STATIONS OF THE CROSS FOR DISCIPLES OF JESUS AND MARY
By Fr. Santan Pinto SOLT
We
adore thee O Christ and we bless Thee.
Because
by thy holy cross thou has redeemed the world.
As
a disciple, watch attentively, see, and desire to be one with Jesus. Make this
journey your own way of the cross. There are those who falsely accuse,
blaspheme, insult, mock. Notice how they really mean to hurt. With Jesus you
see the betrayal of Judas, the denial of Peter, the abandoning of all the
others. Add to this your denial, betrayal, and abandoning of the one you love!
The night in prison, the ridicule, and the constant harassing has now ended.
You are faced with the judgment. The Judge of heaven and earth allows Himself
to be judged by man. You drink in the silence of Jesus. In that silence, you
experience a sense of power. This power is beyond the grasp of the human mind.
We may ask, “Lord, why is it that You stand here to be judged? How is it that
You the sinless one are now condemned to die?” The Lord looks at you with
tenderness and love. In that look he seems to say, “For this reason I came into
this world – to witness to the truth.” Every time anyone judges or condemns me,
let me remember that look of Jesus. As His disciple, seek to be one with my
Master. The words of the high priest echo in my ears: “It is right that one man
should die for the nation”.
There
are many who are condemned and yet are innocent. No one defends these little
people. In the silence of their hearts they accept this judgment. As a
disciple, expect to be condemned and rejected by the world. Many will insult
you and condemn you because your life a sign of contradiction to them. The
world will point at you as the follower of Lamb of God. With Him it is your
responsibility to take the sins of the world.
Prayer:
My Jesus, I stand in awe watching, listening, and trying to understand what is
happening here. I am afraid, angry, and confused. I love you and in that love
truly want to serve my brothers and sisters. Yet I find so many judging and
condemning innocent people. How many of your little ones are judged without any
trial? How many wicked persons go free while the innocent person is sentenced
to death or prison? Help me to say with you, “Father, forgive them, for they
know not what they are doing.”
We
adore thee O Christ and we bless Thee.
Because
by thy holy cross thou has redeemed the world.
Look
at Jesus. Experience the joy that fills His very being. Rejoice with Him as He
accepts His throne. This is the throne from where He will rule the world! This
is your throne – your inheritance! The cross is the Father’s gift of the “tree
of life,” which Adam and Eve were barred from eating. Remember the words of
Jesus, “He who does not take up his cross daily and follow cannot be my
disciple”. Listen to the crowds jeering and taunting. Many are out to see this
great spectacle. The voice that constantly rebuked them and challenged their
own understanding and way of thinking is now silenced. Can He do anything? Do
you think He will escape this and run away from it? If God is truly His Father,
then God will save Him.
Prayer:
O Jesus how often I run away from my own cross. How easily I lose the countless
opportunities You give me to walk this way with You. The burden of the cross is
heavy but the humiliation that it brings is hard to bear. Fill me with your
strength. Clothe me with your power. Permit me to stand with You not trying to
run away but to embrace your cross with love. I want to carry my cross and like
You never to lay it down.
We
adore thee O Christ and we bless Thee.
Because
by thy holy cross thou has redeemed the world.
As
a disciple, failure is humiliating; especially when you fall in the esteem of
others. Mistakes and failings are signs of weakness. These expose you to the
insults and the maltreatment of others. Realize in these failings your
limitations. Be aware that how easily you fall without the help of God. Look at
your life and see how often you fail in the virtues. If you cannot see your own
failings look at others. You will notice your failing easily in others. The
Lord teaches you to trust in Him in all things. Without the Lord’s help, you
can do nothing. Often you may forget this reality. It is only when you fail
that you faced with this fact. Nonetheless, the tendency is getting caught with
the emotions of the moment. Humiliations may create a fear within you. This
fear will lead to inaction or with drawl. Ask Jesus for the grace to accept
these failings and weaknesses and the strength to continue on the way of the
cross. How easy it is to look for someone to blame when you make mistakes? Ask
your Mother Mary to teach you the valuable lessons you need to learn through
your mistakes. These failings are opportunities to grow in all the virtues. As
a light of the world, be a witness to others who fall often. The way you handle
your faults and mistakes will be a source of encouragement to others. As you
look at Jesus who gets up and continues on his journey, you too rise above your
human weakness. Believe in your heart that with the Lord all things are
possible.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus how hard it is for me to face others, even myself when I make
mistakes. I bring before you my weakness. I am aware that my pride discourages
me in such situations. Yet, I see how many of the humble ones rise so easily.
Yes they make mistakes but they trust in your mercy the greater. You fell not
because you were weak. You fell to be a source of strength to me. You showed
your glory even in your weakness. I come to learn from You Master, the lessons
of life. I thank you for being there when I fall. Together with you may I rise
and continue my journey carrying my cross. Help me to be the source of strength
and joy for others who struggle on their way of the cross.
