He  

Is

Risen!

Alleluia!

Alleluia!

 

Happy Easter! 

 Holy Saturday 

   Can you hear it in your heart?  Is it there deep within you?  A quietness, a silence, as if all the heavenly host is silent, in mourning for the death of our Lord.  Anxiously awaiting the resurrection to be celebrated tomorrow morning.  The miracle that reopened the doors of heaven to those who would believe.

   Yet, even while in the tomb, lying wrapped in the funeral shroud, our Lord was not idle.  He descended to Sheol to share the good news with all who were in stasis since the fall of mankind.  To offer them the same redemption as He offers us.  Imagine the joy of those whose future was unknown when the Son of God offered them the blessing of forgiveness and entry into the heavenly kingdom.

   Did Adam and Eve repent of their prideful act which had cost them the paradise God had planned?  I pray that they did.  What of the millions upon millions of others who had died, both the righteous and the sinners?  Did they too turn to Christ, or did some stubbornly continue to refuse His offer?

   And what of us?  Have we learned any lessons during this Lent?  Did we grow closer to our Lord, seeking to know and serve Him better?  He died for us, are we, like the martyrs, willing to die for Him?  We are the only ones who can answer those questions; it is between us and God.

   Let the sacrifice of Lent, the pondering of the passion and death of our Lord strengthen us and lead us always closer to Him.  On the morn we will rejoice in His resurrection.  May we live so as to also rejoice in our own.

 

 

 Good Friday 

   “Unless there is a Good Friday in your life, there can be no Easter Sunday.” (Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen) 

   Today is a day for solemn contemplation of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ.  This is the day He was hung on the cross and gave up His life for the redemption of our sins.

   In our own lives we too must experience a Good Friday.  Not a physical death, but a death to our old ways of life and a turning to God; a decision to allow God’s will to be our guide and to subject our own will to His.  Without such a change in our life we will never know the resurrection into eternal life.

   St. Paul wrote, “And now it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.” (Gal 2: 20).  We, like St. Paul, must die to self to allow Christ to live within us.  If we wish Christ to live in us we cannot serve our own ego and desires but must endeavor to follow our Lord in all ways, even if it is all the way to the cross.

   On Sunday we will celebrate the resurrection of our Lord.  Has this Lenten experience brought us closer to our Lord?  Will we be ready and willing to continue our walk with Him, seeking His will and guidance in all things?  Will we follow Him all the way to God’s heavenly kingdom?

 

 Holy Thursday 

   “So, if I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you should also wash one another’s feet.  I have given you an example.  What I have done for you, you should also do.” (John 13: 14 – 15) 

   This evening at Mass all over the world priests, bishops, and even the Pope will be following the example Christ gave His apostles.  They will be washing the feet of twelve chosen to represent the apostles.  This sign of humility is one that is, or should be, of utmost importance to those ordained to the priesthood.  If they are to faithfully represent our Lord to their flocks they must have such humility within them.

   This example is also one each of us should follow in our relationships with others.  While it is very unlikely that we will be called upon to wash another’s feet, we are called upon to practice humility in all that we do.  The self-centered attitude of so many in society today destroys humility in them and without it they can never truly belong to the Lord. 

   “Though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped.  Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.  Being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.” (Phil 2: 6 – 8).  This is the humility that we must emulate if we are to follow the path of our Lord.

   As Lent draws to a close, let us remember how our Lord humbled himself to wash the feet of his apostles and strive to foster such humility in our own lives.

 

 Thirsting for Our Love 

   “He wants only your love, wants only the chance to love you.” (St. Teresa of Calcutta) 

   As He hung on the cross, dying for our sins, Jesus said, “I thirst.” (John 19: 28).  Many of the Church fathers have suggested that it wasn’t so much a physical thirst He was expressing but the thirst for our love of Him.

   Through His passion and crucifixion He had shown the depth of His love for us.  It was and is an all encompassing love that knows no bounds or restrictions, given freely to all.  He desires that we love Him with the same kind of love.

