Stations of the Cross of Pope Saint John Paul II

Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish - Good Friday 2020

Photography by Don Uvick Booklet Design by Alec Martin

INTRODUCTION

Via Crucis, the way of the cross, is a way of faith:in Jesus, condemned to death, we see the Judge of the universe; in Jesus as he carries his Cross, the Saviour of the world;in Jesus crucified, the Lord of history, the very Son of God.

Good Friday: a warm and restless dayat the first full moon of spring.We gather here in the Lord’s name.

He is present in our midst, just as he promised.And with us too is the Blessed Virgin Mary.She stood on the hill of Golgotha as the Mother of the dying Son, as the Disciple of the Teacher of truth,as the new Eve standing beneath the tree of life,as the woman of sorrow,the companion of the "man of sorrows,acquainted with grief,”Daughter of Adam, Our Sister, Queen of Peace.

As the Mother of Mercy,she bends over her children who still face dangers and exhaustion, to see their sufferings,to hear the cry arising from their afflictions,to bring them comfort and to renew their hope of peace.

Let us pray.

Father most holy,look upon the blood flowing from the Savior's pierced side; look upon the blood shed by the many victimsof hatred, of war, of terrorism,and in your mercy, grant that the course of world eventsmay unfold according to your will, in justice and in peace,and that your Church may devote herself with quiet confidence to your service and to the liberation of mankind.Through Christ our Lord.

R. Amen.

FIRST STATIONJesus is condemned to death

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless you.R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

From the Holy Gospel according to Mark:

“Butthecrowdshoutedallthemore,“Crucifyhim.”SoPilate,wishingtosatisfythecrowd,releasedforthemBarabbas;andhavingscourgedJesus,hedeliveredhimtobecrucified.”

MEDITATION

Pilate’sverdictwaspronouncedunderpressurefromthepriestsandthecrowd.Thesentenceofdeathbycrucifixionwasmeanttocalmtheirfuryandmeettheirclamorousdemand:“Crucifyhim!Crucifyhim!”TheRomanpraetorthoughthecouldplacehimselfapartfromthesentence,washinghishandsofit,justashehadalreadydistancedhimselffromChrist’swordsidentifyinghisKingdomwiththetruth,andwithwitnesstothetruth.InbothinstancesPilatewastryingtopreservehisownindependence,toremainsomehow"uninvolved.”Soitmayhaveseemedtohim,onthesurface.ButtheCrosstowhichJesusofNazarethwascondemned,likethetruthhetoldabouthisKingdom,hadtostrikedeepintotheRomanpraetor'ssoul.Allthiswas,andis,asinglereality,inthefaceofwhichonecannotremainuninvolved,onthesidelines.WhenJesus,theSonofGod,wasquestionedabouthisKingdomand,becauseofthis,wasjudgedguiltybymenandcondemnedtodeath,hisfinaltestimonybegan:hewasabouttodemonstratethat“Godsolovedtheworld”.Wehavethistestimonybeforeus,andwerealizethatwearenotallowedtowashourhandsofit.

ACCLAMATION

JesusofNazareth,condemnedtodeathontheCross,faithfulwitnesstotheloveoftheFather.

R. Lord, have mercy.

Jesus,SonofGod,obedienttothewilloftheFather,evenuntodeathonaCross.

R. Lord, have mercy.

SECOND STATIONJesus takes up his cross

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless you.R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

From the Holy Gospel according to Mark:

“Aftertheyhadmockedhim,theystrippedhimofthepurplecloak,andputhisownclothesonhim.Andtheyledhimouttocrucifyhim.”

