub-compact thing, all crumbled up to the back seat. Next to me sits the guy whose car I ruined. He was probably the age I am now, in his 50’s. Me, I’m not even 21.

“The police should be here soon. And a tow truck. How’s your head?”

“My head is fine. I’m just so sorry I wrecked your car.”

“That’s OK. It’s just a car. I mean, it really sucks that this happened,” he said, “But I am just so grateful that I can send you home to your parents safe and unhurt.”

Back then, I did not appreciate his words in the way he meant them. I knew I was in for it. It was my mom’s car. But as the years have past, I see more and more the deep grace this man offered me. His loss was so much greater than mine. My car needed few repairs. His was totaled. He also had a broken arm, I found out later. Never said a word. Never complained to me. He just was glad to send me home unhurt. To him, it was a gift he was giving my mother, and the recognition of love that a mother has for a son.