   When we consider the sacrifices we make during the Lenten season we must realize that there is nothing we have that God needs.  However, what He doesn’t always have and what He can’t or won’t demand of us is our love.  That He must wait for us to give.

   This Holy Week is a time for even greater contemplation of Christ’s love and sacrifice for us as we prepare to celebrate His glorious resurrection on Easter Sunday.  Now is the time to satisfy His thirst for our love, to give Him our love as He gives His to us; totally, completely, and forever.

 

 To Live In Christ 

   “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  But if I continue living in the body, that will mean fruitful work for me.  Hence, I do not know which I should choose.” (Phil 1: 21: 22) 

   St. Paul’s indecision is one I have shared.  At times I have offered my life to God, almost pleading that He take it soon.  Times when I felt there was little reason to continue.

   At the same time I realized that such a prayer goes against my desire to live in the will of God.  The day and time of my demise was established before time began and I have no right to wish to change it.  God’s plans for me are in many ways unknown to me.  Therefore, it is not up to me to question them, but rather to accept what comes each day as the will of God, never doubting that, in the end, it will lead me home.

   I think of the humanity of Christ during His last week on earth.  Since He was fully human as well as fully divine, He must have had the same questions and doubts concerning what was to come.  Even His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane speaks to this, “My Father, if it be possible, allow this cup to be taken from me.  Yet let  your will, not mine, be done.” (Matt 26: 39).

   It is for me and for each Christian to have this same attitude.  To pray for what we wish is natural and good, but it must always be subjected to the will of the Father.  Willingly and lovingly submitting our will to the will of God regardless of the consequences is to live in Christ and die to self.

 

 Suffering 

   Suffering is one of the great mysteries of life.  Suffering is never welcomed in life, but it is also unavoidable.  It comes in many forms and in many degrees of severity.  How we deal with our suffering is an integral part of our spiritual life.

   Throughout Lent we consider the suffering and sacrifice our Lord made to redeem us of our sins.  We recognize that our sins are offensive to a loving God and that even the sins we commit today are responsible for the suffering Jesus endured.  He took upon Himself the sins of the entire world for all time and paid the price necessary for their forgiveness.

   When I consider the suffering I have known I try to see it in relation to the suffering of Christ and understand that nothing I have suffered can possibly be as bad as that suffered by my Lord.  My suffering doesn’t compare with that of the many martyrs who faced torture and incredibly painful death for their faith.

   We hear that we should “offer” our suffering to Christ and I used to wonder what that meant.  I have come to believe that in some mysterious way the minor suffering I may endure can be added to the much greater suffering of my Lord to help in the redemption of sinners.  I can’t explain it, but I know that He can take whatever I offer and make it serve the good He desires.

   While we continue with Holy Week let’s offer whatever suffering we may be experiencing to our Lord in thanksgiving for the suffering He endured for us.  Let us pray that our suffering, however minor or severe, can somehow be used by Christ for the conversion of sinners.

 

 Palm Sunday 

   “The crowds that preceded him and those that followed kept shouting:  ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest!’ (Matt 21: 9) 

   Welcomed into Jerusalem as the Son of David, the Messiah, less than a week later He would give up His life on the cross for the redemption of our sins.

   I’ve often wondered how many of those who welcomed Him with Hosannas on this day were among the crowd demanding His crucifixion on Good Friday.  If this event occurred today how many of us would welcome Him when it was popular to do so and reject Him and demand His death when political and social pressure came to bear.

   There are, always have been and always will be those who are “sunshine” Christians.  Those who put on a good show of sanctity and faith on Sundays yet live their life in the flesh for the remainder of the week.  When it is easy and convenient, their praise is loud and long, but when it becomes difficult and unpopular to give praise and glory to the Lord their faith shrinks into the background.

