O Jesus Crucified!
Help us to carry our cross as You carried Yours!
Way of the Cross
meditated by Father John Gregory of the Trinity
Preparatory Prayer.
Most
Blessed
Virgin
Mary,
who
was
so
intimately
linked
to
the
Passion
of
Your
divine
Son,
our
Saviour,
accompany
us
on
this
Way
of
the
Cross,
instruct
us
Yourself,
show
us
what
Your
divine
Son
suffered
for
us.
You
knew,
from
His
birth,
that
this
Child
had
to
be
sacrificed
for
the
salvation
of
the
world
and
You
fully
accepted
this
sacrifice.
You
became
the
Virgin
of
Sorrows.
Most
Holy
Mother,
pierce
our
hearts
so
hard
at
the
sight
of the infinite sufferings of our Saviour.
Let
the
memory
of
the
Passion
be
engraved
in
our
hearts
and
minds;
then
it
will
be
easy
for
us
to
love
our
Saviour,
to
walk
in
His
footsteps
by
carrying
our
cross.
“If
anyone
wants
to
be
My
disciple,”
Jesus
tells
us,
“let
him
take
up
his
cross
daily
and
follow
Me.”
–
We
cannot
be
Christians
without
taking
up
our
cross,
without
agreeing
to
carry
it
as
we
follow Jesus on the road to Calvary.
Let
us
consider
our
Saviour
accepting
the
condemnation,
He
the
very
innocence
and
holiness,
while
we,
the
real
culprits,
always
want
to
excuse
ourselves,
to
exculpate
ourselves,
to
find
reasons
to
diminish the gravity of our failings.
We
deceive
ourselves,
we
don’t
like
to
look
ourselves
in
the
face
and
know
the
reality
of
our
miseries.
We
try
to
exonerate
ourselves
by
attributing
our
faults
either
to
the
shortcomings
of
the
education
we
received,
or
to
our
environment
or
to
the
tendencies
of
our
temperament;
but
rarely
do
we
say
we
are
guilty.
Let
us
beat
our
breasts
and
ask
Jesus
to
remove
the
scales
of
our
illusions from our eyes. Let us humbly accuse ourselves.
Jesus,
the
very
innocence,
accepts
to
be
the
great
culprit
in
our
place.
He
takes
upon
Himself
all
our
sins.
He
becomes
the
greatest
of
sinners,
because
we
do
not
want
to
bear
our
faults.
Thus
burdened
with
all
the
sins
of
humanity,
Jesus
incurred the wrath of His divine Father.
As
we
contemplate
Jesus
condemned
to
death,
let
us
ask
for
the
grace
to
recognize
our
faults,
to
humble
ourselves,
not
to
try
to
find
excuses.
To
recognize
ourselves
as
poor
sinners
is
the
first
condition
for
benefiting
from
the
fruits
of
the
Redemption
acquired
by
the
painful
Passion
of
our
Saviour.
Let
us
stop
justifying
ourselves, making excuses or blaming others!
I. Jesus is condemned to death
Jesus
accepts
the
cross,
He
accepts
to
suffer
for
us
who
reject
the
cross.
We
reject
suffering,
we
declare
it
unjust
when
it
is
pure
justice.
If
Jesus,
our
Saviour,
had
not
accepted
to
suffer
for
us,
we
would
all
be
lost.
Without
the
infinite
merits
acquired
by
the
holy
Passion
of
our
Lord,
without
His
infinite
mercy,
we
would
all
be
condemned.
Let
us
thank
Jesus
and
remember
especially
the
great
deeds
of
love
accomplished
in
His
Passion.
Let
us
thank
Him
for
saving
us
almost
in
spite
of
ourselves.
Indeed,
if
God
sends
us
sufferings,
trials
of
all
kinds,
it
is
to
save
us
in
spite
of
ourselves.
Men
would
be
lost,
they
would
go
to
hell,
if
God
let
them
live
in
ease,
because
“the
way
to
heaven
is
narrow”.
In
His
goodness
and
mercy,
not
wanting
the
fruits
of
His
Redemption
to
be useless, God sends sufferings of all kinds to poor humans.
Let
us
ask
for
the
grace
to
enjoy
these
sufferings
by
accepting
them
with
great
love.
Let
us
kiss
the
cross
that
God
presents
to
us.
Yes,
my
brothers
and
sisters,
let
us
be
grateful
for
the
benefit
of
the
cross
which
is
suffering
in
all
its
forms.
The
cross
is
the
greatest
gift
that
God
can
give
us
on
earth;
it
is
the
gift
that
He
gives
to
His
dearest
friends.
It
is
the
sign
of
the
predestined,
the
infallible
sign
of
divine
mercy
and
predestination.
Let
us
thank
God
with
all
our
hearts
and
ask
Him
for
the love of the cross.
II. Jesus takes up His Cross
Jesus
is
laid
in
the
tomb
to
teach
us
that
we
too
must
be
stripped
of
the
old
man
and
buried
with
Jesus,
if
we
are
to
rise
with
our
divine
Master
to
a
new
life,
a
life
of
love
and
generosity.
May
Jesus,
through
the
merits
of
His
holy Passion, perform this miracle on our behalf!
The
Passion
and
death
of
God
made
man
is
the
most
extraordinary
event
in
the
history
of
humanity.
It
can
never
be
erased.
We
talk
about
all
kinds
of
events,
but
the
event
of
Jesus
dying
for
humanity
is
the
greatest
of
all. All other events are overshadowed by this one.
O
Jesus,
at
the
end
of
this
Way
of
the
Cross,
by
the
infinite
merits
that
You
have
earned
for
us,
obtain
for
us the grace of a new life, of a miraculous transformation, of a sincere conversion.
O holy Mother of Sorrows,
impress upon my poor heart
the wounds of my sweet Saviour.
Jesus
was
bleeding
so
much
that
without
a
miracle
He
could
not
have
carried
the
cross
to
Calvary.
The
prophets
had
foretold
that
the
Saviour
would
hang
on
a
tree.
This
was God’s plan: His beloved Son was to die crucified.
Let
us
ask
God
for
the
grace
to
go
to
the
end
of
our
journey,
to
complete
our
earthly
pilgrimage
as
God
has
planned
for
us.
Let
us
ask
to
hold
on
until
the
end,
to
persevere
no
matter
what
happens,
despite
the
trials
and
pains
of
life,
in
order
to
obtain
the
reward
promised
to
souls
who
persevere
until
the
end.
Let
us
ask
for
this
perseverance
through
the
merits
of
the
Holy
Passion
of
Jesus.
Every
day,
at
every
moment
if
possible,
let
us
contemplate
our
Saviour
preceding
us
on
the
road
to
Calvary.
