Way Of The Cross

WAY OF THE CROSS
Introduction:

The road to Calvary stretches long and lonely before Jesus. Along
this path there are loads of barriers that will prevent him from
continuing. He could turn back. But he knew that for him there must
be no return. He must do his fathers will whole-heartedly.

Is there no one to share his pain? Not even you. Yes Lord while we
trace this path of sighs and tears, touch our hearts so that we will
repent and thereafter readily embrace with joy all the crosses,
sufferings and humiliations of our pilgrim lives here on earth.

Today, we take a different look at the reality of Jesus' death. We take
this different look so that we see the people who we really are- the
Pilates' among us, the Pharisees and the Scribes in us and the
Veronicas who we must emulate.

The day of Jesus' crucifixion has come and gone. Time has passed
on and people have begun to live their lives as if nothing had
happened. till the day their lives were no more. And the day of
judgement arrived. Sitting at the gates of heaven, in a multitude of
people, are those who condemned him and those who supported
him. Awaiting their Lord’s arrival.. lt is JUDGMENT DAY!!!

The First Station: Jesus is brought before Pilate
We adore thee 0 Christ and we bless thee because by the holy cross thou
has redeemed the world.

Narrator: Jesus was walking by the doors of heaven when he fell upon the cries
of the man who had condemned him -Pontius Pilate.
Pilate immediately recognising Jesus, felt to his feet saying

Pilate: Jesus, Son of God, have pity on me
Narrator: Jesus heard his pleas and coming to his side, lifted him up and said
Jesus: Pilate, what can I do for you?
Narrator: Pilate had deliberated over the deeds of his life and felt regret
Pilate: Master, if only I had known, then...
Narrator: Jesus broke his statement and said
Jesus: I came to do my Father's will. But tell me what made you do what you
did?
Narrator: Pilate replied
Pilate: Jesus, I never could find any fault in you. But at that time, I had no
option. I was afraid that if I went against the wishes of the crowd, they
would do away with me.
Narrator: Jesus smiled and replied to him
Jesus: What does it profit a man that he gains the entire world, but loses his
soul….

REFLECTION: Today Jesus asks us the very same question "What does it profit
a man that he gains the entire world, but loses his soul?. Let us look
deep into ourselves and see the Pilate in us, afraid..... afraid of
standing up against the crowd, for what .is right ....afraid of following
Jesus' example of supporting the cause of truth and justice .What
answer do we have to give to Jesus at our judgement day?.....Are we
going to be like Pilate and hide behind a curtain of shame and regret
at our judgement day or are we going to change our lives from today
and shine in the light of the Risen Lord.?

Remember that Jesus' life and death is an example for us to follow

Have mercy on us 0 Lord, have mercy on us.

The Second Station: Jesus is given his cross
We adore thee 0 Christ and we bless thee Because by the holy cross thou
has redeemed the world.

Narrator: No sooner did Jesus leave Pilate than he came across the very
people who had planned his death- his Jewish brethren. The
Pharisees and the Scribes.
They stood in silent shame, knowing nothing could be said or done to
justify their deeds.
But Jesus, in his infinite mercy noticed them and said:

Jesus: You needed my blood to quench your never-ending thirst for power.
Your thoughts blinded your eyes to that which is right. It is pityful that
you let your greed, your jealousy, your envy overpower you.
Remember my words- For those who want to be leaders must first l
earn to serve.

REFLECTION: In life, there have been numerous occasions when we have taken
up the roles of the Pharisees and the Scribes. We feel threatened and
are afraid of losing number one position and so we block others from
being in the limelight, and so instead of working together for Jesus’
way of life, we feed our insecurity by abusing our powers by various
ways.

Today Jesus calls ME to find myself, to find the purpose in my
creation and to be confident about who I am ?

Today Jesus calls us to be leaders in God’s kingdom by being
servants here on earth.

How ready are we ?



The Third Station: Jesus falls the first time
We adore thee 0 Christ and we bless thee Because by the holy
cross thou has redeemed the world .

