Holy Week – Tuesday 11 April 2017

Holy Week – Tuesday 11 April 2017

God of such unwavering love,
how do I “celebrate”
the passion and death of Jesus?
I often want to look the other way
and not watch,
not stay with Jesus in His suffering.
Give me the strength
to see His love with honesty and compassion
and to feel deeply
your own forgiveness and mercy for me.
Help me to understand
how to “celebrate” this week.
I want be able to bring
my weaknesses and imperfections with me
as I journey with Jesus this week,
totally aware of His love, His suffering for my sins.

The Ninth Station:
Jesus Falls the Third Time

My Jesus, even with the help of Simon You fell a third time.    Were You telling me that there may be times in my life that I will fall again and again despite the help of friends and loved ones?   There are times when the crosses You permit in my life are more than I can bear.   It is as if all the sufferings of a life time are suddenly compressed into the present moment and it is more than I can stand.
Though it grieves my heart to see You so weak and helpless, it is a comfort to my soul to know that you understand my sufferings from Your own experience.    Your love for me made You want to experience every kind of pain just so I could have someone to look to for example and courage.

When I cry out from the depths of my soul, “This suffering is more than I can bear,” do You whisper, “Yes, I understand”?    When I am discouraged after many falls, do you say in my innermost being, “Keep going, I know how hard it is to rise”?

There are many people who are sorely tried in body and soul with alcohol and drug weaknesses who try and try and fall again and again.    Through the humiliation of this third fall, give them the courage and perseverance to take up their cross and follow You.
Amen

The Tenth Station:
Jesus is Stripped of His Garments

It seems that every step to Calvary brought You fresh humiliation, my Jesus.    How Your sensitive nature recoiled at being stripped before a crowd of people.    You desired to leave this life as You entered it – completely detached from all the comforts of this world. You want me to know without a doubt that You loved me with an unselfish love.    Your love for me caused You nothing but pain and sorrow.    You gave everything and received nothing in return.    Why do I find it so hard to be detached?

In Your loving mind, dear Jesus, did You look up to the Father as You stood there on that windy hill, shivering from cold and shame and trembling from fear and ask Him to have mercy on those who would violate their purity and make love a mockery?    Did you ask forgiveness for those whose greed would make them lie, cheat and steal for a few pieces of cold silver?

Forgive us all, dear Jesus. Look upon the world with pity, for mankind has lost its way and the principles of this world make lust a fun game and luxury a necessity. Detachment has become merely another hardship of the poor and obedience the fault of the weak.    Have mercy on us and grant the people of this day the courage to see and know themselves and the light to change.
Amen

Stations by Mother Angelica