MEDITATION

Theexecution,theimplementationofthesentence,isbeginning.Christ,condemnedtodeath,mustbeburdenedwiththeCrossjustlikethetwoothermenwhohavereceivedthesamepunishment:“hewasnumberedwiththetransgressors.”ChristdrawsneartotheCross,hisbodyatrociouslybruisedandlacerated,bloodrunningdownhisfacefromhisheadcrownedwiththorns.EcceHomo!.InhimweseeallthetruthforetoldbytheProphetsabouttheSonofman,thetruthproclaimedbyIsaiahabouttheservantofYahweh:“Hewaswoundedforourtransgressions,andbyhisstripeswearehealed.”InhimweseealsotheamazingconsequenceofwhatmanhasdonetohisGod.Pilatesays:“Beholdtheman:Lookwhatyouhavedonetothisman!”Butthereseemstobeanother voice speaking as well, a voice that seems to be saying: “Look what you havedone,inthisman,toyourGod!” Itisverymovingtohearthisvoicefromcenturiesago,asitblendswiththevoicecomingtousfromwhatweknowinfaith.EcceHomo!Jesus"whoiscalledtheMessiah"takestheCrossuponhisshoulders.

Theexecutionhasbegun.

ACCLAMATION

JesusofNazareth,condemnedtodeathontheCross,faithfulwitnesstotheloveoftheFather.

R. Lord, have mercy.

Jesus,SonofGod,obedienttothewilloftheFather,evenuntodeathonaCross.

R. Lord, have mercy.

THIRD STATIONJesus falls the first time

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless you.R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

FromtheBookoftheProphetIsaiah:

“Surelyhehasborneourgriefsandcarriedoursorrows;yetweesteemedhimstricken,smittenbyGod,andafflicted.Buthewaswoundedforourtransgressions,hewasbruisedforouriniquities;uponhimwasthechastisementthatmadeuswhole,andwithhisbruiseswearehealed.Allwelikesheephavegoneastray;wehaveturnedeveryonetohisownway;andtheLordhaslaidonhimtheiniquityofusall.”

MEDITATION

JesusfallsundertheweightoftheCross.Hefallstotheground.Hedoesnotresorttohissuperhumanpowers,hedoesnotresorttothepoweroftheangels.“DoyouthinkthatIcannotappealtomyFather,andhewillatoncesendmemorethantwelvelegionsofangels?.”Hedoesnotaskforthat.HavingacceptedthecupfromtheFather’shandsheisresolvedtodrinkittotheend.Thisisashewillsit.Andsohehasnothoughtsofanysuperhumanforce,althoughsuchforceisathisdisposal.Thosewhosawhimwhenheshowedhispoweroverhumaninfirmities,cripplingdiseasesandevendeathitself,maywell,intheirgrief,havewondered:“Whatnow?”“Isherepudiatingallthat?”InafewdaysthedisciplesontheroadtoEmmauswouldsay:“Wehadhoped.”“IfyouaretheSonofGod.”,themembersoftheSanhedrinweretoflingathim.Andthecrowdwouldyell:“Hesavedothersbuthecannotsavehimself.” Heacceptstheseprovocations,whichseemtounderminethewholemeaningofhismission,histeaching,hismiracles.Heacceptsthemall,forheisdeterminednottocombatthem.Tobeinsultediswhathewills.TostaggerandfallundertheweightofCrossiswhathewills.Hewillsitall.Totheend,downtothebitterend,heisfaithfultowhathehadsaid:“Notmywill,butyoursbedone”

GodwillbringforththesalvationofhumanityfromChrist’sfallingbeneaththeweightoftheCross.

ACCLAMATIONJesusofNazareth,condemnedtodeathontheCross,faithfulwitnesstotheloveoftheFather.

R. Lord, have mercy.

Jesus,SonofGod,obedienttothewilloftheFather,evenuntodeathonaCross.

R. Lord, have mercy.

FOURTH STATIONJesus meets his sorrowful mother

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless you.R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

FromtheBookoftheProphetIsaiah:

“SimeonsaidtoMary,hismother,‘Behold,thischildissetforthefallandrisingofmanyinIsrael,andforasignofcontradiction,thatthoughtsoutofmanyheartsmayberevealed.Andaswordwillpiercethroughyourownsoulalso..’Hismotherkeptallthesethingsinherheart.”