Narrator: As Jesus continued his walk; he grew pensive
about the day of his death. He remembered feeling the
weight of the cross on his shoulders, overpowering his
human capacities. He remembered falling to the ground -
the crowd in the background denouncing him with chants
and spittle. He recalls the pain, the hope and the desire for it
all to just go away but then he rises to the occasion. He
picked up his cross and moved on saying to himself "0
father, let thy will be done"

REFLECTION: Jesus showed his human side, when his physical
strength broke down. a fact we face everyday in our daily
lives-which seems to be at times overbearing
that we just want to give up hope. But do we give up?...or do
we follow Jesus' example in taking strength from prayer.
Today, let us commit ourselves that no matter what the
obstacle, no matter what the setback, we will use the power
of prayer to inspire us and go on facing life. Knowing that
"the father's will" must be done.

Remember that Jesus' life and death is ah example for us to follow

The Fourth Station: Jesus meets his mother
We adore thee 0 Christ and we bless thee Because by the holy cross thou
has redeemed the world .

Narrator: Jesus' thoughts were broken when he noticed his mother calling out to
him.
Even now, long after his death, Jesus sees in her, the motherly love
ever so strongly. He tells her

Jesus: Mother, I thank you for all the pains you took in bearing me, in
enriching me as I grew up , in letting go of me as I became
independent but most of all , I am grateful to u for being there every
step of the way, even at my death.

Narrator: The mention of his death drew strong emotion from his mother and
she could not hold back her tears. The pain and the sadness were
plain to the eye, as her eyes glistened with emotion.
Jesus hugged her close, bearing life testimony to the commandment
"Honor your father and mother"

REFLECTION: Mother Mary was always there for Jesus; right from the time the
angel came to her till his death on the cross. Here now we remember
our dear parents, teachers, formators, superiors and elders who are
responsible for our growth and development. They are to us a special
gift of God in our long journey to priestly ministry, We thank God for
their sacrificial love and concern towards us.
We remember all those who lack the motherly care and love, and also
those parents who are neglected by their children.


The Fifth Station: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus
We adore thee 0 Christ and we bless thee Because by the holy cross
thou has redeemed the world.

Narrator: As Jesus moved on, he noticed a man helping another towards
the gates of heaven. On coming nearer, Jesus recognized him to
be none other than Simon of Cyrene- the same man who had
helped him carry his cross.
Jesus acknowledged his kindness and thanked him

Jesus: Thank you Simon for helping me carry my cross. You enabled
me to complete my purpose and fulfill my father's will

Simon of Cyrene: It was my pleasure, my Lord, but I have to make a
confession. At first, when the guards picked me to carry your
cross, all I could think was "why me?' But later on, I realised that
I was helping you complete your mission and that I was
privileged to do so.

Jesus: Truly, you are the Good Samaritan?.

REFLECTION: Many a time in life, we find ourselves .in situations where
we can help someone in need, where we can contribute to a
mission ,be it at church, through some form of work in any
organisaition or any other social cause, but for which we have to
go .out of our way and make some sacrifice. What choice do we
make then? Are we good Samaritans like Simon of Cyrene, and
help Jesus in his mission or do we make petty excuses of having
no time and other commitments. What excuse are we going to
make to Jesus on judgement day?...


The Sixth Station: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
We adore thee 0 Christ and we bless thee Because by the holy
cross thou has redeemed the world .

Narrator: It was nearing lunch time and Jesus stopped for a break, he
noticed a woman at an adjoining table smiling at him. Jesus
moved towards her and said

Jesus: I remember you. Seeing my swollen eyes, bruised face and
tangled hair, most of my friends had ran away but that did not
stop you. Thank you for your support!!

Narrator: She introduces herself as Veronica and said

Veronica:I only did what I felt was right.

Jesus: Truly , I say to you, Happy are those who have the courage you
have to do right

REFLECTION: It took Veronica-a woman in a male dominated society to
step up and do what she thought was right. Women in Indian
society have traditionally been considered to be weaker and
inferior. The rise in position.. Rape., female e4rifantici.de and an
endless list of crimes against the girl child, bears witness to .the-
atrocities committed. Today, we are called to ponder and to see
if we are a cause for this opinion.
Have we ever not treated the girl child equally?

Isn't it time we take inspiration from the Veronica

so that we may also have the courage to do right, to do what is
just and humane.

Remember that Jesus' life and death is an, example for us to follow
Have mercy-on us O lord, have mercy on us

The Seventh Station: Jesus falls the second time
thou has redeemed the world .