   As we travel this last week with Christ in preparation for the miracle of Easter Sunday we must look deep inside ourselves and ask, “Would I have welcomed Him with palms and Hosannas this day or would I have been among those who demanded His crucifixion on Good Friday?  Even worse, would I have shown my hypocrisy and cowardice by doing both?”

 

 A Rebellious People 

  “You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears!  You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do.” (Acts 7: 51) 

   We are a rebellious people, we know right from wrong, but we often choose evil rather than good.  We know the ways of God are the right ways but refuse to follow when they are difficult.  Just as mankind always has, we reject the Spirit and live in the flesh.

   How often do we praise God for the many blessings He has given and then demand to know “why?” when things are not going as we wish.  We glory in His love and mercy, but whine and complain about the crosses we are called to bear.

   We know what is right, but we allow evil to persist without protest.  Millions upon millions of infants are slaughtered in the womb as an “inconvenience.”  Our elderly are warehoused and ignored rather than receiving the love and care they deserve.  Criminals walk the streets preying on the innocent and our courts do nothing to stop it.

   We have rebelled against common sense and natural law.  We have become complacent.  We “go along to get along” rather than standing up for the truth.  Our rebellion and lukewarmness will not be without consequences.  We will be called to answer for our stiff-necked attitudes and defiant nature.

   Many of the Israelites were refused entry into the promised land because of their rebellious nature.  The Lord said, "Not one of these men from this generation will see the good land that I promised to give your fathers." (Deuteronomy 1: 35).  If we remain a stiff-necked, rebellious people we will never enter the promised land of the kingdom of God.

 

The Resurrection Will Dawn 

   “When you feel in your own heart the suffering Christ, remember that the resurrection has to come.”  (Saint Mother Teresa, Thirsting for God: Daily Meditations) 

   Mother Teresa often spoke of the poor as the face of Christ.  She saw the face of Jesus in those she helped and cared for.  The poorest, the sickest and the dying represented the suffering Christ and she served them just as she would have served Christ.

   There are many ways to feel the suffering of Jesus in our lives.  We can serve the poor as Mother Teresa and many others have.  Through prayer and contemplation we can, to some degree, experience His suffering in our own life.  In prayerful study of the scripture we can see the prophecies of His suffering and the account of His life and the suffering He endured for our sake.

   At times, our own life is affected to such a degree that our heart aches with the suffering and loss we experience.  It is at these times when we can perhaps begin to understand and truly know the suffering of our Lord.  There are also times such as this when our faith can deepen and grow to a level we never knew possible.

   Just as He suffered on the cross for us, we too may suffer by carrying the crosses we may be called to bear.  Occasionally a cross is placed upon our shoulder that seems unbearable; beyond our ability to carry.  It is then that we can turn to Jesus and share in His suffering as He will share in our suffering with us.

   Regardless of the depth of sorrow or loss, Jesus is there.  He will comfort, He will strengthen, He will carry us and our cross if needed.  That is the depth of His love for us.  Our resurrection from our sorrow and pain will surely come if we trust in Him.

  

 A Time of Joy  

   “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” (John 15: 11) 

   I think we sometimes forget about the joy we should know when we are sacrificing and fasting for Lent.  We can make it become an almost depressing time.  That is not what Lent is intended to be.

   Rather, it is a time to give thanks for the many joys of life given us by our loving Father.  One of the ways we show that thanks is by the little and not so little sacrifices we make during this time, but we should never forget the joy of knowing the Lord.  Our sorrow for our sins and our repentance is pleasing to God but they are also the path to the joy He desires for us.

   So take a few moments during Lent to give thanks for the joys we know as children of God.  While we are remembering and contemplating the sorrowful journey of our Lord to Calvary, never forget to give thanks for the peace of soul and happiness of heart that the His life, death, and resurrection has brought to us; His willing sacrifice is the source of our Christian joy.

   Thank God for the love and companionship of your spouse and give Him all praise and glory for the blessing of such love.  Remember the joy of your wedding day when the two became one in God.

