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| Stations of the Cross
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| The
Second Station |
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Jesus
Receives the Cross |
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V.
We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee:
(genuflect)
R.
Because by thy holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world.
THE
READING: (St. John 19:14-17)
Pilate
saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! But they cried out, Away
with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them,
Shall I crucify your King? The chief priest answered, We have no
king but Caesar. Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be
crucified. And they took Jesus and led him away. And he
bearing his cross went forth...
V.
Because I brought thee forth from the land of Egypt,
thou hast prepared a cross for thy Savior.
R.
Holy and Immortal, have mercy upon us.
Let us
pray:
O
God, who by the passion of thy blessed Son didst make an instrument of
shameful death to be unto us the means of life: Grant us to glory in the
cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake
of thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ (who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost,
ever one God, world without end). Amen.
V.
O Savior of the world, who by thy Cross and Precious Blood hast redeemed
us:
R.
Save us and help us, we humbly beseech thee, O Lord.
| Reflection:
A strong, and
therefore heavy Cross, for it is strong enough to bear Him on it
when He arrives at Calvary, is placed upon His torn shoulders. He
receives it gently and meekly, nay, with gladness of heart, for it
is to be the salvation of mankind.
True; but
recollect, that heavy Cross is the weight of our sins. As it fell
upon His neck and shoulders, it came down with a shock. Alas! what a
sudden, heavy weight have I laid upon Thee, O Jesus. And, though in
the calm and clear foresight of Thy mind--for Thou seest all
things--Thou wast fully prepared for it, yet Thy feeble frame
tottered under it when it dropped down upon Thee. Ah! how great a
misery is it that I have lifted up my hand against my God. How could
I ever fancy He would forgive me! unless He had Himself told us that
He underwent His bitter passion in order that He might forgive us. I
acknowledge, O Jesus, and anguish in the agony of my heart, that my
sins it was that struck Thee on the face, that bruised Thy sacred
arms, that tore Thy flesh with iron rods, that nailed Thee to the
Cross, and let Thee slowly die upon it. |
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