Narrator: As Jesus was about to leave, he heard a stranger beckon him.
The man said Stranger: Jesus of Nazareth, I was there, I was
one of them I heard them shouting for your blood. I knew what
they did was wrong but.... I wanted to lift you up and possibly
give you some water. But something kept me back?.... what
would the crowds say?....what would they do to me?...what
would become of my family?....So I joined them ..I became one
of them.. .I shouted for you to die. . But inside I died of guilt!
..please forgive me.
Jesus felt pity for the man and said to him

Jesus: Your repentance has saved you. Happy are those who know
they are spiritually poor for theirs is the Kingdom of God.

REFLECTION: The innocent suffering under the weight of the cross is a
momentary affliction “preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all
means. (2Cor4/17).


The Eighth Station: Jesus speaks to the women of
Jerusalem

Narrator: Jesus walked on till he came to a park where he heard the
sounds of women laughing and children playing. The women
recognised Jesus as the one they had wept for and one of them
said to him

Woman: Lord, I am sorry for what happened to you. I knew it was wrong
but all I could do to show my concern was to shed my tears. I
hope they reduced the pain of your sacrifice.

Jesus: Your tears have opened the door of change for you and so , the
pain I have suffered has got its ransom.
Happy are those who mourn, God will comfort them.

REFLECTION: Self-realization is the first step of change and change is
what is expected of us during the season of Lent. So let us
spend time and. think whether we have truly-understood the
purpose of Jesus suffering and death and its, relation with our
lives. Jesus stood for the good, for the truth. for justice and all
that we perceive as right, ....he died because his sacrifice would
help us in our journey of self-realization and in understanding
how we can make a difference to others....The women of
Jerusalem paid ransom to: Jesus’ death by changing…will we be
able to pay that same ransom?.....


The Ninth Station: Jesus falls the third time


Narrator: Jesus noticed Peter deep in thought and so he inquired saying.

Jesus: Peter, what troubles you?

Narrator: Peter replied.

Peter: I am sorry that I was not there for you in your time of trouble and
that you could not count on me. You were always there for me,
never once did u leave me.....and I am sorry........

Narrator: Peter knew that no words could make do for what had happened
Jesus: Your humility in accepting your fault has saved
you...happy are those who are humble, for they shall receive
what God has promised!!

REFLECTION: All of us are human beings and to falter is natural......but to
accept your fault –to realise, is the first step to change and
redemption. What prevents us from accepting our faults?.... Is it
our pride that we cant ever do wrong...is it our fear of what will
people say? .... ls it the ego inside us that prevents us from being
humble enough to say Yes, I am wrong........and I will work
towards changing myself.......today we have a choice, to be
proud and stay as we are or to be humble ..accept our mistakes-
and just as the beatitude says to receive what God has promised


The Tenth Station: Jesus is stripped of his clothes

Narrator: As Jesus and Peter were talking, a man dressed up in a soldier's
uniform came to Jesus knelt before him and with his head down
said

Soldier: Lord, I was one of them who disgraced you publicly by stripping
you naked and by spitting on your face and to scorn you even
more we cast lots to divide your clothing.

My God, I have no excuse but to say I took advantage of the
power that was given to me Rather than using it for what is right,
I abused it for self-pleasures and riches.

Have mercy on me....

REFLECTION: The greed for power and its misuse is the root to all sin.
And so Lord here we make our humble plea to help us to strip
ourselves of all the thoughts and desires of our own self- glory,
fame and power. This will only keep us ready for our own
judgement.

Remember that Christ: life and death is an example for us to follow

The Eleventh Station: Jesus is nailed to the cross
We adore thee 0 Christ and we bless thee because by the holy cross

Narrator: After a long day's walk, Jesus was tired and so he sat down in
the shade of a nearby tree, relaxed and continued to think. As he
looked at his hands, he noticed the holes in his hand that the
nails had made and the memories seemed to be as clear as day.
He felt the pain with each hit of the nail, the taunts of the people
shouting, "Hail, King of the Jews". He closed his eyes and said to
his father Jesus: Father, I thank you for being there with me
every step of the way and for giving me the strength to complete
the mission you had set for me. I know that if it wasn't for You, I
would have never been able to achieve what I did. Help
everyone to realise that You are always there, no matter what.