   Look at the world around us and take joy in the majesty and beauty of God’s creation.  Everywhere we look God is there, in every joy we know, God is there.  Give thanks and welcome that joy; never let it depart from you.

   Lent will culminate with the most joyful of all celebrations, Easter Sunday.  Between now and that glorious Sunday continue to fast, to pray, to confess and repent for the sins we commit each day.  But never forget to celebrate the joy of knowing our loving and merciful God every day of our life.

 

 The Promised Land 

   “It is not enough to leave Egypt; one must also travel to the promised land.”  St. Chrysostom 

   During our journey toward Easter we are, in a sense, journeying to the promised land.  Through His life, death, and resurrection Jesus has shown us the way, but it is up to us to follow Him if we want to reach that land of milk and honey.

   The Israelites took a long difficult journey from Egypt to the promised land.  Not because God was not leading them, but because they refused to follow.  We often refuse to follow God’s lead as well.  We may leave the slavery of sin through baptism and confession, but we still stray from the path to the promised land.

   Lent is the perfect time to review how we are doing on our journey home.  Are we living as God would have us live?  Do we not only seek His will, but follow it?   We need to spend time in solitude with the Lord, to simply be there and say, as Samuel did, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.” (1 Samuel 3: 9).

   A favorite prayer at the Parish I attend is simple but expresses what our greatest desire should be; “Jesus, I love you.  Possess me.”  When we are possessed by our Lord then we are truly on the right path from Egypt to the promised land.

A Real Man 

   “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to receive Mary into your home as your wife.  For this child has been conceived in her womb through the Holy Spirit.” (Matt 1: 20) 

   Today we celebrate the Solemnity of St. Joseph, husband of our Blessed Mother.  To understand what a real man should be we need only to look to Joseph as the ultimate example of manhood, one devoted to the good of the other and totally committed to the will of God.

   Men today are suffering from a lack of manhood.  They believe being a man means sex with as many women as possible while never taking responsibility for their actions.  Their children are ignored and rejected.  Far worse, many are murdered in the womb.

   Far too many children grow up without the influence of a Godly and devoted father.  Many never even know their father.  How is a boy to become a man without a proper example to learn from?  How is a girl to understand how a man is supposed to treat a woman if there is no father who loves and respects both her and her mother?  Society cannot survive without the family and the family has been virtually destroyed.

   How different the world could be if more men looked to Joseph as the example of how to be a real man, rather than being just a self-serving egotist.  How different would society be if men took their rightful place as husband and father, caring more for their spouse and children than for themselves.  Maybe, just maybe, we could save society if men would “man-up” and be the responsible father and husband they are intended to be.

   St. Joseph is the example of manhood that could save our families and by extension our nation if only men will do their best to emulate the life he led.

 

 Sorrow 

   “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (1 Cor 7:10) 

   For what do we sorrow?  Especially during Lent the answer to this question should be foremost in our mind and in our heart.  Sorrow can be either a blessing which leads us closer to God or a curse which drags us into despondency.

   When we sorrow for the ills of this world we must recognize that sin is the cause of those evils.  A world that shuns God and His ways will always know sorrow.  The story of God’s chosen people is a lesson in sorrow.  When they were faithful and obedient to God their sorrows were relieved.  However, each time they turned from the one true God and began worshipping the gods of this world their sorrows returned and increased.

   In our society today we are suffering in many ways just as the Israelites suffered.  Our sorrows are the result of a turning away, a rejection of God and His ways.  We, like so many before us, turn to the false gods of money, ego, and the many other worldly desires with which Satan tempts us.

   When we understand that the sorrows we know are the result of our sins and failings we can begin to turn from them and toward our Savior.  When we turn to Him our sorrows will be relieved, and even the sorrows of this world become less burdensome.