We
adore thee O Christ and we bless Thee.
Because
by thy holy cross thou has redeemed the world.
See
this meeting of a mother meeting her son from the human point of view. What
would your mother say to you? How would you feel when you would see your
mother? It is precisely their love that lifts your soul above the sadness,
pain, and struggle of the moment. Jesus is about doing His Father’s business.
How often Mary treasured these words in her heart. Now is the time when words
fail. The heart desires to do all within its power to take away the suffering
of the beloved. Her heart says, “My son, my dear one – I am with you as you
present yourself as the acceptable sacrifice before the Father.” As she walked
along with Jesus, so also does she walk with you. In your trials, struggles,
and your own way of the cross – remember that your Mother is with you. Treasure
these things in your heart. It is not understanding, reasoning, and knowledge
that will explain these mysteries to you. It is the Holy Spirit who anoints you
with his countless blessings that will enable you to accept this divine help
for a Mother that truly cares for you. Look for her in your daily struggles. Whenever
God gifts you with any cross to carry, He always will grant you the assistance
of your Mother. This is a Mother who will walk with you in the silence of the
day or night. You do not need to explain to her what is going on in your life.
She understands and will strengthen you on your journey. If Jesus desired to
meet His Mother on His own journey, then how much more important is that Mother
on your own personal journey?
We
adore thee O Christ and we bless Thee.
Because
by thy holy cross thou has redeemed the world.
You
will find yourself facing a dilemma in life: when to ask for help and when not
to? You may experience rejection in this matter often. You may offer help to
others and they may not want it. Or you may ask for help and not get it. Your
inability to do things is humiliating. In a world where you have to learn to be
independent, it is hard to depend on others. Seeking help from others may
appear a sign of weakness, ignorance, or mere foolishness. If you don’t know
something it is better to shut up and wait. Maybe someone else will ask for
help, and then you can learn from his or her mistakes. As a disciple, you see
in this station how the providential plan of God allows Jesus to be helped by a
stranger. This is the almighty that created the world and sustains it. You
wonder why Jesus shows weakness at this stage of His life. He gives us examples
that asking for help or accepting help is all within the plan of God. The
Church says that we rely constantly on the intercession and prayers of the
saints. Yes, we need all the help that we can. To be family and treat everyone
as family and friend makes it easy to ask for help. On your part offer help to
others even if they refuse you. Offer your service to others as if you had the
need to do this as your own need. In offering a poor man something to eat, I
said, “I am aware that you do not need this food. Yet, I would like to give
this to you. You may eat it or give it anyone you please.” Pride often does not
allow us to accept help from others. Ash from the Lord the gift to be humble so
that you may accept all the help the Lord gives you through others. Jesus not
only did not need any help from anyone, much less seek help from a human being
that was unwilling. In the providential plan of God many will be placed in your
life. Many will appear helpless, weak, and little. Remember that this is the
Lord reaching out to you in these little ones. Do not get fooled by the
exterior. Accept the help and in your little offer help to others, always
believing in your heart that all help comes from the Lord!
You
must also learn to help others without anyone knowing it. The Lord helps you
often in countless ways without you even noticing it. Learn to be helpful
especially when it comes to strangers. Like Abraham if you are ready to serve
anyone, you may find yourself even serving angels!
To
bend your will so that you may serve others and help them willingly you need to
die to yourself. The evil one will tempt you in many ways. He will keep you
from helping others under the pretext that you are proud. He will also direct
you to refuse to receive help from others under the security of being
manipulated. He is the master of deceit, suspicion, doubt, false reasoning, and
confusion. He will use his powers to dissuade you from entering into this
mystery. In this station we enter into the depths of the Incarnation. Jesus
becomes man so that humanity may be saved by one of us. The evil one creates
the spirit of rebelliousness within us. He leads us to become more and more
independent from God and others. The only way you can die to yourself is by
becoming more and more dependent on God and Him alone. You must recognize the
help of God as he offers His help through others. Yet your focus, dependence,
and gratitude must be centered on God alone!
We
adore thee O Christ and we bless Thee.
Because
by thy holy cross thou has redeemed the world.
As
disciple you will have the opportunities to become another Veronica in the
lives of those you must serve. The most important element in your service is to
recognize the face of Jesus in your daily life. Prepare you heart, mind, and
your soul to serve the Lord every moment of your life. If you expect to serve
the Lord, you will notice his presence in the many faces you see. You will not
see those many faces but only the one face of your Lord. To wipe the face of
the Lord means to offer him not only material help but to console him in his
hour of suffering. In order to do this you must strengthen your faith. Many of
your brothers and sisters who are suffering undergo great depression and much
anguish. You must learn to take away the shame, the hurt, and the pain that
covers the face of your Lord. In your hands you must have the towel of
kindness, gentleness, deep faith, compassion, understanding, patience,
perseverance, and love. If you tire easily in wiping the face of the Lord in
the poor then you are not doing it with Jesus and for Him. The path of the
beloved is the path of much courage, determination, and strength.