MEDITATION

TheMother,Mary,meetsherSonalongthewayoftheCross.HisCrossbecomesherCross,hishumiliationisherhumiliation,thepublicscornisonhershoulders.Thisisthewaythingsare.Soitmustseemtothepeoplearoundher,andthisishowherownheartreacts:“Andaswordwillpiercethroughyoursoulalso.”ThewordsspokenwhenJesuswasfortydaysoldarenowfulfilled.Theyarenowcompletelyfulfilled.Andso,piercedbythatinvisiblesword,MarysetsouttowardsherSon”Calvary,herownCalvary.Christiandevotionrepresentsherwiththisswordpenetratingherheart,inpaintingsandsculpture.Motherofsorrows! “Youwhosharedhissuffering,”saythefaithful,whoknowintheirheartsthatthemysteryofthissufferingcanbeexpressedinnootherway.Althoughthispainishers,strikingdeepinhermaternalheart,thefulltruthofthissufferingcanbeexpressedonlyintermsofasharedsuffering-‘com-passion’Thatwordispartofthemystery;itexpressesinsomewayherunitywiththesufferingofherSon.

ACCLAMATION

HolyMary,ourMotherandSisterinthejourneyoffaith,withyouwecalluponyourSonJesus.

R. Lord, have mercy.

HolyMary,youdidnothesitatealongthewaytoCalvary,withyouwecalluponyourSonJesus.

R. Lord, have mercy.

FIFTH STATIONSimon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry the cross

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless you.R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

From the Holy Gospel according to Mark:

“Theycompelledapasser-by,SimonofCyrene,whowascominginfromthecountry,thefatherofAlexanderandRufus,tocarryhisCross.AndtheybroughthimtotheplacecalledGolgotha,whichmeanstheplaceoftheskull.”

MEDITATION

SimonofCyrene,calledupontocarrytheCross,doubtlesshadnowishtodoso.Hewasforcedto.HewalkedbesideChrist,bearingthesameburden.Whenthecondemnedman’sshouldersbecametooweak,helenthimhis.HewasveryclosetoJesus,closerthanMary,closerthanJohnwho-thoughhetoowasaman-wasnotcalledupontohelp.Theycalledonhim,SimonofCyrene,thefatherofAlexanderandRufus,aswelearnfromtheHolyGospelofMark.Theysummonedhim,theycompelledhim. Howlongdidhecontinuetoresentbeingforcedintothis?Howlongdidhecontinuetowalk beside this condemned man, all the while making it clear that he had nothing incommonwithhim,nothingtodowithhiscrime,nothingtodowithhispunishment?Howlongdidhegoonlikethat,tornwithinhimself,abarrierofindifferencestandingbetweenhimandtheManwhowassuffering?“Iwasnaked,Iwasthirsty,Iwasinprison”,IcarriedtheCross.“Didyoucarryitwithme?”“Didyoureallycarryitwithmetotheveryend?” Wedonotknow.SaintMarksimplyrecordsthenamesoftheCyrenian’ssons,andtraditionhasitthattheyweremembersoftheChristiancommunityclosetoSaintPeter..

ACCLAMATION

Christ,GoodSamaritan,neighbourtothepoor,thesick,thelowly.R. Lord, have mercy.Christ,ServantoftheEternalFather,youconsiderdonetoyoueveryactoflovetowardstheexile,theoutcast,thestranger.

R. Lord, have mercy.

SIXTH STATIONVeronica wipes the face of Jesus

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless you.R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

FromtheBookoftheProphetIsaiah:

“Hehadnoformorcomelinessthatweshouldlookathim,andnobeautythatweshoulddesirehim.Hewasdespisedandrejectedbymen;amanofsorrows,andacquaintedwithgriefandasonefromwhommenhidetheirfaceshewasdespised,andweesteemedhimnot.”