   Faith in Christ reminds us that whatever sorrows we may know in this world are temporary.  When we turn to Him and place our faith and trust in Him our sorrows will be eased, and we will come to know the peace and serenity of God’s love.

 Fourteenth Station of the Cross

Jesus is laid in the tomb 

   The burial of Jesus in the tomb is the final station of the cross.  The Stations are intended to help us focus on the tremendous sacrifice He made for us and the incredible gift He has given each of us.  We are called to do our best to relate to His suffering and death so that we may better realize that our sins, and the sins of the entire world, caused His suffering.

   Only a pure, perfect sacrifice could be offered as expiation for our sins.  As fallen creatures we were not and are not capable of offering such a sacrifice.  Only one who is sinless could pay that price.  Jesus, out of pure love for us, became a man so that He could free us from our sins and open the doors of heaven to those who would believe.

   Some would include a fifteenth station; Jesus rising from the dead.  They say that we should not end on a sorrowful note but recognize that the tomb was not final.  I understand why some would want to add that fifteenth station, but I do not believe it is appropriate for a couple of reasons.

   First the stations aren’t intended to come to a joyous conclusion.  We desperately need to recognize the pain and agony of our Lord and fully grasp that we caused it by our sins against God.

   Secondly, to include Jesus rising from the dead with the stations is, in my opinion, encroaching on the glorious celebration and joy of Easter.  We should celebrate the two as separate blessings; the redemption of our sins on the cross and then the resurrection to eternal life offered by His rising from the dead.

   Let’s use the stations to come contemplate and share in the suffering of our savior in His final hours.  Then we can better celebrate His resurrection on Easter Sunday.

 

 

Thirteenth Station of the Cross

Jesus’ body is removed from the cross

                                   

   After His death Joseph of Arimathea, who was secretly a disciple of Jesus, went to Pilate and asked for His body for burial.  It was common that the bodies of those crucified would be left on the cross long after their death as a warning to others.  Pilate approved Joseph’s request and our Lord's body was lowered from the cross.

   His body was then placed in the arms of the Blessed Mother.  Michelangelo depicted this scene in his famous sculpture “The Pieta”.  Imagine the heartache Mary suffered as she held the beaten bloody body of her Son close to her breast one last time.  Looking closely at the Pieta one can see that the left hand of Mary is not grasping Jesus but is upturned in offering.  Just as she presented Him as an infant at the temple, she again presents Him to us as our Lord and Savior.

   A rendition of the Pieta is displayed in the vestibule of the church where I attend Mass (pictured above)..  In this version the torn, bloody body of Jesus is more graphically depicted.  Also more evident to me is the anguish on Mary’s face as she holds Him and offers Him to us.  This was the spear that would penetrate her heart and foretold by Simeon at Jesus’ presentation in the temple (see Luke 2: 22-32).

   Today take a few moments to consider this event in Jesus’ passion.  Sit quietly, close your eyes, and try to imagine sitting with the Blessed Mother as she cradled Jesus’ body one final time.  Imagine if it were your son or daughter; the pain and agony you would be experiencing at this moment.  Then, once again, recognize, accept, and seek forgiveness for your own sins which contributed to this moment.

 

 Twelfth Station of the Cross

Jesus dies on the cross 

   Death by crucifixion is caused by asphyxiation.  When the body slumps down the diaphragm is constricted making it difficult to breathe.  Pushing up to allow a breath meant pulling against both the nails in the hands and those driven through the feet.  In many cases the shoulders and elbows became disjointed which left pushing up from the feet as the only option.  At some point there was not enough strength left to push up against the nails again and breathing became impossible.

   It had been three hours since our Lord was nailed to the cross.  During those hours He endured terrible pain.  As bad as the physical pain was perhaps the pain of being deserted by His apostles.  The only one who had stayed the course was John, the beloved disciple.  He stood at the foot of the cross with the Blessed Mother watching His agony.