Enable
others to become Veronicas. The reward is immeasurable. Jesus imprinted his
face on the towel Veronica used. As a disciple, you will find that Jesus will
leave his imprint of His love in your heart. Once you touch the face of your
brother and sister with love; you can never be the same. You can then never
stand aloof when your brother or sister ever shows his or her face of pain. You
will always cover that face with your love and care. You will remove from that
face that hurt and pain. There are many who hide their face in shame because
they have done shameful things. There are many who think they are ugly because
others abused them. Also there are those who have been rejected by the world
because of their sins. All these faces come in front of you, challenging your
capacity to love, to heal. Will you wipe my face my child? These are words that
Jesus speaks silently in your heart.
Learn
from your master as he wipes the face of those who came to Him. This wiping of
the face meant removing totally without leaving any trace. To love someone so
as to heal them from past wounds is God’s grace and His alone. It is hard for
humans to blot out the scars of the past. Turn to the Lord who has often wiped
your face – deleting the scars of your sins and failings. In your humility you
can guide others so that when you wipe their face it will be Jesus who removes
the scars that lie deep in the heart.
Often
as a disciple, you will see some with anxiety, fear, and concern about
situations in life or about the future. As you wipe their face lead them to
trust in the providence of God. Show them in your own life how the Lord wiped
your face and took away the frown, and the worry, and the fear. On your face
may the peace of the Lord shine, so that you may become truly the light of the
world. In your wiping of others face light up their life. Teach others to do
the same to those that they meet. For it is in wiping other’s face that each of
them will truly learn the gift to be able to recognize the face of Jesus
imprinted in their soul.
Prayer:
O Jesus I thank you for the countless opportunities you give your disciple to
wipe your face. I see your face wounded, hurt, dry, disfigured, and dirty. I am
afraid to look at you. I cannot understand why your face that I see in others
repulses me. I come to you to ask that you take away this fear. I desire to
love and serve you in all things. As my reward may your imprint of your holy
face be in my heart always!
We
adore thee O Christ and we bless Thee.
Because
by thy holy cross thou has redeemed the world.
The
Master falls another time. You stand in utter amazement. Look at the
all-powerful fall under the weight of the cross. What goes on in the mind,
heart, and soul of Jesus? Why is this second fall so important in the divine
plan of God? It would be comfortable to just have one fall. Yet the Lord of
infinite strength hides his divinity and falls like a weak, helpless, and tired
man. As a disciple, you watch Jesus falling. You place this second fall into
the depths of your being. You desire to learn the meaning of the lessons hidden
in these experiences. You are certain that this mystery is hidden from the wise
and learned. Open your soul to understand the purpose of this second fall. How
often you have fallen and given in to discouragement! How embarrassing it is to
return to Confession and repeat the same sins!
Peter,
Paul, and King David will all speak of their falls. Yet in all these falls they
trusted in the Lord. It was God’s favor that allowed them to go beyond their
own weakness. How easy it is to gloat over your faults, mistakes, and failings!
It is very humiliating to face yourself after you have made these mistakes.
There are many who live regretting what happened in their past. How often
disciples spend time feeling sad about their mistakes, failings, and sins! It
is good to be sorrowful for past sins. Yet, wasting time considering them without
any goal is futile. True sorrow will lead you to rise above your weakness, rely
on the Lord’s strength, and move you to change your life and do good things
according to God’s will.
When
you fall, it is hard to face the reality of human weakness! The tendency is to
deny. You may catch yourself telling lies to cover these faults, failings, and
weakness. In Jesus’ falling we see that all these things happen as part of
God’s infinite and loving plan. Through your acceptance of this plan you grow
in understanding, compassion, sensitivity, concern, and patience. You will find
your faults increasing, if you are critical, judgmental, and have a hard time
forgiving faults. Whenever you struggle with your faults and failings, you can
measure your level of faith, humility, and a sense of direction.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus you’re falling gives me a new perspective to rise above my human
weakness. I tend to remain in my comfort zone. Often I get lost in my own world
focusing on what people think of me. I am gradually beginning to realize the
various ways that I fall in my life. The closer I come to you Lord, I trust in
you. Yet often I find myself making stupid mistakes. There are some mistakes
that I can deal. What cause me much pain are those mistakes that I deeply regret
all my life. I also remember the mistakes my brothers and sisters fall into. I
ask you to strengthen all of us on our journey. If we can only keep our eyes on
you. In this second fall you continue to teach me. I am slow in learning the
lessons you teach me when I keep falling. I look at you and your strength and
perseverance amazes me. Help me to stop feeling sorry for myself. I desire to
use my mistakes as stepping-stones. These mistakes and falls in my life remind
me how much I need you. Yes Jesus without you I can do nothing!
We
adore thee O Christ and we bless Thee.
Because
by thy holy cross thou has redeemed the world.