MEDITATION

TraditionhasgivenusVeronica.PerhapssheisacounterparttothestoryoftheCyrenian.Asawoman,shecouldnotphysicallycarrytheCrossorevenbecalledupontodoso,yetinfactshedidcarrytheCrosswithJesus:shecarrieditintheonlywaypossibletoheratthemomentandinobediencetothedictatesofherheart:shewipedhisFace.TraditionhasitthatanimprintofChrist’sfeaturesremainedontheclothsheused.Thisdetailseemsfairlyeasytoexplain:sincetheclothwascoveredwithbloodandsweat,itwouldpreservetracesandoutlines. YetthisdetailcanhaveadifferentmeaningifitisconsideredinthelightofChrist’swords about the last days. Many will then ask: “Lord, when did we ever do these thingsforyou?.”AndJesuswillreply:“TrulyIsaytoyou,asyoudidittooneoftheleastofthesemybrethren,youdidittome.”InfacttheSaviorleaveshisimprintoneverysingleactofcharity,ashedidonVeronica’scloth.

ACCLAMATION

FaceoftheLordJesus,disfiguredbypain,resplendentwithGod’sglory.

R. Lord, have mercy.

OHolyFace,imprintedoneveryactoflove.

R. Lord, have mercy.

SEVENTH STATIONJesus falls the second time

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless you.R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

FromtheBookoftheLamentations:

“Iamthemanwhohasseenafflictionundertherodofhiswrath;hehasdrivenandbrought me into darkness without any light. He has blocked my ways with hewn stones he has mademypathscrooked.Hehasmademyteethgrindongravel,andmademecowerinashes.”

MEDITATION

“Iamaworm,andnoman,scornedbymen,anddespisedbythepeople.”ThepropheticwordsofthePsalmistarecompletelyfulfilledinthesesteep,narrowalleysofJerusaleminthefinalhoursbeforethePassover.Weknowthatthosehoursbeforethefeastareunnerving,thestreetsteemingwithpeople.ThisisthecontextinwhichthewordsofthePsalmistarebeingfulfilled,eventhoughnobodygivesthisathought.Certainlyitpassesunnoticedbythosewhojeer,thoseforwhomthisJesusofNazareth,ashenowfallsforthesecondtime,isalaughing-stock. Andhewillsallthis,hewillsthefulfilmentoftheprophecy.Andsohefalls,exhaustedbyalltheeffort.HefallsinaccordancewiththewilloftheFather,awillexpressedinthewordsoftheProphet.Hefallsinaccordancewithhisownwill:“HowthenshouldtheScripturesbefulfilled,thatitmustbeso?.”“Iamaworm,andnoman.”Notevenahuman being here, but something much less, much worse. Awormcreepsalongtheground,whereasman,likeakingamongcreatures,walksaboveit.Awormwillgnawevenatwood:likeaworm,remorseforsingnawsatman'sconscience.Remorseforthesecondfall.

ACCLAMATION

JesusofNazareth,youbecameanoutcastamongmen,inordertoennobleallcreatures.

R. Lord, have mercy.

Jesus,servantoflife,crushedbymen,yetraisedupbyGod.

R. Lord, have mercy.

EIGHTH STATIONJesus meets the women of Jerusalem

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless you.R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

From the Holy Gospel according to Luke:

ButJesusturningtothemsaid,“DaughtersofJerusalemdonotweepforme,butweepforyourselvesandforyourchildren.Forbeholdthedaysarecomingwhentheywillsay,blessedarethebarren,andthewombsthatneverboreandthebreaststhatnevergavesuck.Thentheywillbegintosaytothemountains,‘Fallonus’;andtothehills,‘Coverus’;For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

MEDITATION

Hereisacalltorepentance,truerepentance,andsorrowattherealityoftheevilthathasbeencommitted.JesussaystothedaughtersofJerusalemwhoareweepingatthesightofhim:“Donotweepforme,butweepforyourselvesandforyourchildren.”Onecannotmerelyscrapeawayatthesurfaceofevil;onehastogetdowntoitsroots,itscauses,theinnertruthofconscience. ThisispreciselywhatJesusmeanstosayashecarrieshisCross:healways“knewwhatwasinman”andhecontinuestoknowit.Thatiswhyhemustalwaysbeforustheclosestonlooker,theonewhoseesallouractionsandisawareofalltheverdictswhichourconsciencespassonthem.Perhapsheevenmakesusunderstandthattheseverdictshavetobecarefullythoughtout,reasonableandobjective(forhesays:“Donotweep”),whileatthesametimeboundupwithallthatthisrealitycontains:hewarnsusofthisbecauseheistheonewhocarriestheCross.

