As we reflect on the Stations of the Cross, let us come together as family—to walk with our brother, our Lord, to Calvary—to walk with Him and know His pain, to share in His love and Resurrection. Let us walk now in grace and in peace. Amen.
Meditate on the place and time of our Lord being presented to Pilate in disarray and displeasure. Imagine Pilate's sense of hate from the crowd that surrounded and hemmed him in. Imagine the love in the heart of God for His children, who were about to put Him to death. To undergo the agony and anguish of the Cross and all that led up to it, reflect on the heart of the Divine in man. In his meanness and smallness, he did not recognize the heart of his God in himself. That is why you child, must always open your heart in faith and love, that the abundance of God's love may reign in your heart and His mercy and love for all may be poured out in abundance on all around you—through your openness of heart.
Those around Jesus on that day had their hearts hardened in hate. In joyless union with their God, they came to realize the hatred within themselves. They knew the hate poured out on this man, this God of theirs in disguise, would never release the love needed to save them in His love. They knew, child, the hatred would betray them in the end, as hatred always does. But evilness depends on the desire of the heart of man to do evil and set aside the good. To do evil, one must desire in his heart to do so. To do the good that is in man to do, one must open himself to God, and his liberties of life's goodness in Him, His love.
Do not despair that man can no longer do good in the sight of His God to the extent that goodness will reign. Be rather amazed at the power and love of a God who denounces an evil age, and pours out upon it salvation and love from His Heart. He, child, chose this route, this plan, this salvation of love. As He stood before Pilate, joy poured out from Him to His Father for allowing Him to redeem mankind this way. The love He had for those around Him, would not be understood by men without faith—an evil age. Do not, child, look now to the joy and peace in His heart. Look now to the agony of the walk placed before Him. Look now to the hatred poured out on your God, your Beloved. Look now to the incensed nature of His human heart, His despair in knowing the truth that redemption required His life—painful, agonizing hatred and death lay before Him. He did not despair for love of God. His despair lay in the human heart of God now pierced with the hatred and sin of all mankind. His despair came in knowing His death lay before Him. His agonizing, traumatic death walk now laid ahead. He could abandon this way and redeem mankind not in love, but in kind, as they had paid to Him.
He, child, chose in his Divine love and in His human heart, to be love for all, to abandon hate for all time and for the sake of love. He would give His life, His human life, for love of His beloved, for the life of the world, for the redemption of the little ones in faith and in not.
Blessed be God, my child, for in knowing all, He knew how His human heart would suffer in kind. He knew His human heart would be abandoned and destroyed in the spirit of hate and sin that delivered Him over to the evil‑doing that awaited Him. He devised a way so perfect as to appease the Father, and take sin upon Himself in death for all.
He knew child, even your sins. He took upon Himself the evil to come in your heart. But you know child, the graces He affords you were given that very day, in love. He gives and metes out from the power of His destruction and resurrection, the graces for all mankind to come to Him. He has overcome sin and death. He has given life through His death, and in His death, new life!
I love you child and wish you to know the treasure of the Cross—the love of which is the essence of your life now. You will embrace the Cross in new ways with the graces earned that day on Calvary. From heaven above comes your salvation. From a God of love, you are redeemed. You will know deeply the power of the Cross and the Resurrection. You will know life. Do not despise the Cross. Do not give back the crosses given you—for each cross is a gift—whether from good or evil—for all crosses work together as love.
Now, child, place yourself with Him at the base of the Cross made for Him. In unworthiness we come before Him to this place, this time of love for all mankind. But He makes us worthy through His love for us. Know this.
We are here with Him and it is now, not then. Know this is the way to walk the Stations with Him. Do not put in the past that which is now—now, child. Place yourself there. See His face. See mine in mourning, for I am devastated by the impending loss of my Son, but ministered to by the angels in heaven awaiting the final blow to Creation's gift of love in Him—His sacrifice, His sacrificial love. I was not alone, yet very alone, for I walked as none before me. I walked as one of many—lost in the crowd as it hemmed Him in.
Do not now, child, see the joy of Creation's gift of salvation. It was hidden then. Keep it hidden in your heart and reflect only on the Resurrection when we come to the end of our walk. Another time you may walk with the joy and love of knowing redemption is at hand. For today, let us see the pain of the Cross, the humiliation, the degrading act done upon my Son in the light of the evilness of the world. Look child, to the hatred, the scorn, the damnation the world would place on my Son. See the hate—in the eyes, in the hearts, of the beloved of the Lord. See His pain in knowing the hatred would kill, maim, undo the love given and make it one with the prince of darkness. Know this was a triumph in the hearts of those who would destroy. Destroy death? No, death remains, but only for those who wish its glory. For our walk is to life—but now, the Cross.
See the Cross handed to my Son in hatred. See it placed on His shoulders with violence and force. See the soldiers beating my Son and spitting—spitting at His wounds, and gouging deeper into the pains already inflicted on your Lord. See the beatings continue—to mock and chastise Him. See the Crown of Thorns placed on His Head to ridicule. See the thorns pierce His scalp. See the pain inflicted on your Lord. See the pain and sorrow in His eyes, in His heart. See now the presence of evil all around.