As
you accompany Jesus on the way of the cross, you hear in the distance loud
wailing and mourning. In the crowd are women who really love Jesus. Some are
shocked at what they are seeing. Others cannot hold themselves. These wail and
mourn loudly. Jesus stops and consoles them. He reminds them of the time when
they will mourn. You remember the deep hurts, abuse, neglect, rejection, and
accusations. Most of them lie hidden; some of them crop up occasionally.
As
disciples you will meet many who go through severe illness. You will come
across those who have been abused, rejected, and unwanted. At these times
recollect the words of Jesus. Remind yourself that you abide in Him. Allow His
words of consolation to reach out and touch your brother and sister in need. Do
not try to reason their suffering, their pain, and hurt.
When
you are offered the opportunity to suffer, rejoice as the apostles did. You
rejoice because you were found worthy to suffer for Jesus. You look at your
Master who journeys on this path. He is undergoing great amounts of pain and
suffering. Yet in His being He gives you the gift of self-forgetfulness.
Instead of feeling sad for him and expecting others to feel sad for Him, He
draws the people to prepare for their own way of the cross. This pattern of
self-forgetfulness is something the Lord teaches through many of His teachings.
He teaches you to see everything as a blessing in the Beatitudes. He is the
Good Shepherd that seeks the lost sheep. He feeds the hungry, teaches the
crowds, heals the sick, and blesses children. As a disciple you must go beyond
what you see, especially suffering. Realize that suffering is a means to enter
into the glory of God. In consoling others on their way of the cross, lead them
to keep their focus not on themselves but on the race and the reward that
awaits them.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus I see many trying to console your children in their suffering. I try
to visit the sick, minister to the dying, and reach out to those who suffer.
How often dear Lord I fall into the trap of self-pity. Instead of consoling
others, I seem to look for consolation. Sometimes I even demand it. Help me
dear Jesus to direct those who suffer to realize the countless blessings you
wish to give them. Help me to give a good example to those around me. Sometimes
when I see others suffering I tend to get upset, angry, and feel helpless. I
want so much to reach out and take their suffering upon myself. I come before
you Jesus now in my helplessness asking you to guide my heart with your
thoughts, and desires!
We
adore thee O Christ and we bless Thee.
Because
by thy holy cross thou has redeemed the world.
O
how painful these repeated falls are! You are now faced with the reality of
failure. Should you give up this path because of the many falls? You look
around you and see how many backing off from this journey. You find yourself
alone. The crowd jeers as Jesus falls. People whom you trusted and loved now
enjoy seeing you totally humiliated. How often you find people who want to put
you in your place. Now is their opportunity to make fun of you.
The
first few sins you commit in your life are always painful. As you grow older
and try to become holy, you realize your own weakness. The faults and failings
seem to be on the increase. As you grow older you have people who look up to
you for guidance, and strength. Here you are now falling and falling – so weak
and helpless! In these moments you draw strength from the martyrs and saints.
Here in front of you are examples of simple people who fell often. In their
fall they learnt to trust in the mercy of the Lord. They saw in their many
failings and weakness the opportunity to trust in the Lord. These countless
sins, failing, imperfections, and mistakes are a source of strength. Because of
these trials the disciple is formed in a special way. Without these falls the
disciple would not have realized that it is only in the Lord that it can find
the strength to continue on this journey.
Jesus
understood the plight of those who fell into sin or weakness often. Even now he
knows how painful it is for those who commit the same sin repeatedly. How can
anyone ever believe in you and trust you after you have failed so often? In
this anguish turn to the Lord for His strength. Remind yourself that you are
responsible for these mistakes. Yet feeling sad for you will not give you the
strength to rise up and go ahead. If you can learn the lessons that you fail,
then this experience will assist you in the future. With the help of Jesus and
Mary humble yourself in every way. The more you humble yourself the easy it
will be to rise from these falls. The way you deal with these falls is a
witness to others. There are many who are weak, and helpless. Be a light to
them and show them how to trust in God. Show them that true repentance means
rising up and returning to the Father. Show them by your life that with God
nothing is impossible.
Look
into the heart of Jesus. Here you will find the source of strength that sinners
experienced. Recall how many sinners were attracted to Him. In spite of their
weakness and sins they approached Jesus. It was His love that enabled them to
rise above their countless failings. These sinners knew how the world deals
with those who fall repeatedly. They remember with horror how easily they would
give in to discouragement because of these repeated failings. Even if those who
loved them trusted them, it was impossible for them to free themselves from
this trap. In the heart of Jesus they experienced a total liberation. Their
fears were gone. They found the strength to rise up and continue their way of
the cross.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus you who became Man for us. Now in these falls you take our weakness
upon yourself. I often tend to get discouraged. I want to give up my journey. I
feel like a hypocrite teaching others how to be good, while all the time
dealing with my countless failings. I turn to you with my fears. It is my
desire Lord to walk with you in this way of the cross. Clothe me with your
humility. Strengthen me with your patience. Be my friend when all have deserted
me. Help me to be an example for those who keep falling. Give me the words and
the love that will lift my fallen brothers and sisters. Grant me the wisdom to
recognize the many lessons you wish to teach me through these failings.
