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Do we join in out of pride or ignorance? Do we stand silently by without defending the innocent? Or, do we see Christ in the condemned and reach out to those in need?
Lord, give me the strength and clarity to defend the innocent. Pilate has just read my death sentence. I am to die on the cross. Should I rebel against Pilate? How can I do that? Pilate is not my enemy. He is an envoy of my Father and the voice of my human destiny…. Pilate told me when and how I would die. You may not get that blessing. Yet you stand condemned to death as surely as I was. You were destined to die the moment you were conceived.
That is part of being human. Do you think of that very often? If you thought about your death, you could see more clearly that some of the things you are most obsessed with are the least important. You surely would not be so worried about money, clothes, cars and careers. I remind you of this not because my Father and I want you to be fearful of your future. I remind you of your death to help you live fully and freely as my brothers and sisters, as sons and daughters of my Father.
In my death and resurrection you will receive the power to do that. Used by permission. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Hail Mary, full of grace. Our Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was, in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end.
When Jesus saw the Cross—the wood beams upon which he would suffer and then die—He did not hesitate. He took it upon his shoulders and began to walk, willingly embracing these excruciating hardships out of love for you and me. Out of love for God and for each other, we too have the opportunity to sacrifice and to give of ourselves. Lord, give me the grace and the strength to love you more than any earthly thing or person.
My instrument of suffering and death has been thrust on me. Should I curse this heavy timber and those who laid it on me? The cross is neither bad nor good.
My response alone determines whether it will be redemptive or destructive, helpful or worthless…. You also must carry the instruments of your own suffering and death. You were born with defects that you may control but never abolish.
You have fatal flaws that cause pain and suffering for yourself and others. You want to be kind, patient, and understanding, but at times you find yourself mean, short-tempered and cynical.
Yet you must not curse yourself or your limitations. That becomes like quicksand pulling you down lower and lower. My cross did not come only from Pilate or from the Roman soldiers. Your crosses are much the same. They are your credentials for being human. The question is not whether life brings crosses, but rather your response to them. I embraced my humanity. You must embrace your humanity. Resisting crosses leads to self-hatred, hatred of others, and bitterness. Some woods are stronger than steel because they bend.
Learn to bend. Learn the wisdom of triumphing through your crosses rather than in spite of them. Picture Our Lord straining, falling under the weight of a Cross that he did not deserve to bear. How incredible it is that he chose to take on the burden of that Cross of how much he wants us to join Him one day in heaven. When we are faced with the choice to either sin or to strive for virtue, we can remember how Christ is weighed down with each and every time we reject him in favor of our own will and desires.
Lord, help me to reject selfishness and imitate your loving generosity in everything I do. I have just fallen flat on my face. I tried to avoid it. I wanted to stay on my feet all the way to Calvary. I wonder if I fell partly because I was trying too hard to keep from falling….
You can learn something from my fall. You also will fall if you try too hard to succeed all by yourself. I was so wrapped up in my efforts that I forgot to let my Father guide me. I forgot for an instant to let my Father work through me, to let him guide my next step. You are often tempted to take on more than you can do well. Or to take on goals that, however worthy in theory, may not be right for you or may be undertaken for inferior reasons. When you succeed, it is because of his grace anyway.
So what you would be holding up as yours is really his already. My Father wants you, not your successes. In all you undertake, go first to him in prayer and ask what he wants. Then, when you go to work, open your heart to him and let him work in and through you.
Every parent can imagine the incredible pain Mary must have felt when she encountered her beloved Son and all that he was suffering. Despite the anguish she felt, she did not try to stop her Son from making the ultimate sacrifice. It is for this reason that she is such an advocate for those who suffer, both physically and emotionally.
I have just seen my mother Mary. I wished that she and I could have been spared that meeting, which was painful. Was I trying to hide this final agony from her, thinking she might not be strong enough for it? Do you tend to avoid your loved ones, and they you, in times of crisis?
Some spend a lifetime shielding their deepest selves from their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, sons and daughters.
In the end, this will fail, because your death has a way of exposing your weakness to your loved ones as nothing in life could. While you have the opportunities now, share with them the aspirations, joys, fears and troubles that are most significant to you, the things that can help them understand you better. I know about that. You want them to see you at your best, just as I wanted my mother to see me only at my best. Just as he gives you the grace to face loved ones when all hope seems lost, so he gives them the grace to cope not only with your pain but their own as well.