   Jesus looked at Mary and John at the foot of the cross and said, “Woman, behold, your son!’  Then he said to the apostle, ‘Behold, your mother!”  (John 19: 27).  By doing so He gave His Blessed Mother to be the Mother His Church and all who believe.  Mary is the spiritual mother of every Christian, making each of us brother and sister to her blessed son, Jesus.  Mary was present at every moment of Jesus’ life, and she is still present at every moment in the life of the Church.

   Finally, He succumbed, His last words as he sipped the sour wine offered on a hyssop branch were, “It is finished.” (John 19: 30).  Then He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.  “And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” (Matt 27: 51).  Our Lord passed behind the veil and entered the true Holy of Holies.

   As we draw nearer to the glory and majesty of Easter let us never forget the price our Lord paid to give us access to the Father’s heavenly kingdom.

 

 

 Eleventh Station of the Cross

Jesus is nailed to the cross 

   Crucifixion was not intended to be a quick execution.  The Romans had perfected their methods to ensure that it would be both slow and painful.  Death often took hours or even days.  Death would finally come through suffocation.

   Those to be crucified were sometimes offered wine mixed with gall to lessen the pain.  Jesus refused to accept it.  He was not to die from poison nor was His suffering to be lessened.  He had freely chosen to take our sins upon himself and would not turn from the pain and death necessary to pay the cost for those sins.

   Jesus’ arms were outstretched on the cross.  The soldiers probably used a rope tied above His wrist to extend His arms as far as possible, holding them there while the nails were driven through.  Nails at the time of Christ’s crucifixion were not the slim shafts of steel we use today.  The points weren’t nearly as sharp and piercing.  They were typical to the time, simple and crude.  They would have been rough, rusted and more blunt than sharp.

   Since His crucifixion took place on the day of preparation for the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders asked Pilate that the legs of those still alive be broken to speed their death.  They didn’t want them on the cross for Sabbath.  This speaks to the corruption of the Jewish leaders of the time.  They had no problem demanding that a man be crucified by their Roman oppressors, but wanted to make sure it didn’t interfere with the Sabbath.

   How often are we concerned with appearances just as the Jewish leaders?  Do we make a show of keeping the Sabbath for others to see, but ignore it in our hearts?  Are we pious only on Sunday, leaving the rest of the week for our earthly desires?  These are questions we must ask ourselves as we contemplate Jesus hanging on the cross for our sake.

 

Tenth Station of the Cross

Jesus is stripped of His garments 

   Jesus had survived the journey from Pilate’s home to Golgotha.  During that ordeal, His clothing would have adhered to the blood drying on His body.  As the Roman soldiers brutally stripped Him of  His clothing those wounds would have reopened, causing even more pain, and suffering to our Lord.

   Before Him was His mother, other women who had followed Him and the apostle John.  In the crowd were the Jewish leaders who had demanded His death.  On the road were those going to and from Jerusalem.  Jesus hung beaten, bloody, and naked before them.

   When I think of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross I am first of all saddened.  Why should the Son of God have freely chosen to experience such a death for me?  Then I am amazed that He would freely choose to die in such a manner to offer salvation to the world.  The only answer is love; pure, enduring, everlasting love.  Love not only for those who follow Him but for those who have refused.  He died for those who hate Him as well as for those who love Him.  As He hung on the cross He said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23: 34)

   When I consider the nakedness of Christ on the cross I think of how we must come before Him when we plead for forgiveness and salvation.  We must strip ourselves of our pride, our selfishness, and the desires of this world. We must place ourselves before Him in humility and sorrow.   As He hung naked before the world we must kneel with a naked, repentant soul before Him. 

  

 Ninth Station of the Cross

Jesus falls the third time 

   I’ve wondered why we contemplate Jesus falling three times on His path to Calvary.  I question if perhaps He didn’t fall more than three times, maybe many more.  His ordeal had begun before midnight on Thursday night and culminated with His crucifixion at Golgotha around nine on Friday morning.  He suffocated on the cross to death on the cross, dying at about three in the afternoon.