We
adore thee O Christ and we bless Thee.
Because
by thy holy cross thou has redeemed the world.
As
a disciple, go to the Lord. Look at this stripping of His garments. This
stripping began from His Incarnation, when He became man. This emptying process
is what every disciple must do. Experience the opposition of the flesh, the
world, and the devil.
Start
with stripping yourself of all attachments to things, persons, and all
possessions. Strip your mind of all images, which are not of the Lord. Empty
your mind of all memories that cause you unrest, fear, anxiety, or
discouragement. Strip your heart of all evil that causes countless desires,
emotions, and reactions. Strip yourself from all the inclinations of the flesh,
worldly ambitions, anger, resentment, envy, covetousness, pride, lust, greed,
worry, and laziness.
As
you look upon Jesus standing before the crowd naked, humiliated, and wounded
you realize what the cost of discipleship is. You wonder how you would feel if
you were right there and all these things were happening to you. Enter the mind
and heart of Jesus. Realize the power, the strength, and heroic virtue Jesus
offers you. In similar situations in life you will need to remember that the
Lord has drawn you in his own stripping.
You
look at your Master being stripped of His garments in the poor, the rejected,
the abused, and the neglected. In your journey you see women and children who
have been robbed of their dignity. There are many who lie on the streets naked.
There are many more that are in homes, institutions, prisons, and work places
who are victims of greed, violence, and selfishness.
Prayer:
Jesus I want to be clothed in your garments of holiness. I am certain that any
stripping of my possessions, or inner desires, etc., is painful. Take me to the
place where I can be totally free. When I too will be stripped of all my
possessions, attachments, and desires; may I be like you. I want to give up all
these other clothing that I am accustomed to wear over the years. Free me from
them. Grant me the strength to reach out to others who are robbed of their
dignity and identity. May your love and goodness be the clothing that I can
offer them!
We
adore thee O Christ and we bless Thee.
Because
by thy holy cross thou has redeemed the world.
Jesus
teaches you the meaning of belonging. He does not only carry his cross with
love and determination but also desired to be nailed to it. These wounds will
be with him for eternity. So as a disciple, you too must desire to receive
these wounds not only in time but also for eternity. These are the wounds
restricting the movement of a prisoner. You know that there is nothing that
could ever bind the Lord. Nonetheless, he freely allowed to be treated as a criminal.
He, who throughout his life sought to do only good for others, now is punished
for his innocence. This reality you must never forget. When the persecution
becomes fierce and opposition mounts, then you should rejoice because you are
now able to suffer with your Lord.
Receive
these wounds of love as part of your inheritance. Do not get caught up with the
way the world thinks. On your part you must learn to live the evangelical
counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience according your state of life. Now
these three counsels are truly nails that we feel piercing in our flesh. Our
nature resists this form of blessedness. The blessedness that Jesus lived is
found in the beatitudes. Here in a nutshell Jesus gives you the blueprint of
what these wounds are and how to receive them with love. The world rejects
these gifts because it does not know the value of pain and suffering. You do!
Thank the Lord for giving you so many chances to experience of the wounds of
rejection, humiliation, neglect, ridicule, misunderstanding, opposition, and
failure. The sufferings are of different kinds. The Lord will lead you to come
to him gradually. Each step you take in faith will lead you to unite your
little suffering with his. It is far from easy to desire to be one with Jesus
as he is nailed to the cross. Your human will, will certainly revolt against
such a path. Yes love goes beyond understanding or even reason. So take your
leap in faith. You will be all alone now. Very few will want to continue the
journey with you. You must learn now to keep your focus on the glory of the
resurrection. Remind yourself that all this is only a means to enter into the
glory of the Lord.
When
the nails pierce you and you are bound to the cross you will try your best to
run away. Your first thought will be, “I cannot handle this. I must get out of
here.” The flesh will say, “You have threatened to die to self often but this
is for real. Do you really want to see this through? There is sufficient time
for you to turn back. After all you are just a weak human being.” The struggle
mounts as you find yourself all alone. The nailing to your cross is invisible
to any eye. This is your secret. You enter into this mystery as you offer your
entire being to the Lord. In you he suffers for the salvation of all. Watch
your Master as he goes through this agony, pain, and immense suffering. Jesus
asks you, “Do you think that those who nailed me to the cross were kind,
gentle, and sensitive to my pain? Do you expect others to deal with you in the
same way?”
