Verse: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. Response: Because by your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Scripture: When the chief priests and the guards saw [Jesus] they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him. I find no guilt in him.”…They cried out, “Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your king?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and carrying the cross himself he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha. John 19: 6, 15 - 17
Reflection: Though torn with wounds, covered with blood, abandoned by all, with silent patience you bore the taunts and injuries with which they insulted you. Jesus, as you accepted, even embraced, your cross, you knew you would carry it to your death on Calvary. You knew it wouldn’t be easy, but you accepted it and carried it just the same. Jesus, in your face – struck, spat on and disfigured – we see all the brutality of our sins. In the cruelty of your passion, we see the cruelty of our hearts and of our actions. I can feel sorry for myself, even though the crosses others carry are much larger than my own. In my self-pity, I don’t reach out to help. Your cross bears the suffering and the sin of humanity, including our own.
Prayer: Redeemer Lord, grant us strength of purpose that we may faithfully bear our crosses each day. Help me to remember that you are carrying this cross with me, that you have overcome death and have come to give me hope, to give me life. Make me feel the needs of all persons so that I might as readily help them as I would help Jesus himself.
Our Father, who art in heaven; hallowed by Thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 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. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the 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, AMEN.
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, AMEN.