The soldiers were impatient with how long it was taking Jesus to carry the heavy Cross alone. They pulled Simon of Cyrene out of the crowd and made him help Jesus with his burden. Have you ever been compelled to help in a difficult situation?
What was your reaction? Like Simon, we each have the opportunity to reach out to our loved ones, our neighbors, or a stranger in need.
Lord, grant us the desire to help those who need our assistance. I felt badly for Simon of Cyrene. He had no way of preparing for what happened. He was a farmhand coming in from the fields when he was made to carry my cross. Be careful not to condemn Simon.
You would have been startled, reluctant and bitter, too, if you had been in his shoes! You must learn, as Simon learned, that life is not just or fair — and not even predictable. Often life seems downright arbitrary. You also will be startled by crosses thrust upon you when you least expect them. You may never know until after your death. My Father uses anything and anyone to accomplish salvation. He used Simon, so Simon could be said to have done the will of my Father. In return, he imprints an image of His Holy Face.
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Toggle navigation. Search Catholic Online. We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away. Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. Thank you. The Stations of the Cross are a step Catholic devotion that commemorates Jesus Christ's last day on Earth as a man.
The 14 devotions, or stations, focus on specific events of His last day, beginning with His condemnation. The stations are commonly used as a mini pilgrimage as the individual moves from station to station.
At each station, the individual recalls and meditates on a specific event from Christ's last day. Specific prayers are recited, then the individual moves to the next station until all 14 are complete.
While the usual practise of this devotion is done in church, by walking off the stations in prayer and contemplation, it can also be done elsewhere as a meditation alone or with a group.
There are no specific prayers that are to be said…the core of this devotion is the prayer and contemplation on the Passion of Jesus Christ. There are, nonetheless many profound and moving prayers written for this devotion that one may use. The Church so highly prizes this devotion that she has richly indulgenced it and one can receive a plenary indulgence for performing it in conformity with the norms of the Church.
When did the devotion to the Stations Of The Cross begin? Tradition tells us that the Blessed Virgin Mary, herself performed this devotion frequently and encouraged others to do the same. Certainly, we know that the Stations were performed many centuries ago by Christian pilgrims who visited the Holy Land, and went to the sites of Jesus' Passion and there are records of similar forms of this devotion, which date back to the s.
Promotion of the devotion to the Stations began in earnest with the Franciscans, who were given custody of the Holy Places in the Holy Land in the s. Many great Saints, numerous Popes, and countless Catholics, have all enriched their spiritual lives with this powerful devotion. Once on a Good Friday, Pope John Paul II slightly altered the usual fourteen stations in this manner: 1 Jesus' agony in the garden 2 Jesus is betrayed by Judas and is arrested 3 Jesus is condemned by the Sanhedrin 4 Jesus is denied by Peter 5 Jesus is condemned by Pontius Pilate 6 Jesus is scourged and crowned with thorns 7 Jesus is made to carry the cross 8 Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus with His cross 9 Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem 10 Jesus is crucified 11 Jesus promises paradise to the repentant thief 12 Jesus speaks to Mary and John from the cross 13 Jesus dies on the cross 14 Jesus is buried in the tomb.
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So if you qualify for a gift from Marypages, then don't forget to enter your address details so we can send you the gift. Terms and conditions donation. All Rights Reserved. No part of this site or the subsites may be published, broadcast, copied or otherwise reproduced or distributed without the prior written permission of the foundation Marypages. May I, with patience, suffer all for Thee Sixth Station: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus O Jesus, Thou didst imprint Thy sacred features upon Veronica's veil; Stamp them also indelibly upon my heart Seventh Station: The second fall of Jesus By Thy second fall, preserve me, dear Lord, from relapse into sin Eighth Station: Jesus consoles the women My greatest consolation would be to hear Thee say: "Many sins are forgiven thee because thou hast loved much" Ninth Station: The third fall of Jesus O Jesus, when weary upon life's journey, be Thou my strength and my perseverance.
Tenth Station: Jesus is stripped of His garments My soul has been robbed of its robe of innocence. Fifteenth Station: Jesus rises victorious over death Today, many advocate the addition of a fifteenth station depicting Christ's Resurrection because without His rising from the dead, He would not have accomplished the salvation that Christians believe was His mission.
What do the fourteen stations mean?
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