In
order to encourage you on this journey the Lord takes you to those who are
nailed to his cross. These are the chosen ones that suffer with him. In your
many visits to homes, hospitals, institutions, and the streets recognize the
face of Jesus going through his great passion. You will have to look deep into
their hearts and souls to understand their level of suffering. These are
simple, little people who undertake such a magnanimous task. You will find a
few like you who grumble, complain, and are angry because of the sufferings
they must endure. Learn from your Master who gives you the strength to go
beyond your own capacity. Remind yourself that you are ill treated because of
the “Name”. Rejoice in the depths of your soul because you have been considered
worthy to suffer for him.
Prayer:
O Jesus how painful these nails are! I always wanted to be close to you in my
life. I did not understand what I was undertaking. I often want to run away
from this experience. It hurts me to see you go through these pains. Weak as I
am I don’t know if I can willingly do the same. Yet, I know I must go ahead. I
place my hand into your hand. Mother Mary holds my hand as I shiver with the
thought of ever going through this suffering. I am afraid, confused, lost, and
don’t know what to do. I know that you have chosen me to enter into the depths
of your suffering. My body and mind revolt within me. These make the pain
appear much more unbearable. My imagination speaks of the horror that awaits
me. I do not know what to do with all this information. I turn to you. I cling
to you as I feel those nails pierce through my flesh. I want so much to be one
with you – help me!
We
adore thee O Christ and we bless Thee.
Because
by thy holy cross thou has redeemed the world.
Lifted
with Jesus on the cross you see your Mother, the apostle John, Mary Magdalene,
and a few others. Mary continues pondering these mysteries in her heart. The
rest are shocked at the sight of Jesus. His entire body is mangled and filled
with pain and suffering. The hour now is reaching its climax. How long will the
Lord allow himself to undergo this pain, suffering, and agony!
Watch
the others present. The soldiers cast lots for his garments. The priests,
scribes and Pharisees are there to see to it that the sentence is carried out.
Will they accept the fact that Jesus was dead on the cross? No they will only
be happy when the centurion will lance the side of Jesus. In the meantime they
taunt the Lord with their wise remarks. They insult those who stand around,
accusing them with words that add to the pain and suffering. All those who
stand around know that they cannot defend themselves against these accusations.
Listen
to the seven last words of Jesus:
1. "Father, forgive them
for they do not know what they are doing."
2. I thirst.
3. Woman, behold your son.
Behold your Mother.
4. It is consummated.
5. This day I promise you that
you will be in paradise with me.
6. My God, my God why have you
forsaken me?
7. Into your hands I commend my
spirit.
You learn from Mary your Mother what it means to
have the sword pierce your soul. You understand what it means to follow this
sign of contradiction. On the cross you read the words, “Jesus of Nazareth,
king of the Jews”. You acknowledge his kingship over you and the whole world.
You experience Jesus drawing all peoples to him. Lifted on the cross with him,
you too also open your heart to all peoples. You desire with Jesus to save all
peoples. You thirst with the Lord for souls.
Here at the foot of the cross you bring all those
that hurt you or all those who need to be forgiven. Through his wounds and
through his heart you look at the world. Your heart goes to each and everyone,
especially the hardened hearts and stubborn willed people. You want to cry out
to those who will reject this sacrifice of love and continue to live in despair
in spite of this love: “Jesus loves you. He is your true friend who dies for
you. All He is asking from you is to accept this love. He does not want
anything in return. All that He wants is to set you free; so that you may
receive your inheritance – the
At the foot of the cross you learn how to be grateful
with Mary Magdalene. You continue to week tears of sorrow and kiss the feet of
the Lord. With John the apostle you learn the meaning of love – to lay down
your life! You continue to ponder this great mystery of salvation with Mary
your Mother. You are excited when Jesus looks at you and says those precious
words, “Behold your Mother!” Your heart leaps with joy and you take Mary to
your own home. In your heart always make place for Mary to dwell in it. She is
your Master’s gift to you. Treasure this gift with all your heart. Know that
having her is placing the tabernacle of the Most High in your being!
In this sacrifice you realize that Jesus is inviting
all sinners to come to him. You hear the request of the repentant thief. You
make that request your own. You hear those assuring words of Jesus. You know
how much he desires to forgive us own sins. His desire does not just stop there;
he wants us to be happy with Him forever in his home. Run into that heart that
was pierced for you.
Jesus fulfills His Father’s will. He humbled himself
in the Incarnation and throughout his life He was obedient to His Father’s
will. Now this is the final witness of his unconditional obedience to His
Father. He empties Himself completely as He takes his last breath. Here on the
cross Jesus consummates the marriage covenant God established through the
centuries with Mankind. Now this covenant becomes everlasting. In Jesus this
covenant can never be broken.