Lord,letmeknowhowtoliveandwalkinthetruth.

ACCLAMATION

LordJesus,knowingandmerciful,theTruthleadingustolife.R. Lord, have mercy.LordJesus,thecompassionateone,whosepresenceeasesourpaininthehouroftrial.

R. Lord, have mercy.

NINTH STATIONJesus falls the third time

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless you.R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

FromtheBookofLamentations:

“Itisgoodforamanthathebeartheyokeinhisyouth.Lethimsitaloneinsilencewhenhehaslaiditonhim;lethimputhismouthinthedust,theremayyetbehope;lethimgivehischeektothehaterandbefilledwithinsults.FortheLordwillnotcastoffforever,but,thoughhecausegrief,hewillhavecompassionaccordingtotheabundanceofhissteadfastlove.”

MEDITATION

“Hehumbledhimselfandbecameobedientuntodeath,evendeathonaCross.”Everystation along this Way is a milestone of that obedience and self-emptying. We appreciatethe scale of that self-emptying when we begin to ponder the words of the Prophet : “TheLord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. All we like sheep have gone astray; we haveturned everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Wecanappreciatetheextentofthatself-emptyingwhenweseeJesusfallingforthethirdtime under the Cross. We can appreciate it when we meditate on who it is falling,who it is lying in the dusty road under the Cross, at the feet of a hostile crowd thatspares him no insult or humiliation. Whoisitwhohasfallen?WhoisJesusChrist?“ThoughhewasintheformofGod,hedidnot count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking theform of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form hehumbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a Cross.”

ACCLAMATION

JesusChrist,Youtastedthebitternessoftheearthinordertoturnourcriesofpainintoasongofjoy.

R. Lord, have mercy.

ChristJesus,youwerehumbledinthefleshinordertoennobleallcreation.

R. Lord, have mercy.

TENTH STATIONJesus is stripped of his garments

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless you.R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

From the Holy Gospel according to Mark:

Thesoldiersdividedhisgarmentsamongthem,castinglotsforthem,todecidewhateachshouldtake.

MEDITATION

AsJesusisstrippedofhisclothesatGolgotha,ourthoughtsturnoncemoretohisMother. They go back in time to the first days of this body which now, even before thecrucifixion, is covered with wounds. The mystery of the Incarnation: the Son of Godtakes his body from the Virgin’s womb. TheSonofGodspeakstotheFatherinthewordsofthePsalmist:“Sacrificeandofferingyoudesired not; but a body you have prepared for me.” A man’s body is the expressionof his soul. Christ’s body is the expression of his love for the Father: “Then I said, ‘Lo, Ihave come to do your will, O God.’” “I always do what is pleasing to him .” With everywound, every spasm of pain, every wrenched muscle, every trickle of blood, with all theexhaustion in its arms, all the bruises and lacerations on its back and shoulders, thisstripped body is carrying out the will of both Father and Son. It carries out the Father’swill when it is stripped naked and subjected to torture, when it takes unto itself theimmeasurable pain of a humanity profaned.

Thehumanbodyisprofanedinanynumberofways.At this Station we must think of the Mother of Christ,becauseinherwomb,inhereyes

andinherarmsthebodyoftheSonofGodwasmostfullyadored.

ACCLAMATION

Jesus,sacredbody,stillviolatedinyourlivingmembers.

R. Lord, have mercy.

Jesus,bodyofferedinlove,stilldividedinyourmembers.