The
road
will
seem
less
arduous
if
we
keep
our
eyes
fixed
on
Him.
The
road
to
Calvary
was,
so
to
speak,
the
apotheosis
of
our
Saviour’s
life,
the
summary
of
His
existence
on
earth:
a
perpetual
way
of
the
cross.
The
tragic
events,
commemorated
every
year
during
Holy
Week,
were
only
the
external
and
final
Passion
of
Our
Lord.
Throughout
His
life
He
suffered
His
real
Passion, and the Blessed Virgin was associated with it.
The
Passion
of
Jesus
began
at
His
birth.
In
His
foreknowledge,
He
knew
all
His
coming
pains,
He
suffered
especially
at
the
sight
of
so
many
souls
rebellious
to
grace
and
who
would
trample
on
His
gifts,
so
many
souls
who
would
despise
His
holy
Passion
and
God’s
advances
of
love
to
humanity.
This
view
was
the
real
Passion of Our Lord and His Most Holy Mother, the Mother of Sorrows.
When
Mary
presented
Her
Jesus
in
the
Temple,
the
old
man
Simeon
said
to
Her,
“This
Child
will
be
a
stumbling
block
to
many
or
a
rising
to
many,
a
sign
that
will
face
contradiction,
and
You
Yourself
will
be
a
sword
of
sorrow
piercing
Your
soul.”
Let
us
ask,
then,
for
the
grace
to
walk
courageously
in
the
footsteps
of
Jesus
and
Mary,
to
take
up
our
cross
daily,
as
Our
Lord
asks
us
in
the
Gospel,
“Whoever
wishes
to
be
My
disciple,
let
him
renounce
himself,
take
up
his
cross
daily
and
follow
Me.”
Let
us
ask
for
this
grace
through
the
merits
of
our
Saviour’s
holy
Passion.
III. Jesus falls for the first time
Our
Lord
and
the
Blessed
Virgin
Mary
were
always
very
close;
they
were
one.
During
the
Passion,
our
good
Mother
was
intimately
linked
to
her
divine
Son,
she
followed
Him
on
the
road
to
Calvary
and
shared
His
sufferings
to
the
utmost.
It
is
not
without
reason
that
we
call
her
the
Mother
of
Sorrows,
Our
Lady
of
Seven
Sorrows.
Let
us
ask
the
Blessed
Virgin
Mary
to
intercede
for
us
with
her
divine
Son
so
that
our
souls,
redeemed
at
such
a
high
price,
may
be
purified
by
divine
mercy.
Let
us
ask
that
many
souls
in
the
world
feel
the
fruits
and
benefits
of
the
Passion
of
Our
Lord.
May
this
holy
Passion
pour
exceptional
graces
on
our
spiritual
family,
on
all
of
Christianity
and
on
so
many
souls on the road to perdition.
O
Most
Holy
Mother,
You
who
suffered
so
much
with
Your
divine
Son,
intercede
for
us
with
our
Saviour,
intercede
with
the
Eternal
Father
so
that,
through
the
merits
of
the
Holy
Passion,
exceptional
graces
may
be
granted
to
us:
graces
of
conversion
for
ourselves,
graces
for
the
Holy
Church,
for
all
mankind,
especially
for
all
those
who
suffer
on
earth,
so
that
all
these
sufferings
may
not
be
in
vain,
but may be, by a miracle of God, identified with those of Jesus.
–
Lord
Jesus,
may
Thy
precious
Blood
purify
the
souls
for
whom
Thou
hast
died
with so much love.
–
My
Jesus,
pardon
and
mercy,
through
the
merits
of
Thy
holy
Wounds
and
the
sufferings of Thy Holy Mother.
–
Eternal
Father,
through
the
Sorrowful
and
Immaculate
Heart
of
Mary,
I
offer
Thee the Wounds of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to heal the wounds of our souls.
IV. Jesus encounters His Most Holy Mother
Every
day,
in
our
suffering,
trial’stricken
neighbor,
Jesus
Himself
presents
Himself
to
us
on
the
way
to
Calvary.
Let
us
ask
for
the
grace
to
imitate
Simon’s
gesture
by
helping
Him
to
carry
His
Cross.
“What
you
do to the least of Mine,” Jesus said, “you do to Me.”
We
lack
faith.
Poor
sinners
that
we
are,
we
do
not
know
how
to
recognize
Jesus
who
passes
every
day
and
several
times
a
day
on
our
way,
as
He
once
passed
on
the way of Simon the Cyrenian.
Let
us
ask
God
to
recognize
Jesus
who
continues
His
Passion
in
His
suffering
members.
We
are
sometimes
tempted
to
envy
the
spectators
of
the
temporal
Passion
of
Jesus,
that
Passion
which
took
place
in
Jerusalem
two
thousand
years
ago.
But
this
same
Passion
is
perpetuated
in
our
midst,
in
favor
of
humanity;
it
is
mystically
renewed
at
every
moment
of
the
day
and
night
on
our
altars,
and
it
is
also renewed in the life of the suffering members of the mystical body of Jesus.
Let
us
ask
for
the
spirit
of
faith
to
know
how
to
help
Jesus
in
our
neighbor,
by
a
good word or a helpful gesture.
V. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry His Cross
This
courageous
woman
sees
her
Saviour
all
disfigured;
she
is
not
afraid,
she
rushes
through
the
crowd
to
wipe
the
bloody
face
of
Jesus
Oh!
how
lucky
she
is!
But
a
woman’s
happiness
is
ours;
we
forget
it…
Every
day
we
can
wipe
the
bruised
face
of
Jesus,
in
our
neighbor.
Every
day
we
can
also
publicly
proclaim
our
attachment
to
Jesus,
by
being
faithful
to
His
commandments,
His
Gospel and all His will.
Veronica
proved
her
love
for
Jesus
in
a
brilliant
way,
but
we
too
can
prove
this
love
a
hundred
times
a
day,
if
we
want
to.
Our
gestures
may
not
be
as
spectacular,
nor
will
they
be
made
on
such
exceptional
occasions,
but
they will be real proof nonetheless.
We
love
the
spectacular,
we
love
the
exceptional,
but
we
lack
love.
Why
did
Veronica
make
this
courageous
gesture,
while
the
Apostles
were
running
away?
It
is because she loved and love gives wings.
Let
us
ask
for
this
great
grace
of
God’s
love.
Let
us
ask
for
this
great
grace
of
God’s
love.
May
Jesus,
through
His
holy
Passion,
set
our
hearts
on
fire
with
His
love,
this
love that will make us easy and ready to do anything for our God.