Prayer: How can I ever thank you my Lord for dying
for me a sinner! As I behold your love for me, I realize how late I have come
to know of this love. I have sought after love in so many places. I have
searched for true love in many people and in countless things. This entire
search left me dissatisfied, hungry, and thirsty for your love. In my blindness
I did not accept this love. I chose to feel sorry for my sins, failure, and
defects. Jesus, help me to forgive everyone in the way you forgive. I bring you
my hard heart and place it under your cross. It is only your blood that flows
from your side that can soften this hard heart of mine. I come to you as a
sinner, as a friend, and as a beloved. I thank you O Heavenly Father and Mother
Mary for giving me your son. I thank you Jesus for giving me your Holy Spirit
and your Mother. I thank you O Holy Spirit for your love. It is my desire to die
with you Jesus because there is no other place that I would rather be. Immerse
me in your death. Take away the rebellion that keeps me away from this dying
process. Strengthen me on this final journey. Lift me up with you on the cross
my Master. I want to cling to you with all my love. May the marks of your
wounds be imbedded in my soul forever! With my dying breath may I too say with
you dear Jesus, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”
We
adore thee O Christ and we bless Thee.
Because
by thy holy cross thou has redeemed the world.
There
is silence now. The crowds who had come to witness the spectacle have left. The
jeering, taunting, and humiliation are all stored in a Mother’s heart. Some still
make their way home. They peek at the lifeless body of Jesus and wonder if this
is the end. The disciples who stood at a distance now approach the body of
Jesus. In each of their minds countless thoughts pass by. How could this
tragedy happen to someone who was this good? He said that he was the Son of
God, then how can this be possible? We hear all the people say that this is the
end. Is this really the end?
Mary
Magdalene continues kissing the feet of Jesus. With her tears she wets his feet
and wipes them with her hair. She remembers the time when she anointed the feet
of the Lord. His body was warm. His gentle eyes expressed love and
appreciation. Exposed to the elements and drained of much blood, his body now
is cold. His eyes are closed. Yet, she cannot help but love him. As a disciple
you too kneel with Mary and kiss his body often. Express your love for him in
any way you desire. It is the love of the Lord that will guide your heart to
love him. You will see Jesus’ body lying lifeless in the many people that you
will serve. In such a situation when death faces us or anyone, what is
important is love. People who are grieving the loss of their loved ones need
someone to support them. Just be there and love.
You
watch Mary your Mother receive Jesus. They slowly lower the body of Jesus down
from the cross. The Mother is anxiously waiting to hold this body in her arms.
She keeps wondering and pondering all these things in her heart. What else can
she do now for her son! As they place Jesus on the ground and Mary places his
head in her laps – she remembers the times when Jesus lay to rest in her lap as
a child. Now she looks at this body that is torn, cut, wounded, and cold. Be
with your Mother as her eyes follow her heart through each of these wounds. Your
love desires to take upon yourself some of these sufferings. You offer your
body, mind, and spirit to the Lord. You look for an opportunity to suffer for
the Lord because of this great love that he has placed in your soul.
As
you watch Mary hold her Son, you see in that pain and sorrow a faith, hope, and
love that shines in this darkness. In her heart you know that Mary believed in
the Resurrection of her Son. She did not necessarily know how the Lord would do
all these things. Nonetheless, she was certain that this was take place. Her
heart and soul were with her son on his journey.
Now
with your Master you enter the mystery of death. In your spirit you share with
Jesus as he descends among the dead. In his journey he visits all those who are
waiting for him to open the gate of heaven. Listen to the many conversations
the Lord has with the patriarchs and prophets. All these spent their lives
preparing for the coming of Jesus. Now they have the chance to meet the Lord
face to face. For Adam and Eve this is such a happy day. Now when the Lord
called out to them, they could run to him with love.
Prayer:
O Jesus as I see your lifeless body, I understand that this is only the
beginning. In your death you keep drawing me to yourself. You keep drawing all
people in your death. Help me to see beyond death and look forward to the
eternal life that you are. Yet as I see your lifeless body I am afraid of my
own death. I am afraid that when I die I will loose everything. Teach me to see
your eternal presence even in death. Many struggle with this reality dear
Jesus. You have placed in my heart this knowledge that is hidden. You reveal
this mystery to me and I accept this treasure in deep gratitude and humility.
In the silence of my heart I cannot help but love you. I kiss your body as I
hold the crucifix in my hand. My soul is with you rejoicing as you bring all
the souls of the just into your Kingdom.
We
adore thee O Christ and we bless Thee.
Because
by thy holy cross thou has redeemed the world.
Silence
covers the world. The spectacle is now over. The jeering crowds, the priests,
Pharisees, and the soldiers have returned to their homes. Many are confused
about this Jesus who worked many miracles. They witnessed the glory of God
shine in the life of this man. They watched how he exercised power even over
the demons. His teachings pierced the heart. Yes, there were those who
questioned his teachings. The opposition was always present wherever he went.
Nonetheless it has all come to an end now. Thinking these thoughts in their
heart many return to their homes.
As
a disciple you too consider the situations in your life when death seems to
darken your vision and cloud your understanding. Negative thoughts hover over
the flickering sparks of God’s love that lingers within your soul. These are
times of trial. The storm is considerable, the light is dim, and is easy to
slide into hopelessness! In these moments it is essential to go to Mary our
Blessed Mother. She will not give you many explanations to satisfy your
curiosity. She will not ease the pain of separation that you experience at the
departure of the Lord. However, she will remind you of the words of her son, “I
will rise from the dead on the third day”.
