Patristic Wisdom for Good Friday

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home. After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. (John 19:25–30)

The lamb, beholding her lamb advancing to the slaughter,
Followed Him wearily with the other women, saying,
“Where dost Thou go, O my son?
Is there another wedding in Cana,
And dost Thou hasten there to turn water into wine?
Shall I go with Thee, my child, or shall I wait for Thee?
Give me word, O Word, some word, and do not pass me by in silence,
O Thou who hast kept me pure,
My son and my God.…
 
“Thou dost advance, my child, to an unjust death,
And no one suffers with Thee. Peter does not accompany Thee—he who said to Thee,
‘I shall never deny Thee, even if I die.’
Thomas has left Thee—he who said: ‘Let us all die with Him.’
And again the others, well-known and intimate friends,
Destined to judge the tribes of Israel, where are they now?
No one of all of them is here. But the One above all,
Thou, alone, O Son art to die in return for all whom Thou hast gratified,
My son and my God.” …
 
[Jesus replies] “Bear up for a short time, O Mother, and thou shall shalt see
How, like a physician, I strip and come where they lie dead
And cure their wounds,
Cutting their callousness and hardness with the spear;
And I take the vinegar and use it as an astringent on the wound;
And when I have opened up the cut with the surgical lancet of the nails, I shall use my cloak as dressing,
Using my cross as remedy,
I use it, O Mother, so that thou mayest sing with understanding:
‘He has redeemed suffering by suffering,
My son and my God.’
 
“Lay aside thy grief, Mother,
And advance with joy; for I now hasten to that for which I came,
To do the will of Him who sent me;
For, from the first this was ordained for me by my Father,
And it was not displeasing to my spirit
That I should assume human form and suffer for the fallen.
Then, O Mother, hastening, tell all people
That by suffering He strikes down the one who hates Adam
And, having conquered, He comes,
My son and my God.”

Romanus Melodus, Kontakion on Mary at the Cross 19.1, 3, 13-14.