Friday Lent Day 3 - Stations of the Cross

Station XI – Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

I look into the eyes of the God who allowed Himself to be nailed to a cross by His creation.  Why, I ask? The answer I heard was so that His creation will know that we have a God who feels our suffering and joins in the human experience so that our self-inflicted  suffering is not in vain.

Station XII – Jesus Dies

Humanity brought death into the world by their choice to disobey God.  God also has made a choice. He made a choice to die at the hands of His creation so that forgiveness and reconciliation is theirs if they choose. 

Station XIII – Jesus is taken down from the Cross

Mary feels the loss of God as He lies dead in her arms.  She humbly accepts the pain in atonement for the sins of her children. 

Station XIV – Jesus is placed in the Tomb

For the first time in her life, Mary feels completely abandoned and the sting of loneliness. She ponders this in her heart and holds on to the hope that God will fulfill His promise. What a sympathetic mother we have who knows our pain of loneliness, abandonment, emptiness. 

God is love. 

Lent 2001 - Day 2

 I stand right inside the large gate leading down a path to a thickly wooded forest.  It looks cold and infinitesimal. Standing next to me holding my hand is Jesus. He looks so scared. He looks to me asking with his eyes for me to accompany him down the path.

I pray, “Sweet Lord, let me take on some of the pain that you are going to be enduring for my sake.  We both know that I do not have the courage and the strength to take on all my sins; but what I can endure, please let me. It will only give you an infinitesimal relief, I know, but allow me all the same”.  He smiles at me and we begin to walk.

I am at Mass and the priest is turning the bread into the body of Jesus Christ.  As he holds up the bread I see myself walking towards the cross to touch His bloodstained feet.  A tip of a whip hits my hand and tears my flesh.  I look at my wound and up and Jesus.  He smiles weakly at me. He has answered my prayer.

As the priest holds up the wine to be turned into blood, I feel Jesus’ sweat and blood pour onto my wound. It is healed.  I look up at my Lord and His eyes tell me, “Your sin has been washed away.”

What was this sin?  Moses speaks today in Deuteronomy 30:15-20 the fate of those who choose between life and prosperity and death and doom.  How often I have chosen the latter by turning away my heart and not listening. I have adored other gods.  I am not ignorant of God’s law.  I have been taught. I have been warned that these choices mean I will perish.  So many times I have committed this sin.  But today I saw one of those times disappear into the Jesus’ ocean of mercy and I was given the grace of joining in His Passion.

Praise Be to God, our Lord Jesus Christ!

Lent 2011 - The Journey Begins

Jesus, I am ready to walk with you these next 40 days to see my part in your Passion. I cannot believe I am actually doing this.  Remember not too many years ago how scared I was to even consider what following you would mean to my life? I feared for the “testing” I thought would come. But, as you promised, You have always been with me and I trust you now that journeying with you brings joy – even in the pain.  You told me to give glory to God and to trust in You. I will. I know it will be difficult, I know there will be tears, I know that I will be laid bare, exposed to my sins but I know that you will not let me despair for long before your ocean of mercy takes my drops of sin into itself to be washed pure. I am scared but I am ready.

Blessed Mother, you have prepared me.  You have given me the supplies I am going to need to witness my sins and to heal in repentance. You won’t leave me alone. You will be with me every step of the way. As you taught us at Fatima, I pray: Lord, I believe, I adore, I trust, I love.  I pray for all those who do not believe, who do not adore, who do not trust, and who do not love.

I will walk with Jesus and Mary towards the narrow gate. Let the journey begin.