During
this time of watching and waiting you begin to understand what this dying to
self consists in. Jesus spoke of the grain of Wheat that falls into the ground
and if it dies it will bear much fruit. Ask the Holy Spirit to realize what
this dying process entails? You look at the various experiences of your life
and seek the opportunities the Lord gives you to die to your self.
This
dying to self takes on different shapes and is experienced at varying
intensities. The shapes this dying process takes are based on the senses,
intellect, and the will. The imagination and memory play their role is creating
fear, concern, and sometimes indecisiveness. Through the eyes of the senses
this dying process is scary. The senses cannot understand how this dying
process can bring any good in the long run. The world and those who embrace its
values will certainly pressure you to give up this foolish path. All through
the years you have done so many things just because others liked it. You
changed your behavior to please others. Now they look at you as you decide to
follow your Master. They wonder if you have grown crazy!
The
intellect realizes that you have set your mind and heart to follow this path.
Through friends and relatives the mind pleads with you to become reasonable.
How often the mind will apparently bring forth countless arguments; with the
only purpose to stall you from undertaking this perilous journey. As a disciple
you must understand that the mind cannot figure why you would chose to die with
Christ. Your entire being since it was created desires to live. You can witness
this desire to live forever in the hearts of every man and woman. You know that
the path of glory is only the way of the cross. You desire to suffer with Jesus
your Master because you want to. You soul understands the value of suffering,
of denial, and humiliation.
The
will fed with the information from the senses, the intellect, the imagination,
and the memory remains in a state of shock. As a disciple you have strengthened
your will through countless efforts. You have sought to listen to the Lord and
do what he tells you. You have tried often to die to yourself in making the
efforts to pray, to serve, to share, to forgive, to understand, and to love.
Throughout your plan of life you have diligently sought to do God’s will in
every possible way. You have chosen the narrow path of perfection. Many of your
friends have left you. You have undergone many trials, suffering, rejection,
and humiliation because you wanted to be a true disciple. Now you are faced
with the final decision in your life. Can you will to accomplish the will of
your Father? This is your opportunity to witness to the world your
unquestionable love for your Master. The Apostles and other disciples were
afraid after Jesus had died on the cross. They remained in locked rooms afraid
that their end would come soon. Realize this fear within your soul and your
entire being. Do not be alarmed by these emotions and images. Keep your eyes
focused on the Lord. In the three days that he lay in the tomb, you accompany
your Master in his journey to the dead.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, graft me to your soul. Help me to forget myself as I keep vigil
with your Mother. She does not say much. She asks nothing. She believes and
waits for the time to be fulfilled when her son will make his presence known.
Together with Mary Magdalene I keep watch and seek you. During the times when
you hide your face, may I always remember that you have never left me! I may
not see you, feel your presence, or ever understand what this darkness is all
about. Nonetheless, I am convinced that you are present every step I take.
Jesus I am weak and often cannot decide wholeheartedly to follow you on this
journey. I am so scared because I do not understand death. Whenever someone in
my life has died, the pain this loss caused me was unbearable. Now dear Jesus
you ask me to die with you. I have been preparing for this moment all my life.
Yet now I seem to hesitate and the fear keeps growing shattering my confidence.
O Mother Mary, pray for me. Help me to give my “fiat” also to the Lord. You
went through this journey with Jesus every step of the way; help me now in my
struggle.
The
silent procession leads you to the tomb and so will many take me to my resting
place. There in that moment of separation I turn to you my Master. It is you
alone who can truly hold my hand and lead me along the way. Jesus you are my
Shepherd and there is nothing I shall ever want. You are there by my side with
your Mother to take me home!
We
adore thee O Christ and we bless Thee.
Because
by thy holy cross thou has redeemed the world.
The
Lord rises in majesty and glory for death cannot overcome Life! There is great
rejoicing in heaven for the battle is won and the
In
the mystery of the Resurrection there are those who believe and those who will
struggle in believing. Many will accept suffering and death and will have a
hard time going beyond this reality. There are those who will persevere in
seeking the Lord even in the midst of suffering and death. Just like Mary
Magdalene, search and seek and you will find. You cannot imagine living a
single moment without the Lord.
If
at times you falter and struggle in your belief then join the apostles and the
disciples on their way to Emmaus. Open your heart, mind, and soul to the
anointing of the Holy Spirit. The Lord will enlighten you to understand how all
these things had to happen, so that the Scriptures would be fulfilled. Continue
to live in the Word of God, so that your entire being responds to His holy
will. Bring your doubts and fears, your wavering will, and expose the darkness
that lurks within. You desire to mourn the loss of the beloved and cannot
accept the fact that He is truly raised.