VI. Veronica wipes the Face of Jesus
On
the
way
to
Calvary,
we
see
Jesus
brutalized,
mistreated,
insulted
and
we
are
indignant.
We
forget
that
it
is
us,
present
in
these
executioners
who,
by
our
sins,
gave
power
to
Satan
to
massacre
Jesus.
We
are
the
great
culprits
of
the
Passion
of
Jesus
and
we
would
like
to
play
the
innocent.
Do
we
forget
that
we
are
often
ready
to
put
Jesus
to
the
torture
for
nothing?
We
put
Him
in
the
balance
for
a
vile
pleasure,
a
small
satisfaction.
We
prefer
a
nothing
of
the
earth
to
Jesus,
our
Saviour,
our
God;
we
are
ready
to
break
God’s
holy
commandments,
God’s
holy
desires
for
our
contentment
For
so
little,
we
trample
God’s
gifts
and
forfeit
His
grace.
We
equate
God
with
vulgar,
worthless,
sometimes
even
shameful
things,
and
we
would
like
to
have
a
good
conscience,
to
pass
for
innocent people.
Forgive
us,
Lord,
forgive
us!
We
ask
You
for
the
grace
to
make
us
understand
the
malice
of
our
faults,
the
seriousness
of
all
our
disobedience
to
Your
commandments
and
Your
holy
wills.
Make
us
understand,
O
Jesus,
the
evil
of
our
actions and grant us the grace of conversion.
–
My
Jesus,
pardon
and
mercy,
through
the
merits
of
Thy
holy
Wounds
and
the
sufferings of Thy Holy Mother.
VII. Jesus falls for the second time
“Do
not
weep
for
Me,
but
weep
for
yourselves
and
for
your
children,”
Jesus
said
to
the
daughters
of
Jerusalem.
The
real
sorrow
is
sin;
it
is
not
the
Passion
itself.
All
misfortunes
came
to
the
earth
through
sin.
Like
hypocrites,
we
continually
deplore
the
misfortunes
that
befall
the
world,
as
if
they
came
from
others;
we
are
all
guilty.
We,
poor
humans,
must
admit
this
guilt,
humbly
beating
our
breasts.
Yes,
our
Saviour
suffered
because
of our own sins and those of the whole world.
Our
first
parents
disobeyed
God,
they
rejected
His
Will,
listening
to
the
devil
who
told
them:
God
wants
to
keep
you
in
ignorance,
under
His
yoke;
ignore
Him.
Emancipate
yourselves,
free
yourselves.
You
will
be
like
gods,
you
will
know
good
and
evil…
Our
mother
Eve
listened to these words; she and Adam fell for them. History repeats itself…
The
pride
of
the
man
who
wants
to
surpass
God,
here
is
the
source
of
all
the
misfortunes.
Why
so
much
suffering
on
earth?
Why
so
many
wars,
so
much
poverty,
so
many
people
dying
of
hunger?
All
these
misfortunes
happen
because
man
turns
away
from
God;
he
does
not
follow
the
path
that
God
has
laid
out
for
him.
He
listens
to
the
voice
of
Satan
who
is
jealous
of
the
happiness
that
God
intends for man in eternity.
God
shows
us
the
way
to
be
happy
with
Him.
Even
in
this
world,
God’s
servants
have joy and peace, despite their sufferings.
The
greatest
sadness
is
that
man,
in
general,
does
not
want
to
walk
according
to
the
Way
traced
by
God
in
His
commandments
and
in
His
Gospel.
Men
deviate
from
this
path
that
leads
directly
to
heaven,
and
all
kinds
of
misfortunes
follow:
wars,
injustices,
sufferings
of
all
kinds.
When
man
truly
takes
the
path
of
God,
he
becomes
a
“servant
of
God”
and
thus
improves
the
condition
of
humanity.
But
there
are
not
enough
of
them…
we
need
thousands
of
Saint
Francis
of
Assisi,
thousands
of
Saint
Curé
d’Ars
or
Saint
Therese
of
the
Child
Jesus
who,
like
so
many
other
saints,
passed
through
the
world
doing
good.
It
is
people
of
this
kind
who really improve the lot of humanity.
Nothing
will
change
on
earth
until
we
are
willing
to
understand
this
truth
and
return
to
God,
walking
closely
united
with
Jesus
and
Mary.
We
can
lament
the
world
situation
over
and
over
again,
but
apart
from
the
concrete
amendment
of
our lives, all our lamentations will remain sterile.
VIII. Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem
Jesus,
the
strong
God,
took
on
our
humanity,
He
took
on
our
weaknesses
to
make
us
strong.
“Without
Me
you
can
do
nothing,”
He
says.
But
“I
can
do
all
things
in
Him
who strengthens me,”
writes Saint Paul.
O
Jesus,
give
us
the
strength,
the
courage
to
carry
our
cross
to
the
end,
to
keep
Your
commandments,
to
obey
You
in
all
things,
so
that
we
may
become
Saviours
with
You,
with
Your
Most
Holy
Mother,
Coredemptrix
of
the
human race.
Give
us,
O
Jesus,
the
grace
to
be
hosts
immolated
and
crucified
with
You,
Give
us
Your
strength,
Jesus,
we
humbly
ask
You.
We
humbly
acknowledge
that
without
You
we
are
only
poor
humans,
weak,
fragile
and
fickle.
May
the
merits
of
Your
holy
Passion
strengthen
our
souls,
so
that
we
may
become
Your
servants,
following
in
the
footsteps
of
all
the
saints
who
have
served
You
so
lovingly!
May
we
truly
become
Your
Apostles
of
the
Last
Times
to
set
fire
to
Christianity,
to
set
fire
to
the
hearts
of
our
brothers
and sisters, so that humanity may know better days.
By
the
merits
of
Your
holy
Passion,
we
beg
You,
give
us
this
grace,
O
my
God.
“There
is
no
greater
love
than
to
lay
down
one’s
life
for
those
one
loves.”
This
proof
of
love,
You
gave
it…
You
had
already
spent
Your
life
drop
by
drop,
but
You
wanted,
in
an
unforgettable
spectacle,
to
give
us
tangible,
irrefutable
proofs
of
the
infinite
love
You
had
for
Your
so
unworthy
creatures.
We
thank
You
for
this
and
we
want
to
return
this
love
to
You,
with
the
help
of
Your
holy
grace
and
strength.
Take
possession
of
our
persons,
live
in
us.
May
it
no
longer
be
we
who
live,
but
may
we
say
like
Your
apostle
Saint
Paul,
“It
is
Christ
who
lives
in
me.”
Come
into
us,
Jesus!
Take
possession
of
our
persons,
live
in
our
persons.