   But why three?  Numbers had much more meaning in ancient times than we attribute to them today.  One possible reason we contemplate three is because three may simply indicate more than two.  Still, why three?  There is no scriptural indication of how many times Jesus fell or even if He fell.  However, from the earliest days of the devotion we have contemplated Jesus falling three times.

   What follows is simply my reflections on the matter.  So I am offering only my thoughts about it after prayer and contemplation.

   Perhaps the three times Jesus fell speaks to the times humanity has failed Him.  Maybe the first time He fell was because of the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  Given all they could possibly need, they succumbed to temptation and pride.  Could the weight of their betrayal have caused Him to fall the first time?

   God chose the Israelites and made them His own people.  He loved them, watched over them, and protected them.  He disciplined them in their failings as would any good parent.  Finally, He sent Jesus as their Messiah.  Rather than welcome Him they chose to reject Him and kill Him.  Maybe the weight of God’s own people rejecting Him caused Jesus to fall the second time.

   What of the third time?  We are the pagan branches grafted on to the Jewish vine of God’s people Israel.  As Christians, we have many times failed to honor, praise, and worship the God who created us, the Savior who died for us and the One who will guide us if we only allow.  Perhaps the weight of our continuing failings caused Jesus to fall the third time.

   I have no scripture or other sources with which to support these thoughts.  My prayer is that I have given a respectful hypothesis which I hope may add to our contemplation of the Passion of our Lord.

 

 Eighth Station of the Cross

Jesus meets the daughters of Jerusalem 

   “And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him.  But Jesus turning to them said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.” (Luke 23: 27-28) 

   Why would Jesus tell these women to weep for themselves and their children?  He knew what was to become of Jerusalem.  By AD 70 the temple would be destroyed and Jerusalem over-run.  In His ministry He had several times warned of the coming disaster to come upon them. 

   When His disciples pointed out the beauty of the temple in Jerusalem He had warned them, “He thereupon said to them, ‘Do you see all these?  Amen, I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another; every one of them will be thrown down.’” (Matt 2).  In AD 70 His prophecy was fulfilled when the Romans sacked Jerusalem and completely destroyed the temple.

   As I look at our nation today I can’t help but wonder if the same fate awaits us.  We have turned from God in so many ways.  Our self-love society has abandoned Him; we’ve removed Him from the public forum.  Any mention of God or sin is considered rude and out of place in our so-called open society.

   “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”  This quote, attributed to Edmund Burke, is very applicable in a nation intent on promoting evil.  May we not be guilty of promoting evil through our indifference to the evidence right before our eyes.

 

 Seventh Station of the Cross

Jesus falls the second time 

  Have you ever fallen on pavement or gravel and scraped yourself badly?  Falling a second time and reinjuring the wound is often more painful than the pain of the initial wound. 

   Now consider what that pain would be if you had been beaten by a seven or nine tailed scourge such as the Romans used.  Embedded in each of the tails were bits of metal, bone, or rock to ensure that the flesh was torn, ripped, and flayed away.  This was the scourging of Jesus.

   Have you ever reached into a rose bush and grabbed a thorn rather than a rose?  Now imagine a thorn several times that size in a branch woven into a crown and pushed onto your head until the thorns tore and penetrated your flesh.  This was the crowning of thorns Jesus endured.

   Every inch of His body was in excruciating pain as He carried the cross through the streets of Jerusalem.  I can’t begin to comprehend the pain He must have felt throughout His body when He fell this second time.  Every wound would have reopened and filled with dirt and gravel.  Quite likely the Roman soldiers began beating Him again, screaming at Him to get up.

   I’ve been graphic in my depictions of Jesus’ agony for a purpose.  When we look at the crucifix we see Jesus portrayed nailed to the cross but never truly depicted is the physical horror that He had endured just getting to the cross.  His body would have been a mass of bloody, torn flesh from head to toe.  He would have been virtually unrecognizable even to those who knew Him well.

