Station 9: Jesus falls a third time
My teeth are broken with gravel; I have been given ashes for food. My soul is shut out from peace; I have forgotten happiness. And now I say, “My strength is gone, that hope which came from Yahweh.”
Lamentations 3: 16 -18 (paraphrased)
Reflection: From sheer exhaustion Jesus falls again. He is drained of strength. How will he ever rise again, to finish the climb to Golgotha? His face is down into the dust.
A teenage girl may well have been among the onlookers. She may have been there with her father Jairus, a man who cared so much for her and believed so much in Jesus. How well she remembers when as a twelve year old she sank deeper and deeper toward and into death. She had not had the will to live. And Jesus had come into that house of mourning, had come and taken her hand and said, so tenderly, “Little girl, I say to you, get up.”
Now she hears the scoffers mocking Jesus. She sees the soldiers lift their whips to strike Jesus. Her heart cries out, “Get up, get up!” and she sends all her love and strength to him. Jesus makes that effort, and staggers to his feet.
Lamentations 3: 16 -18 (paraphrased)
Reflection: From sheer exhaustion Jesus falls again. He is drained of strength. How will he ever rise again, to finish the climb to Golgotha? His face is down into the dust.
A teenage girl may well have been among the onlookers. She may have been there with her father Jairus, a man who cared so much for her and believed so much in Jesus. How well she remembers when as a twelve year old she sank deeper and deeper toward and into death. She had not had the will to live. And Jesus had come into that house of mourning, had come and taken her hand and said, so tenderly, “Little girl, I say to you, get up.”
Now she hears the scoffers mocking Jesus. She sees the soldiers lift their whips to strike Jesus. Her heart cries out, “Get up, get up!” and she sends all her love and strength to him. Jesus makes that effort, and staggers to his feet.
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What greater gift can we offer anyone in his or her suffering than our caring enough to be with him or her, our encouragement to get up and keep on going!
Prayer: Source of Strength, there are many in my world today who are hearing difficult news. They will need an anchor of strength to keep them from being swept away in their waves of worry and fear. You can be this anchor of strength for them. Help me to be a source of compassion and hope for them. |
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.
Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on us.
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.
Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on us.
Photo used under Creative Commons from ethnosax