We
want
to give ourselves; take us!
IX. Jesus falls for the third time
Jesus,
the
very
dignity,
the
very
purity,
let
Himself
be
stripped
before
the
crowd,
He
accepted
to
undergo
this
affront
to
atone
for
the
indecencies
of
men,
the
impurities and the scandals.
God
had
created
man
all
luminous,
resplendent
with
the
glory
of
God.
Just
like
the
Blessed
Virgin,
whom
the
Holy
Scripture
calls
“the
Woman
clothed
with
the
Sun”
,
so
man
himself
had
this
splendor
of
the
divinity
as
his
clothing,
but
he
lost
it
through
sin,
as
Genesis
tells
us:
After
the
sin,
our
first
parents
realized
that
they
were
naked
and
were
ashamed.
They
made
clothes
for
themselves
from
tree
leaves
to
cover
their
nakedness.
It
is
not
a
glory
to
be
naked;
it
is
a
disgrace.
We
see
in
nature
birds
adorned
with
beautiful
plumage,
animals
covered
with
beautiful
furs;
but
by
sin,
man
was
left
in his nakedness.
Jesus
having
become
the
sinner
par
excellence,
the
man
of
sin
–
because
He
took
upon
Himself
the
sins
of
all
mankind
–
had
therefore
to
suffer
the
fate,
the
punishment of the sinner and be stripped.
Let
us
ask
God
for
forgiveness
for
all
our
indecencies,
for
all
our
lack
of
modesty,
for
all
our
immodesty.
Let
us
ask
forgiveness
for
ourselves
and
for
all
humanity
for which we are responsible.
We
cannot
say
like
Cain,
“Am
I
responsible
for
my
brother?”
Yes,
we
are
responsible.
And
if
we
were
more
given
to
God,
humanity
would
be
better.
We
call
ourselves
Christians,
apostles
and
followers
of
Christ,
we
claim
to
be,
but
very
often
our
ideas
are
far
from
those
of
Christ.
Let
us
not
play
innocent!
We
all
have
our share of guilt in all the sadness that happens on earth.
How
often
are
we
tempted
to
look
down
on
our
neighbor,
to
criticize
him,
while
this
poor
neighbor
needs
our
prayers,
our
penances.
Souls
need
our
suffrages,
the
merits
of
Jesus
Christ
that
we
could
obtain
for
them
by
offering
the
Holy
Sacrifice
of the Mass.
Let
us
ask
God
to
touch
our
hearts,
to
open
our
eyes
to
our
miseries
and
to
give
us
the grace to convert, to become true Christians, true disciples of Jesus Christ.
X. Jesus is stripped of His garments
Let
us
ask
Jesus
for
the
grace
to
be
nailed
with
Him
on
the
cross,
to
unite
us
intimately
to
Him,
so
that
we
may
be
one
in
our
thoughts,
desires,
wills
and
feelings.
Let
nothing
in
us
be
foreign
to
Our
Lord,
but
let
everything
in
us
be
conformed
to
His
thoughts,
His
desires,
His
wills,
His
feelings.
Let
us
love
what
He
loves
and
let
us
be
truly
crucified
with
Jesus,
“victims
of
Jesus
and
of
Jesus
crucified”,
as
Our
Lady
asks
in
the
Rule
of
the
Order of the Mother of God.
Let
us
ask
Our
Lord
every
day
for
the
grace
of
an
intimate
union
with
Him,
that
His
Holy
Wounds
may
be
constantly
present
to
our
minds,
never
forgetting
the
marks of infinite love that our Saviour has given us.
XI. Jesus is nailed to the Cross
Let
us
contemplate
our
divine
Saviour
raised
between
heaven
and
earth.
His
Most
Holy
Mother
is
there
receiving
His
last
words:
“Woman,
here
is
Thy
Son;
son,
here
is
your
Mother.”
Jesus
has
given
us
everything
and
at
this
supreme
hour,
He
gives
us
what
remains
most
precious
to
Him
on
earth:
He
gives
us
His
Mother,
He
gives
Her
to
us
for
time
and
for
eternity.
In
the
person
of
Saint
John,
we
have
all
received
this
precious
gift;
we
have
become
children
of
Mary.
We
can
never be grateful enough to God for this.
Let
us
ask
this
Mother
of
Sorrows
to
imprint
the
wounds
of
the
crucified
Jesus
deeply
in
our
hearts.
Let
us
ask
her
to
instruct
us
in
the
things
of
heaven.
We
are
so
narrow-minded…
All
these
mysteries
of
our
religion,
especially
this
great
mystery
of
our
Redemption,
are
beyond
us.
A
God
becoming
man
and
dying
for
His
creatures!
Who
can
understand
it?
It
is
a
mystery
of
love.
It
is
something
we
cannot
conceive
in
our
little
human
heads,
but
it
is
a
reality.
A
mystery
is
something
that
is
beyond
human
intelligence,
but
it
is
still
a
reality.
Our
Saviour
died
for
us;
we
need
to
think about that as often as possible.
XII. Jesus dies on the Cross for our salvation
Let
us
contemplate
Jesus
disfigured,
His
head
crowned
with
thorns,
His
body
torn
apart.
All
His
wounds
reveal
God’s
love
for
us.
Who
among
us
would
be
willing
to
suffer
torment
in
the
place
of
his
neighbor?
This
would
be a great proof of love that no one could doubt.
If
someone
among
us
were
condemned
to
undergo
all
the
torments
that
Jesus
underwent:
the
scourging,
the
crowning
with
thorns,
the
crucifixion,
and
someone
else
came
and
said
to
him:
“No,
no,
my
friend,
leave
me;
I
will
take
your
place.
I
will
suffer
all
this
in
your
place”,
could
you
doubt
for
a
moment
that
this
person
loved you? This is what Jesus did for us…
Let
us
do
some
serious
soul
searching.
Let
us
ask
ourselves
if
we
are
really
walking
in
the
footsteps
of
the
suffering
Jesus.
We
spend
our
time
complaining,
lamenting,
and
thinking
that
people
are
doing
us
injustice.
In
the
face
of
the
suffering
Jesus,
let
us
realize
and
accept
once
and
for
all
that
we
deserve
to
suffer
for
the
expiation
of
our
sins.
This
is
the
least
we
can
do
in
this
world,
if
we
want
to
share in Jesus’ kingdom.
XIII. Jesus is taken down from the Cross
XIV. Jesus is laid in the tomb
O Jesus Crucified!
Help us to carry our cross as You carried Yours!
Way of the Cross
meditated by Father John Gregory of the Trinity
Preparatory Prayer.