R. Lord, have mercy.

ELEVENTH STATIONJesus is nailed to the cross

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless you.R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

From the Holy Gospel according to Mark:

Anditwasthethirdhour,whentheycrucifiedhim.Andtheinscriptionofthechargeagainsthimread:“TheKingoftheJews.”Andwithhimtheycrucifiedtworobbersoneonhisrightandoneonhisleft.

MEDITATION

“Theyhavepiercedmyhandsandfeet,Icancountallmybones.”“Icancount...”:howprophetic were these words! And yet we know that this body is a ransom. The whole ofthis body, its hands, its feet, its every bone, is a priceless ransom. The Whole Man is in astate of utmost tension: his bones, his muscles, his nerves, his every organ and everycell, is stretched and strained to breaking-point. "I, when I am lifted up from theearth,will draw all men to myself.” Thesewordsexpressthefullrealityofthecrucifixion.Andpartofthisrealityistheterrible tension penetrating Christ’s hands, feet and every bone: driving its way into theentire body which, nailed like a mere thing to the beams of the Cross, is about to beutterly annihilated in the convulsive agony of death. And the whole of the world whichJesus wills to draw to himself enters into the reality of the Cross. The world is dependenton the gravitational pull of this body, which inertia now causes to sink lower and lower.The Passion of Christ Crucified lies precisely in this gravitational pull.

“Youarefrombelow,Iamfromabove.”FromtheCrosshesays:“Father,forgivethem,fortheyknownotwhattheydo.”

ACCLAMATION

Christ,crucifiedbyhatred,madebyloveasignofreconciliationandpeace.

R. Lord, have mercy.

Christ, by your blood shed on the Cross, you have ransomed man, the world, the universe.

R. Lord, have mercy.

TWELFTH STATIONJesus dies on the cross

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless you.R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

From the Holy Gospel according to Mark:

“Andwhenthesixthhourhadcometherewasdarknessoverthewholelanduntiltheninthhour.AndattheninthhourJesuscriedwithaloudvoice:“Eloi,Eloi,lamasabachthani”,whichmeans:“MyGod,myGod,whyhastthouforsakenme?”AndJesusutteredaloudcryandbreathedhislast.

Whenthecenturion,whostoodfacinghim,sawthathethusbreathedhislast,hesaid:“TrulythismanwastheSonofGod.”

MEDITATION

Herewehavethegreatest,themostsublimeworkoftheSoninunionwiththeFather.Yes:inunion,inthemostperfectunionpossible,preciselyatthemomentwhenhecries:“MyGod,myGod,whyhaveyouforsakenme?”ThisworkfindsexpressionintheverticalityofhisbodystretchedagainsttheperpendicularbeamoftheCrossandinthehorizontalityofhisarmsstretchedalongthetransversebeam.Togazeuponthosearmsonewouldthinkthatintheefforttheyexpendtheyembraceallhumanityandalltheworld.

Theydoindeedembraceit. Hereistheman.HereisGodhimself.“Inhimweliveandmoveandhaveourbeing.”Inhim:inthosearmsoutstretchedalongthetransversebeamoftheCross.

ThemysteryoftheRedemption.NailedtotheCross,pinnedinthatterribleposition,JesuscallsontheFather.Allhis

wordsbearwitnessthatheisonewiththeFather.“IandtheFatherareone”;“AnyonewhohasseenmehasseentheFather”;“MyFatherisworkingstill,andIamworking.”

ACCLAMATION

SonofGod,rememberus,atthehourofdeath..

R. Lord, have mercy.

SonoftheFather,rememberus,andbyyourSpiritrenewthefaceoftheearth.

R. Lord, have mercy.

THIRTEENTH STATIONJesus is taken down from the cross

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless you.R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

From the Holy Gospel according to Mark:

“Andwheneveninghadcome,JosephofArimathea,arespectedmemberofthecouncil,whowasalsohimselflookingforthekingdomofGod,boughtalinenshroud,and took the body of Jesus down from the Cross.”

