Station III
JESUS FALLS THE FIRST TIME
And how does Jesus carry His Cross? (1) He suffers great shame and ignominy. It is a criminal procession, and He is the principal culprit----condemned everywhere and by everyone as a false prophet and blasphemer. Crowds of people are awaiting Him. See how they stare at Him. Hear the jeers that reach Him from doors, windows, and roofs. Jesus traverses the same streets along which He formerly passed respected, sought after, and feared. (2) Jesus bears His Cross painfully. The way was long, uneven, and steep, too, in parts. He was worn out with the ill-usage of that day and the previous night. Think of the state of His Sacred Body from the cruel scourging. One can well imagine how dreadful this journey must have been for Him under the weight of the Cross. We are told that Jesus fell from three to seven times. In all things like as we are, without sin. Was it not for our encouragement that in spite of His efforts to reach Calvary, Jesus fell again and again?
Is there anything so disheartening on the road to Heaven as the repeated falls that follow upon our best resolutions? We know they should not cast us down as they do----and that they are not without their advantages----since they teach us to know and distrust ourselves, and excite us to humility and contrition. They serve, too, as a stimulus to greater fidelity and fervour in the future. On the other hand, discouragement does more harm than the fall itself. Its source and its fruits are bad. It springs from pride, for if we knew ourselves better we should be less surprised to find ourselves weak. Discouragement aggravates the evil done in the past and weakens us for the future. All this we have been told a hundred times. We believe it, we have experienced it, and yet we remain discouraged. What is there that our dear Lord could have done for us that He has not done? Fall as we fall, He could not; but the contrivances of His love bring Him marvelously near to us. In His desire to show Himself like to us in all things excepting sin, Jesus takes appearances where He may not take the reality. He suffers the effects of guilt as He could not incur its stain.
JESUS FALLS THE FIRST TIME
And how does Jesus carry His Cross? (1) He suffers great shame and ignominy. It is a criminal procession, and He is the principal culprit----condemned everywhere and by everyone as a false prophet and blasphemer. Crowds of people are awaiting Him. See how they stare at Him. Hear the jeers that reach Him from doors, windows, and roofs. Jesus traverses the same streets along which He formerly passed respected, sought after, and feared. (2) Jesus bears His Cross painfully. The way was long, uneven, and steep, too, in parts. He was worn out with the ill-usage of that day and the previous night. Think of the state of His Sacred Body from the cruel scourging. One can well imagine how dreadful this journey must have been for Him under the weight of the Cross. We are told that Jesus fell from three to seven times. In all things like as we are, without sin. Was it not for our encouragement that in spite of His efforts to reach Calvary, Jesus fell again and again?
Is there anything so disheartening on the road to Heaven as the repeated falls that follow upon our best resolutions? We know they should not cast us down as they do----and that they are not without their advantages----since they teach us to know and distrust ourselves, and excite us to humility and contrition. They serve, too, as a stimulus to greater fidelity and fervour in the future. On the other hand, discouragement does more harm than the fall itself. Its source and its fruits are bad. It springs from pride, for if we knew ourselves better we should be less surprised to find ourselves weak. Discouragement aggravates the evil done in the past and weakens us for the future. All this we have been told a hundred times. We believe it, we have experienced it, and yet we remain discouraged. What is there that our dear Lord could have done for us that He has not done? Fall as we fall, He could not; but the contrivances of His love bring Him marvelously near to us. In His desire to show Himself like to us in all things excepting sin, Jesus takes appearances where He may not take the reality. He suffers the effects of guilt as He could not incur its stain.
The Third Station:
Jesus Falls the First Time
My Jesus, it seems to me, that as God, You would have carried Your cross without faltering, but You did not. You fell beneath it's weight to show me You understand when I fall. Is it pride that makes me want to shine even in pain? You were not ashamed to fall- to admit the cross was heavy. There are those in world whom my pride will not tolerate as I expect everyone to be strong, yet I am weak. I am ashamed to admit failure in anything.
If the Father permits failure in my life just as He permitted You to fall, then I must know there is good in that failure which my mind will never comprehend. I must not concentrate on the eyes of others as they rest upon me in my falls. Rather, I must reach up to touch that invisible hand and drink in that invisible strength ever at my side.
Weak Jesus, help all men who try so hard to be good but whose nature is constantly opposed to them walking straight and tall down the narrow road of life. Raise their heads to see the glory that is to come rather than the misery of the present moment.
Your love for me gave You strength to rise from Your fall. Look upon all those whom the world considers unprofitable servants and give them the courage to be more concerned as to how they stand before You, rather than their fellowmen.
Amen
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