Most
Blessed
Virgin
Mary,
who
was
so
intimately
linked
to
the
Passion
of
Your
divine
Son,
our
Saviour,
accompany
us
on
this
Way
of
the
Cross,
instruct
us
Yourself,
show
us
what
Your
divine
Son
suffered
for
us.
You
knew,
from
His
birth,
that
this
Child
had
to
be
sacrificed
for
the
salvation
of
the
world
and
You
fully
accepted
this
sacrifice.
You
became
the
Virgin
of
Sorrows.
Most
Holy
Mother,
pierce
our
hearts
so
hard
at
the
sight
of
the
infinite
sufferings
of
our
Saviour.
Let
the
memory
of
the
Passion
be
engraved
in
our
hearts
and
minds;
then
it
will
be
easy
for
us
to
love
our
Saviour,
to
walk
in
His
footsteps
by
carrying
our
cross.
“If
anyone
wants
to
be
My
disciple,”
Jesus
tells
us,
“let
him
take
up
his
cross
daily
and
follow
Me.”
–
We
cannot
be
Christians
without
taking
up
our
cross,
without
agreeing
to
carry
it
as
we
follow
Jesus
on
the
road to Calvary.
Let
us
consider
our
Saviour
accepting
the
condemnation,
He
the
very
innocence
and
holiness,
while
we,
the
real
culprits,
always
want
to
excuse
ourselves,
to
exculpate
ourselves,
to
find
reasons
to
diminish
the
gravity
of
our
failings.
We
deceive
ourselves,
we
don’t
like
to
look
ourselves
in
the
face
and
know
the
reality
of
our
miseries.
We
try
to
exonerate
ourselves
by
attributing
our
faults
either
to
the
shortcomings
of
the
education
we
received,
or
to
our
environment
or
to
the
tendencies
of
our
temperament;
but
rarely
do
we
say
we
are
guilty.
Let
us
beat
our
breasts
and
ask
Jesus
to
remove
the
scales
of
our
illusions
from
our
eyes.
Let
us humbly accuse ourselves.
Jesus,
the
very
innocence,
accepts
to
be
the
great
culprit
in
our
place.
He
takes
upon
Himself
all
our
sins.
He
becomes
the
greatest
of
sinners,
because
we
do
not
want
to
bear
our
faults.
Thus
burdened
with
all
the
sins
of
humanity,
Jesus
incurred
the
wrath of His divine Father.
As
we
contemplate
Jesus
condemned
to
death,
let
us
ask
for
the
grace
to
recognize
our
faults,
to
humble
ourselves,
not
to
try
to
find
excuses.
To
recognize
ourselves
as
poor
sinners
is
the
first
condition
for
benefiting
from
the
fruits
of
the
Redemption
acquired
by
the
painful
Passion
of
our
Saviour.
Let
us
stop
justifying
ourselves,
making
excuses
or
blaming others!
I. Jesus is condemned to death
Jesus
accepts
the
cross,
He
accepts
to
suffer
for
us
who
reject
the
cross.
We
reject
suffering,
we
declare
it
unjust
when
it
is
pure
justice.
If
Jesus,
our
Saviour,
had
not
accepted
to
suffer
for
us,
we
would
all
be
lost.
Without
the
infinite
merits
acquired
by
the
holy
Passion
of
our
Lord,
without
His
infinite
mercy,
we
would all be condemned.
Let
us
thank
Jesus
and
remember
especially
the
great
deeds
of
love
accomplished
in
His
Passion.
Let
us
thank
Him
for
saving
us
almost
in
spite
of
ourselves.
Indeed,
if
God
sends
us
sufferings,
trials
of
all
kinds,
it
is
to
save
us
in
spite
of
ourselves.
Men
would
be
lost,
they
would
go
to
hell,
if
God
let
them
live
in
ease,
because
“the
way
to
heaven
is
narrow”.
In
His
goodness
and
mercy,
not
wanting
the
fruits
of
His
Redemption
to
be
useless,
God
sends
sufferings of all kinds to poor humans.
Let
us
ask
for
the
grace
to
enjoy
these
sufferings
by
accepting
them
with
great
love.
Let
us
kiss
the
cross
that
God
presents
to
us.
Yes,
my
brothers
and
sisters,
let
us
be
grateful
for
the
benefit
of
the
cross
which
is
suffering
in
all
its
forms.
The
cross
is
the
greatest
gift
that
God
can
give
us
on
earth;
it
is
the
gift
that
He
gives
to
His
dearest
friends.
It
is
the
sign
of
the
predestined,
the
infallible
sign
of
divine
mercy
and
predestination.
Let
us
thank
God
with
all
our hearts and ask Him for the love of the cross.
II. Jesus takes up His Cross
Jesus
was
bleeding
so
much
that
without
a
miracle
He
could
not
have
carried
the
cross
to
Calvary.
The
prophets
had
foretold
that
the
Saviour
would
hang
on
a
tree.
This
was
God’s
plan:
His
beloved
Son
was to die crucified.
Let
us
ask
God
for
the
grace
to
go
to
the
end
of
our
journey,
to
complete
our
earthly
pilgrimage
as
God
has
planned
for
us.
Let
us
ask
to
hold
on
until
the
end,
to
persevere
no
matter
what
happens,
despite
the
trials
and
pains
of
life,
in
order
to
obtain
the
reward
promised
to
souls
who
persevere
until
the
end.
Let
us
ask
for
this
perseverance
through
the
merits
of
the
Holy
Passion of Jesus.
Every
day,
at
every
moment
if
possible,
let
us
contemplate
our
Saviour
preceding
us
on
the
road
to
Calvary.
The
road
will
seem
less
arduous
if
we
keep
our
eyes
fixed
on
Him.
The
road
to
Calvary
was,
so
to
speak,
the
apotheosis
of
our
Saviour’s
life,
the
summary
of
His
existence
on
earth:
a
perpetual
way
of the cross.
The
tragic
events,
commemorated
every
year
during
Holy
Week,
were
only
the
external
and
final
Passion
of
Our
Lord.
Throughout
His
life
He
suffered
His
real
Passion,
and
the
Blessed
Virgin
was
associated
with
it.
The
Passion
of
Jesus
began
at
His
birth.
In
His
foreknowledge,
He
knew
all
His
coming
pains,
He
suffered
especially
at
the
sight
of
so
many
souls
rebellious
to
grace
and
who
would
trample
on
His
gifts,
so
many
souls
who
would
despise
His
holy
Passion
and
God’s
advances
of
love
to
humanity.
This
view
was
the
real
Passion
of
Our
Lord
and
His
Most Holy Mother, the Mother of Sorrows.
