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| Stations of the Cross
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| The
Thirteenth Station |
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Jesus
is Taken Down From 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 19:33-34, 38)
When
the soldiers came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake
not his legs: but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and
forthwith came there out blood and water. After this Joseph of
Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews,
besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave
him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.
V.
I did raise thee on high with great powers, and thou
hast hanged me on the gibbet of the cross.
R.
Holy and Immortal, have mercy upon us.
Let us
pray:
Almighty
and everlasting God, who of they tender love towards mankind, hast sent
thy Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our flesh, and to
suffer death upon the cross, that all mankind should follow the example
of his great humility; Mercifully grant that we may both follow the
example of his patience, and also be made partakers of his resurrection;
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord (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:
The
multitude have gone home; Calvary is left solitary and still, except
that St. John and the holy women are there. Then come Joseph of
Arimathea and Nicodemus, and take down from the Cross the body of
Jesus, and place it in the arms of Mary.
O
Mary, at last thou hast possession of thy Son. Now, when His enemies
can do no more, they leave Him in contempt to thee. As His
unexpected friends perform their difficult work, thou lookest on
with unspeakable thoughts. Thy heart is pierced with the sword of
which Simeon spoke. O Mother most sorrowful; yet in thy sorrow there
is a still greater joy. The joy in prospect nerved thee to stand by
Him as He hung upon the Cross; much more now, without swooning,
without trembling, thou dost receive Him to thy arms and on thy lap.
Now thou art supremely happy as having Him, though He comes to thee
not as He went from thee. He went from thy home, O Mother of God, in
the strength and beauty of His manhood, and He comes back to thee
dislocated, torn to pieces, mangled, dead. Yet, O Blessed Mary, thou
art happier in this hour of woe than on the day of the marriage
feast, for then He was leaving thee, and now in the future, as a
Risen Saviour, He will be separated from thee no more. |
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