MEDITATION

WhenthebodyofJesusistakendownfromtheCrossandlaidinhisMother’sarms,inourmind’seyeweglimpseagainthemomentwhenMaryacceptedthemessagebroughtbytheangelGabriel:“Andbeholdyouwillconceiveinyourwombandbearason,andyoushallcallhisnameJesus;theLordGodwillgivehimthethroneofhisfatherDavid,andofhiskingdomtherewillbenoend.”Maryhadrepliedsimply:“Letitbetomeaccordingtoyourword”,asthougheventhenshewantedtogiveexpressiontowhatshenowexperiences. InthemysteryoftheRedemption,grace-thegiftofGodhimself-isinterwovenwitha“price”paidbythehumanheart.Inthismysteryweareenrichedbyagiftfromonhighandatthesametime“bought”bytheransompaidbytheSonofGod.AndMary,whomorethananyonewasenrichedbygifts,paysallthemore.Withherheart. InseparablefromthismysteryistheextraordinarypromisespokenofbySimeonduringthePresentationofJesusintheTemple:“Andaswordwillpiercethroughyourheart,sothatthethoughtsofmanyheartsmayberevealed.” Thispromisehasalsobeenfulfilled.HowmanyhumanheartsbleedfortheheartofthisMotherwhohaspaidsodearly!OnceagainJesusliesinherarms,ashedidinthestablein Bethlehem, during the flight into Egypt, and at Nazareth.

ACCLAMATION

HolyMary,Motherofinexpressiblesorrow,withyouweopenourarmstoLifehimself, and humbly beseech him:

R. Lord, have mercy.HolyMary,MotherandassociateoftheRedeemer,incommunionwithyouweopenourarmstoChrist,andfilledwithhopewecalluponhim.

R. Lord, have mercy.

FOURTEENTH STATIONJesus is placed in the tomb

V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless you.R. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

From the Holy Gospel according to Mark:

“JosephofArimathea,wrappedthebodyofJesusinthelinenshroudandlaidhiminatombwhichhadbeenhewnoutoftherock.Andherolledastoneagainstthedoorofthetomb.MaryMagdaleneandMarythemotherofJosessawwherehewaslaid.”

MEDITATION

Fromthemomentwhenman,asaresultofsin,wasdrivenawayfromtheTreeofLife,theearth became a burial ground. With as many burial places as there are men. A greatplanet of tombs. ClosetoCalvarytherewasatombbelongingtoJosephofArimathea.Init,withJoseph’sconsent, the body of Jesus was placed after being taken down from the Cross. They laidit there in haste, so that the burial might be completed before the feast of Passover,which began at sunset. InoneofthecountlesstombsscatteredalloverthecontinentsofthisplanetofourstheSonofGod, the man Jesus Christ, conquered death with death. It is the death of deathitself! The Tree of Life from which man was banished as a result of sin is set beforemankind anew in the body of Christ. “If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever,and the bread which I shall give for the life of the word is my flesh.” Thoughourplanetisconstantlybeingfilledwithfreshtombs,thoughthecemeteryinwhichman, who comes from dust and returns to dust, is always growing, nonetheless allwhogazeuponthetombofJesusChristliveinthehopeoftheResurrection.

ACCLAMATION

LordJesus,ourresurrection,inthenewtombyoudestroydeathandgrantlife.R. Lord, have mercy.LordJesus,ourhope,yourbody,crucifiedandrisen,isthenewTreeofLife.

R. Lord, have mercy.

CLOSING PRAYER:

Lord Jesus Christ,your passion and deathis the sacrifice that unites earth and heavenand reconciles all people to you.May we who have faithfully reflected on these mysteries follow in your stepsand so come to share your glory in heavenwhere you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit one God, for ever and ever.

All: Amen

ALL:

Our Father, who art in heaven,hallowed be Thy name.Thy kingdom come,They 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.Lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil.

All: Amen