When
Mary
presented
Her
Jesus
in
the
Temple,
the
old
man
Simeon
said
to
Her,
“This
Child
will
be
a
stumbling
block
to
many
or
a
rising
to
many,
a
sign
that
will
face
contradiction,
and
You
Yourself
will
be
a sword of sorrow piercing Your soul.”
Let
us
ask,
then,
for
the
grace
to
walk
courageously
in
the
footsteps
of
Jesus
and
Mary,
to
take
up
our
cross
daily,
as
Our
Lord
asks
us
in
the
Gospel,
“Whoever
wishes
to
be
My
disciple,
let
him
renounce
himself,
take
up
his
cross
daily
and
follow
Me.”
Let
us
ask
for
this
grace
through
the
merits
of
our Saviour’s holy Passion.
III. Jesus falls for the first time
Our
Lord
and
the
Blessed
Virgin
Mary
were
always
very
close;
they
were
one.
During
the
Passion,
our
good
Mother
was
intimately
linked
to
her
divine
Son,
she
followed
Him
on
the
road
to
Calvary
and
shared
His
sufferings
to
the
utmost.
It
is
not
without
reason
that
we
call
her
the
Mother
of
Sorrows,
Our
Lady
of Seven Sorrows.
Let
us
ask
the
Blessed
Virgin
Mary
to
intercede
for
us
with
her
divine
Son
so
that
our
souls,
redeemed
at
such
a
high
price,
may
be
purified
by
divine
mercy.
Let
us
ask
that
many
souls
in
the
world
feel
the
fruits
and
benefits
of
the
Passion
of
Our
Lord.
May
this
holy
Passion
pour
exceptional
graces
on
our
spiritual
family,
on
all
of
Christianity
and
on
so
many souls on the road to perdition.
O
Most
Holy
Mother,
You
who
suffered
so
much
with
Your
divine
Son,
intercede
for
us
with
our
Saviour,
intercede
with
the
Eternal
Father
so
that,
through
the
merits
of
the
Holy
Passion,
exceptional
graces
may
be
granted
to
us:
graces
of
conversion
for
ourselves,
graces
for
the
Holy
Church,
for
all
mankind,
especially
for
all
those
who
suffer
on
earth,
so
that
all
these
sufferings
may
not
be
in
vain,
but
may
be,
by
a
miracle
of
God,
identified
with those of Jesus.
–
Lord
Jesus,
may
Thy
precious
Blood
purify
the
souls for whom Thou hast died with so much love.
–
My
Jesus,
pardon
and
mercy,
through
the
merits
of
Thy
holy
Wounds
and
the
sufferings
of
Thy
Holy
Mother.
–
Eternal
Father,
through
the
Sorrowful
and
Immaculate
Heart
of
Mary,
I
offer
Thee
the
Wounds
of
Our
Lord
Jesus
Christ,
to
heal
the
wounds
of
our
souls.
IV. Jesus encounters His Most Holy Mother
This
courageous
woman
sees
her
Saviour
all
disfigured;
she
is
not
afraid,
she
rushes
through
the
crowd
to
wipe
the
bloody
face
of
Jesus
Oh!
how
lucky
she
is!
But
a
woman’s
happiness
is
ours;
we
forget
it…
Every
day
we
can
wipe
the
bruised
face
of
Jesus,
in
our
neighbor.
Every
day
we
can
also
publicly
proclaim
our
attachment
to
Jesus,
by
being
faithful
to
His
commandments, His Gospel and all His will.
Veronica
proved
her
love
for
Jesus
in
a
brilliant
way,
but
we
too
can
prove
this
love
a
hundred
times
a
day,
if
we
want
to.
Our
gestures
may
not
be
as
spectacular,
nor
will
they
be
made
on
such
exceptional
occasions,
but
they
will
be
real
proof
nonetheless.
We
love
the
spectacular,
we
love
the
exceptional,
but
we
lack
love.
Why
did
Veronica
make
this
courageous
gesture,
while
the
Apostles
were
running
away?
It
is
because
she
loved
and
love
gives
wings.
Let
us
ask
for
this
great
grace
of
God’s
love.
Let
us
ask
for
this
great
grace
of
God’s
love.
May
Jesus,
through
His
holy
Passion,
set
our
hearts
on
fire
with
His
love,
this
love
that
will
make
us
easy
and
ready to do anything for our God.
VI. Veronica wipes the Face of Jesus
On
the
way
to
Calvary,
we
see
Jesus
brutalized,
mistreated,
insulted
and
we
are
indignant.
We
forget
that
it
is
us,
present
in
these
executioners
who,
by
our
sins,
gave
power
to
Satan
to
massacre
Jesus.
We
are
the
great
culprits
of
the
Passion
of
Jesus
and
we
would
like
to
play
the
innocent.
Do
we
forget
that
we
are
often
ready
to
put
Jesus
to
the
torture
for
nothing?
We
put
Him
in
the
balance
for
a
vile
pleasure,
a
small
satisfaction.
We
prefer
a
nothing
of
the
earth
to
Jesus,
our
Saviour,
our
God;
we
are
ready
to
break
God’s
holy
commandments,
God’s
holy
desires
for
our
contentment
For
so
little,
we
trample
God’s
gifts
and
forfeit
His
grace.
We
equate
God
with
vulgar,
worthless,
sometimes
even
shameful
things,
and
we
would
like
to
have
a
good
conscience, to pass for innocent people.
Forgive
us,
Lord,
forgive
us!
We
ask
You
for
the
grace
to
make
us
understand
the
malice
of
our
faults,
the
seriousness
of
all
our
disobedience
to
Your
commandments
and
Your
holy
wills.
Make
us
understand,
O
Jesus,
the
evil
of
our
actions
and
grant us the grace of conversion.
–
My
Jesus,
pardon
and
mercy,
through
the
merits
of
Thy
holy
Wounds
and
the
sufferings
of
Thy
Holy
Mother.
VII. Jesus falls for the second time
“Do
not
weep
for
Me,
but
weep
for
yourselves
and
for
your
children,”
Jesus
said
to
the
daughters
of
Jerusalem.
The
real
sorrow
is
sin;
it
is
not
the Passion itself.
All
misfortunes
came
to
the
earth
through
sin.
Like
hypocrites,
we
continually
deplore
the
misfortunes
that
befall
the
world,
as
if
they
came
from
others;
we
are
all
guilty.
We,
poor
humans,
must
admit
this
guilt,
humbly
beating
our
breasts.
Yes,
our
Saviour
suffered
because
of
our
own sins and those of the whole world.
Our
first
parents
disobeyed
God,
they
rejected
His
Will,
listening
to
the
devil
who
told
them:
God
wants
to
keep
you
in
ignorance,
under
His
yoke;
ignore
Him.