REFLECTION: God is always there and he is always calling out for
us….but are we listening...He has left the door half open for
us...."..all we have to do is to take the first step and push the
door open. He wants us to realise the depth of love he has for
us, But have we?.. have we fathomed the infinite power of God's
"healing touch… the strength to transform ourselves completely.
Let us pray that in all times of trials and tribulations, we will
believe that God is there and that he will give us the strength to
get through it.

Remember that Jesus life and death is an example for us to follow

The Twelvth Station: Jesus dies on the cross

Narrator: As Jesus continued to think, he noticed a child picking up flowers
in the vicinity. The child seemed so engrossed in his work, so
oblivious to the surroundings...to the fact that it was Judgement
Day!!.
Jesus called out to him and said

Jesus: Child, come here...what is your name and for whom are you
collecting these flowers?

Narrator: The child introduced himself as Michael

Michael: Sir, my mother told me that today a great man had died for all of
us and since he was so important, I am collecting these flowers
to place on his grave. But tell me sir, why would anyone die for
someone else?

Narrator: The child's words brought tears to Jesus' eyes and he replied

Jesus: Because I Love you!!!

REFLECTION: The greatest sacrifice a man can make is to lay down his
life for someone else. Jesus did that for us.. Jesus truly loved
us...-but how many of us have taken heed of that??.. Have I
taken the trouble to find out.. what he stood for and why did he
die for me? He came to earth and died to teach us what comes
above all things.....LOVE...
On our Judgment day, will be able to wipe away Jesus' tears and
tell him we love him?...


The Thirteenth Station: Jesus is taken down from the cross

Narrator:As Jesus walked Michael back home, he sees Michael run
back right into the arms of his mother. He wondered what
his Mother Mary had felt when they took him down from the
cross .the pain...the anguish.... the helpnesses, seeing her
son's lifeless body In her arms..... Knowing that her son had
died right before her eyes and all that she could do is trust in
God's will , knowing that he knows best. Jesus: Happy are
those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires,
God will satisfy them fully.

REFLECTION: Life is a complicated and tough challenge to face and
many times we do not understand why things happen the
way they do. Today, we are called to follow Mother Mary's
example of trusting God , believing that he wants the best
for all of us. We humans, like to feel superior .by being in
control, but it is time to realise that our true purpose, is in
letting go, like Mary, and working towards fulfilling our
creator’s will.
Are we ready to do what God requires'?

Remember that Jesus' life and death is an example for: us to follow •

The Fourteenth Station: Jesus is laid in the tomb

Narrator: Jesus had walked and thought the entire day and now it was
time to rest. As he closed his eyes, he pictured himself lying in
the tomb, prepared for him by a stranger Joseph of Arimathea.
He recalled the care and concern shown by Mary Magdalene in
preparing spices...and as he dozed off, he smiled.... because....
there was still hope for mankind…
His thoughts echoed, " I still believe in the goodness of man"

REFLECTION: This .way of the cross is a reminder that we have to follow
the example set by Jesus, in order to shine with him on judgment
day… and yes, it is possible… and why do I say that?.... I say it..
because Jesus himself says it......'" I still believe in the goodness
" of man" .So let us take up the responsibility and realise that we
are all created with one purpose -to spread the Good News by
living God's message, the very same message that his holy
messenger Jesus died for.
Jesus met his challenge... the challenge you and I face in our
daily lives today...... are we ready to face it, like him?

Remember that Jesus' life and death is an example for: us to follow •

Concluding Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we have contemplated on the passion of your
Son our Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, help us not to be harsh like
Pilate who disgracefully condemned you to death, like the
soldiers who out of greed spat, mocked and above all stripped
you off your garments and exposed you to the vulgar gaze of the
scoffing multitude or like your disciples who deserted you when
you were in need, but rather let us be tike your mother who was
so patient towards the brutal soldiery, Simon who willingly lent a
helping hand, Veronica who refreshed you by wiping your face
with her damp handkerchief and Joseph of Arimathea and
Nicodemus who brought you down from the cross and laid you in
a new tomb where no one had ever been buried. Amen

Way Of The Cross

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