None stand with Him but a few. They are afraid. They are all afraid—for the consolation of the Lord is no longer there. His love is not felt, for it is taken away as a trial. His love will be felt by none but a few: the women, His mother, Simon. A few child, only a few—for in this also was the hurt of the Lord deepened to the point of despair. For He was human in this walk—though Divine. He was not allowed to feel love, but a touch. He was granted this grace that His human heart would not despair to the point of death. Child, it was necessary for our Lord to be treated thus. It was necessary for Him to endure pain, loss, hatred, abomination—as you will. But now, child, we focus on His walk, with us there at His side, not as lovers, but as companions in the Cross. You child, will know deeply the Cross and this walk to Calvary. You will know my heart as well as your own. You will know His.
Know, child, now as He takes up the Cross, He takes it again for you—for all. He would again live this agony and despair—to save just one. Know the pain He had to endure under the whip of the soldiers standing so close to Him it was hard to breathe clean air around Him. The soldiers would allow Him no break, no respite from the evil done Him. The soldiers, at this point, were one with evil. Evil reigned in their hearts, as it does in many today.
See the Cross, the weight, the splinters piercing his hands, the Cross striking the Crown still placed on His head—driving deeper in those thorns that pierced. The thorns, child, pierced his head, pierced his brow, pierced His Heart! The thorns child, one is for you. The thorns, child. Renew now your vows of love for Him. Caress in your heart all His wounds.
Now child, we walk again. Lift up the Cross now and feel its weight. Its weight child, heavy by the sins of the world. Heavy by its weight. Its weight child, feel it on your shoulder. Feel it pierce your skin, that each movement, each step, rubs raw the place that it lays on your shoulder. As you fall later with Him, you will truly know pain in a deeper way, unlike that which you have experienced before. For the Cross now is the key of salvation, the breastplate of justice, the announcement of eternal life—but none, less me, know this is so.
I cry now. I pray. For I know not how my Son can endure that which He now must endure. My heart, child, is pierced with pain. My heart now, child, is run through. You are there with me, waiting as the crowd prevents my movement toward my Son. You will not know my pain until you place your heart, your soul, with mine. Know child, as we walk further, you will feel my pain.
As we continue our walk to Calvary, come now in a new way. Lay down your fears and worries. Carry now that which my Son carries—His Cross—His love for mankind—His Salvation. Let not your mind be clouded by your reality now. See His. See mine. Be there. Be with me. Be with Him.
As the Cross bore down more burdensomely than you can imagine, my Son united His Heart, His human heart, to God. He was as one, human—yet divine, but did not take upon Himself the divine nature through this walk. His uniting of His heart and mind to God, His Heavenly Father, was one of a human soul reaching out to its God—as you should—as you will.
Reach out now, in anguish and in pain, to your God. Reach out now to His Heart. Rest in the knowledge that this God of yours, this loving Father and Son, are one with the Spirit of Life and Truth and Love—God's Spirit. But now, place yourself as a child at His feet as he walks. He walks now to Calvary, in pain, in anguish—wounded by the sins of the world, wounded by His brothers, His beloved. He knows now the pain of loss. The pain of devotion keeps Him on this path to His Father, to His destruction—to life, eternal life for all.
Child, imagine yourself with your Lord, walking with Him as He is beaten, and trod down, as He is mocked and humiliated. As He does all for His beloved—His beloved betray Him—betray Him! Imagine His Heart. Make it yours now. Make it yours. Feel the pain of hatred from one you love. Feel the nature that desires to be done with this, and give it back to God, to be put into place by the Divine Heart. He chose to let His Divine Heart be one with God and apart from His human heart through this walk. But He was granted the grace of the Divine Heart knowing the depths of the hearts and minds of those around Him—their sins, their hatred, their anger, their loss. They, child, chose to humiliate your Lord in the most demeaning of ways. What could be done to hurt and maim, was done. Rage was poured upon your Lord as drops of rain would fall to earth—as sands of the sea would rush to shore in the waves.
Child, child, imagine now that you fall under the weight of the Cross, under the sins of the world. You are abandoned, afraid, alone, maligned, hated, destroyed in spirit, devastated to the point of despair by those you love. Do you know, child, the fall? Feel it now—the pains shoot through your limbs, your face in the dust, the blood caked to your body now flows freely again—into your eyes—into your heart. Your wounds are ripped open. You are beaten once again with the whip. Beaten again and again, to the point of death. But you go on, your beloved are at risk, and you love them. You love them in their hatred. You anguish over your beloved. The spiritual anguish child, is greater than any other. Your Lord felt this, and He went on. Helped only by those who desired to see him die cruelly on the Cross. Enveloped by fear, anger, hatred, your Lord was pressed in, kept from despair only by knowing the truth of the Resurrection. You will know, child, the first fall. Imagine the depths of His heart and place yourself there.