Emancipate
yourselves,
free
yourselves.
You
will
be
like
gods,
you
will
know
good
and
evil…
Our
mother
Eve
listened
to
these
words;
she
and
Adam
fell
for
them.
History
repeats
itself…
The
pride
of
the
man
who
wants
to
surpass
God,
here
is
the
source
of
all
the
misfortunes.
Why
so
much
suffering
on
earth?
Why
so
many
wars,
so
much
poverty,
so
many
people
dying
of
hunger?
All
these
misfortunes
happen
because
man
turns
away
from
God;
he
does
not
follow
the
path
that
God
has
laid
out
for
him.
He
listens
to
the
voice
of
Satan
who
is
jealous
of
the
happiness
that
God
intends
for
man
in eternity.
God
shows
us
the
way
to
be
happy
with
Him.
Even
in
this
world,
God’s
servants
have
joy
and
peace,
despite their sufferings.
The
greatest
sadness
is
that
man,
in
general,
does
not
want
to
walk
according
to
the
Way
traced
by
God
in
His
commandments
and
in
His
Gospel.
Men
deviate
from
this
path
that
leads
directly
to
heaven,
and
all
kinds
of
misfortunes
follow:
wars,
injustices,
sufferings
of
all
kinds.
When
man
truly
takes
the
path
of
God,
he
becomes
a
“servant
of
God”
and
thus
improves
the
condition
of
humanity.
But
there
are
not
enough
of
them…
we
need
thousands
of
Saint
Francis
of
Assisi,
thousands
of
Saint
Curé
d’Ars
or
Saint
Therese
of
the
Child
Jesus
who,
like
so
many
other
saints,
passed
through
the
world
doing
good.
It
is
people
of
this
kind
who
really improve the lot of humanity.
Nothing
will
change
on
earth
until
we
are
willing
to
understand
this
truth
and
return
to
God,
walking
closely
united
with
Jesus
and
Mary.
We
can
lament
the
world
situation
over
and
over
again,
but
apart
from
the
concrete
amendment
of
our
lives,
all
our
lamentations will remain sterile.
VIII. Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem
Jesus,
the
strong
God,
took
on
our
humanity,
He
took
on
our
weaknesses
to
make
us
strong.
“Without
Me
you
can
do
nothing,”
He
says.
But
“I
can
do
all
things
in
Him
who
strengthens
me,”
writes
Saint
Paul.
O
Jesus,
give
us
the
strength,
the
courage
to
carry
our
cross
to
the
end,
to
keep
Your
commandments,
to
obey
You
in
all
things,
so
that
we
may
become
Saviours
with
You,
with
Your
Most
Holy Mother, Coredemptrix of the human race.
Give
us,
O
Jesus,
the
grace
to
be
hosts
immolated
and
crucified
with
You,
Give
us
Your
strength,
Jesus,
we
humbly
ask
You.
We
humbly
acknowledge
that
without
You
we
are
only
poor
humans,
weak,
fragile
and
fickle.
May
the
merits
of
Your
holy
Passion
strengthen
our
souls,
so
that
we
may
become
Your
servants,
following
in
the
footsteps
of
all
the
saints
who
have
served
You
so
lovingly!
May
we
truly
become
Your
Apostles
of
the
Last
Times
to
set
fire
to
Christianity,
to
set
fire
to
the
hearts
of
our
brothers
and
sisters,
so
that
humanity
may
know better days.
By
the
merits
of
Your
holy
Passion,
we
beg
You,
give
us
this
grace,
O
my
God.
“There
is
no
greater
love
than
to
lay
down
one’s
life
for
those
one
loves.”
This
proof
of
love,
You
gave
it…
You
had
already
spent
Your
life
drop
by
drop,
but
You
wanted,
in
an
unforgettable
spectacle,
to
give
us
tangible,
irrefutable
proofs
of
the
infinite
love
You
had
for
Your
so
unworthy
creatures.
We
thank
You
for
this
and
we
want
to
return
this
love
to
You,
with
the
help
of
Your
holy
grace
and
strength.
Take
possession
of
our
persons,
live
in
us.
May
it
no
longer
be
we
who
live,
but
may
we
say
like
Your
apostle
Saint
Paul,
“It
is
Christ
who
lives
in
me.”
Come
into
us,
Jesus!
Take
possession
of
our
persons,
live
in
our
persons.
We
want
to
give
ourselves; take us!
IX. Jesus falls for the third time
Jesus,
the
very
dignity,
the
very
purity,
let
Himself
be
stripped
before
the
crowd,
He
accepted
to
undergo
this
affront
to
atone
for
the
indecencies
of
men,
the
impurities and the scandals.
God
had
created
man
all
luminous,
resplendent
with
the
glory
of
God.
Just
like
the
Blessed
Virgin,
whom
the
Holy
Scripture
calls
“the
Woman
clothed
with
the
Sun”
,
so
man
himself
had
this
splendor
of
the
divinity
as
his
clothing,
but
he
lost
it
through
sin,
as
Genesis
tells
us:
After
the
sin,
our
first
parents
realized
that
they
were
naked
and
were
ashamed.
They
made
clothes
for
themselves
from
tree
leaves
to
cover
their
nakedness.
It
is
not
a
glory
to
be
naked;
it
is
a
disgrace.
We
see
in
nature
birds
adorned
with
beautiful
plumage,
animals
covered
with
beautiful
furs; but by sin, man was left in his nakedness.
Jesus
having
become
the
sinner
par
excellence,
the
man
of
sin
–
because
He
took
upon
Himself
the
sins
of
all
mankind
–
had
therefore
to
suffer
the
fate,
the punishment of the sinner and be stripped.
Let
us
ask
God
for
forgiveness
for
all
our
indecencies,
for
all
our
lack
of
modesty,
for
all
our
immodesty.
Let
us
ask
forgiveness
for
ourselves
and
for all humanity for which we are responsible.
We
cannot
say
like
Cain,
“Am
I
responsible
for
my
brother?”
Yes,
we
are
responsible.
And
if
we
were
more
given
to
God,
humanity
would
be
better.
We
call
ourselves
Christians,
apostles
and
followers
of
Christ,
we
claim
to
be,
but
very
often
our
ideas
are
far
from
those
of
Christ.
Let
us
not
play
innocent!
We
all
have
our
share
of
guilt
in
all
the
sadness
that
happens on earth.
How
often
are
we
tempted
to
look
down
on
our
neighbor,
to
criticize
him,
while
this
poor
neighbor
needs
our
prayers,
our
penances.
Souls
need
our
suffrages,
the
merits
of
Jesus
Christ
that
we
could
obtain
for
them
by
offering
the
Holy
Sacrifice
of
the
Mass.