   We need to look upon the pain and suffering He endured if we are to fully appreciate what He did for us; the reality of it, not the sanitized version we so often see.  We must see the beaten, bloody body of our Lord and fully accept that it was for our sins that He suffered.  Maybe then we can more willingly and lovingly accept whatever suffering comes our way and offer it to Jesus in thanksgiving for the great gift of our salvation.

 

Sixth Station of the Cross

Veronica wipes the face of Jesus 

   Moved with sympathy for Jesus as He carried His cross to Golgotha, Veronica gave Him her veil to wipe His forehead.  Jesus wiped His face and when He returned the veil to Veronica the image of His face was miraculously imprinted upon it.

   The veil of Veronica is displayed in the Vatican on the 5^th Sunday during Lent.  While there is no scriptural evidence of this occurrence it has been recognized since the early days of the Church. 

   There is an important message for us in Veronica’s actions.  Jesus was under heavy guard by Roman soldiers taking Him to His crucifixion.  It would have been extremely dangerous for anyone to interfere with that procession.  For Veronica to accept the danger and go to Him speaks to her love and devotion to Jesus regardless of the circumstances.

   What is the lesson we can take from this event?  If Veronica was willing to put herself in danger to serve our Lord shouldn’t we also have that kind of courage in our lives?  We see the courage of police officers as they put their own lives in jeopardy to serve people.  Military members put their lives in danger to protect our nation and each other.  We speak of heroism in such instances and rightfully so.

   Are those who put themselves at risk for their faith any less heroic?  St. Damien served the leper colony in Molokai for many years, contracting the disease himself and giving his life in service to his congregation of lepers.  Many others have offered themselves in service to others, accepting whatever the dangers involved.

   Today we live in a society that not only does not support those of faith but actively tries to eliminate any sign of faith in our country.  We can take a lesson from St. Veronica, St. Damian, and many others in how to live our faith.  If we aren’t willing to put ourselves at risk for our Lord we aren’t worthy of Him.  He risked everything including His life to give us salvation.  Yet, many who call themselves Christian refuse to stand for Him because it’s not popular to be openly Christian.

   As we consider the strength of our faith during this Lenten season, let us make the determination to stand up for our God regardless of the risk.  He stood for us; we should do no less for Him.

 

  

 Fifth Station of the Cross

Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus carry His cross 

   “And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.” (Luke 23: 26)

   Did the Roman soldiers force Simon to carry the cross for Jesus because they were sympathetic to Him?  Of course not, there was no mercy, no kindness in their actions.  They could see that He was very weak and perhaps would not be able to continue much longer.  It would have gone very bad for them had He died on the way and was not crucified.  Simon just happened to be there when they decided that Jesus needed help.

   What about Simon?  He had nothing to do with any of this.  He was just coming into town, most likely for Passover.  Now he was conscripted to carry the cross of a man condemned to die.  We don’t know if Simon even knew who Jesus was.  He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Once he gets Jesus to Golgotha nothing more is known of Simon.  Did he come to know who he had helped?  Was he later converted to believe in Jesus as the long-awaited savior?  We can only speculate.

   When I think of Simon, I think of how I can help Jesus carry His cross.  “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matt 16:24).  Do I pick up my cross and follow Him?  Would I follow Him all the way to Calvary?  I pray that, had I been there, I would have willingly and lovingly helped my Savior carry His cross.

   If I help others to bear their cross I am also helping Jesus carry his cross.  In this way I can contribute to the sacrifice our Lord made for me.  His sacrifice is complete whether I participate or not and I can add nothing to the perfect sacrifice He made.  Yet I believe Jesus wants our help.  He wants us to imitate Him in holiness and sacrifice; to feed Him, clothe Him, visit Him.  In other words, He wants us to follow His example in what He did for us and for others.  In this way we can be like Simon and help the Lord carry His cross.