Let
us
ask
God
to
touch
our
hearts,
to
open
our
eyes
to
our
miseries
and
to
give
us
the
grace
to
convert,
to
become
true
Christians,
true
disciples
of
Jesus
Christ.
X. Jesus is stripped of His garments
Let
us
ask
Jesus
for
the
grace
to
be
nailed
with
Him
on
the
cross,
to
unite
us
intimately
to
Him,
so
that
we
may
be
one
in
our
thoughts,
desires,
wills
and
feelings.
Let
nothing
in
us
be
foreign
to
Our
Lord,
but
let
everything
in
us
be
conformed
to
His
thoughts,
His
desires,
His
wills,
His
feelings.
Let
us
love
what
He
loves
and
let
us
be
truly
crucified
with
Jesus,
“victims
of
Jesus
and
of
Jesus
crucified”,
as
Our
Lady
asks
in
the
Rule
of
the Order of the Mother of God.
Let
us
ask
Our
Lord
every
day
for
the
grace
of
an
intimate
union
with
Him,
that
His
Holy
Wounds
may
be
constantly
present
to
our
minds,
never
forgetting
the
marks
of
infinite
love
that
our
Saviour has given us.
XI. Jesus is nailed to the Cross
Let
us
contemplate
our
divine
Saviour
raised
between
heaven
and
earth.
His
Most
Holy
Mother
is
there
receiving
His
last
words:
“Woman,
here
is
Thy
Son;
son,
here
is
your
Mother.”
Jesus
has
given
us
everything
and
at
this
supreme
hour,
He
gives
us
what
remains
most
precious
to
Him
on
earth:
He
gives
us
His
Mother,
He
gives
Her
to
us
for
time
and
for
eternity.
In
the
person
of
Saint
John,
we
have
all
received
this
precious
gift;
we
have
become
children
of
Mary.
We
can
never
be
grateful
enough to God for this.
Let
us
ask
this
Mother
of
Sorrows
to
imprint
the
wounds
of
the
crucified
Jesus
deeply
in
our
hearts.
Let
us
ask
her
to
instruct
us
in
the
things
of
heaven.
We
are
so
narrow-minded…
All
these
mysteries
of
our
religion,
especially
this
great
mystery
of
our
Redemption,
are
beyond
us.
A
God
becoming
man
and
dying
for
His
creatures!
Who
can
understand
it?
It
is
a
mystery
of
love.
It
is
something
we
cannot
conceive
in
our
little
human
heads,
but
it
is
a
reality.
A
mystery
is
something
that
is
beyond
human
intelligence,
but
it
is
still
a
reality.
Our
Saviour
died
for
us;
we
need
to
think
about
that
as
often
as
possible.
XII. Jesus dies on the Cross for our salvation
Let
us
contemplate
Jesus
disfigured,
His
head
crowned
with
thorns,
His
body
torn
apart.
All
His
wounds
reveal
God’s
love
for
us.
Who
among
us
would
be
willing
to
suffer
torment
in
the
place
of
his
neighbor?
This
would
be
a
great
proof
of
love
that
no
one
could doubt.
If
someone
among
us
were
condemned
to
undergo
all
the
torments
that
Jesus
underwent:
the
scourging,
the
crowning
with
thorns,
the
crucifixion,
and
someone
else
came
and
said
to
him:
“No,
no,
my
friend,
leave
me;
I
will
take
your
place.
I
will
suffer
all
this
in
your
place”,
could
you
doubt
for
a
moment
that
this
person
loved
you?
This is what Jesus did for us…
Let
us
do
some
serious
soul
searching.
Let
us
ask
ourselves
if
we
are
really
walking
in
the
footsteps
of
the
suffering
Jesus.
We
spend
our
time
complaining,
lamenting,
and
thinking
that
people
are
doing
us
injustice.
In
the
face
of
the
suffering
Jesus,
let
us
realize
and
accept
once
and
for
all
that
we
deserve
to
suffer
for
the
expiation
of
our
sins.
This
is
the
least
we
can
do
in
this
world,
if
we
want
to
share
in
Jesus’ kingdom.
XIII. Jesus is taken down from the Cross
O holy Mother of Sorrows,
impress upon my poor heart
the wounds of my sweet Saviour.
Every
day,
in
our
suffering,
trial’stricken
neighbor,
Jesus
Himself
presents
Himself
to
us
on
the
way
to
Calvary.
Let
us
ask
for
the
grace
to
imitate
Simon’s
gesture
by
helping
Him
to
carry
His
Cross.
“What
you
do
to
the
least
of
Mine,”
Jesus said, “you do to Me.”
We
lack
faith.
Poor
sinners
that
we
are,
we
do
not
know
how
to
recognize
Jesus
who
passes
every
day
and
several
times
a
day
on
our
way,
as
He
once
passed
on the way of Simon the Cyrenian.
Let
us
ask
God
to
recognize
Jesus
who
continues
His
Passion
in
His
suffering
members.
We
are
sometimes
tempted
to
envy
the
spectators
of
the
temporal
Passion
of
Jesus,
that
Passion
which
took
place
in
Jerusalem
two
thousand
years
ago.
But
this
same
Passion
is
perpetuated
in
our
midst,
in
favor
of
humanity;
it
is
mystically
renewed
at
every
moment
of
the
day
and
night
on
our
altars,
and
it
is
also
renewed
in
the
life
of
the
suffering
members
of
the mystical body of Jesus.
Let
us
ask
for
the
spirit
of
faith
to
know
how
to
help
Jesus
in
our
neighbor,
by
a
good
word
or
a
helpful
gesture.
V. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry His Cross
Jesus
is
laid
in
the
tomb
to
teach
us
that
we
too
must
be
stripped
of
the
old
man
and
buried
with
Jesus,
if
we
are
to
rise
with
our
divine
Master
to
a
new
life,
a
life
of
love
and
generosity.
May
Jesus,
through
the
merits
of
His
holy
Passion,
perform
this
miracle on our behalf!
The
Passion
and
death
of
God
made
man
is
the
most
extraordinary
event
in
the
history
of
humanity.
It
can
never
be
erased.
We
talk
about
all
kinds
of
events,
but
the
event
of
Jesus
dying
for
humanity
is
the
greatest
of
all.
All
other
events are overshadowed by this one.
O
Jesus,
at
the
end
of
this
Way
of
the
Cross,
by
the
infinite
merits
that
You
have
earned
for
us,
obtain
for
us
the
grace
of
a
new
life,
of
a
miraculous
transformation, of a sincere conversion.
XIV. Jesus is laid in the tomb