Be with me now as we pray and again walk to Calvary with my Son. Walk with me now. Hold my hand. Feel my pain. Feel the anger and hurt that was so hard to repress, for such a loving God gave me the privilege of being mother and love to Him. I did not know to the extent I would endure pain for Him, from His love. A gift, child, a gift of great price, being allowed to suffer and die for your Lord in His grace—a great privilege afforded to you. I love you. Walk with me now, see as I see, feel as I feel, love as I love, hurt as I did—that day and now—for now is when we walk. Place it now in your thoughts and actions. Be there now. It is today. Now. Be there.
With me, see His love. With me, see His pain. He is here with us. It is now to Him child, always—for in this does eternity exist. Oh child, dear child, see my heart melt as my Son approaches. I have so much love for Him as His mother—so much love for Him as God. Be now my companion. See His face. It is stained with tears, with blood. It is draped in agony. It is lifted only by my heart touching His—my love reaching out to His love—my mind and spirit becoming one with His. He looks and sees my pain. My anguish for Him is beyond compare, but my love for His children, His beloved, is there. He has given me the grace to see redemption at hand—the gift of love in His Heart. He sees my heart. His eyes penetrate my soul to know its love for Him. He is my Son—sent to die in anguish on the Cross. He walks amid hatred and fear—slime, disdain poured out upon His person. His satyrs are few. His love is great. For only such a great love could sustain Him. He cries out in anguish and grief; He holds my hand. But for a brief moment we touch. “Hold me my Son!” But no, it is not to be—no consolation of heart for a mother burdened with grief. No love penetrates the heart that was pierced with a sword. Only His pain now do I feel—only His love rejected and trod down do I know. Only Love that heals can heal the wounds of the betrayers of the Heart.
Your heart, child, now place it with mine, as we place ours with His. He is here for us—for a moment—for eternity—but we do not see the future as thus just yet. We see the pain, we see the torn flesh. We tolerate all, knowing only that this is His wish and ordained by God above. Understanding? There is none. Hatred? It abounds all around. It is the evil that carries the crowd. It is the knowledge that their sinfulness before God is wiped away as they smite the One who condemns their crimes before God. They see only accusation before God. Admission of fault and sinfulness is not found—for they will destroy the accuser! Then will they be right before God. In their eyes, they see their guilt washed clean by expelling from their presence the One who condemns their actions before God. The good they do not see. They do not see redemption at hand. They do not realize that which they do in anger and hatred is that which is done in love, by Love. They do not see! Their eyes are blind. Their hearts are hardened and glossed over by any who would question the crime they are about to commit. Imagine your Lord so full of love, now pressed down by hate. The sores have been opened by each step. The thorns now deeper as He walks. He is beaten still—pushed on by the mob who would kill and maim. Evil. Evil exists in the hearts of men. It is masking the love given by the Creator. It is blinding those who would know. It is inciting others to confess their sins, confess their faithfulness to God—but only a few—and they are hidden. No one walks with my Son as His ally. They are frightened. As I meet my Son—we are one—for a moment. I love Him so. Know now my hurt as He continues on and I am left there in tears to God praying for His perseverance—the grace to now do what He has come to do. My tears child—they are yours. Feel them in your heart. Know they last forever—until my children are home safely. Then can we rejoice.
Now imagine yourself a spectator in the crowd, one curious, but not a part of the mob. This was Simon. Simon was there merely by chance, not by choice in his own mind. He was there for the Lord, knowing not his place in history, knowing not the Love he had encountered. The soldiers grabbed him as he was convenient to them at the time. Jesus fell before the crowd and could no longer walk unaided with the Cross. The Cross—its weight, too much now for your Lord to bear in His human heart, His human nature. The soldiers were not to be denied the cruel death of the Cross for my Son—the spectacle they all had come to behold. The soldiers would not allow death to come too soon. Death, child, that which would bring life, was now so close—so close the soldiers felt it was too close. Simon was there, he could help. Threatened with death, Simon complied—not knowing why—not knowing the Lord. Why, child? Why could men turn to such evilness in their hearts? Their hearts were made for God—yet they knew not their God placed before them.
Child, child, imagine now the pain your Lord was in. The wounds deepened with each step. Each step was agony, misery, blasphemy. Each step was torment to your Lord—to my heart, child. I was there as He walked by. I saw Simon from a distance—confused, not knowing whether he now would meet death also. Death child, a death to be feared at the hands of the Romans. Death now to be feared from the crowd. Death lingered in the air. The crowd cheered on the death. The crowd cheered on the pain, the torment, the horror.
Simon complied and took up the Cross. Rested now on his shoulder, Simon could see the pain in His eyes—the eyes of your Lord—the eyes of His heart. The pain, child. Imagine the pain your Lord endured that brought Him thus far to the point of death. Seeing Him this way once again pierced my heart. But the crowd pushed on. No one 'cept the soldiers kept pace, preventing others from interfering, preventing help.
Your Lord now laid bare in His pain, bare in His mercy—yet mercy flowed from His heart, His love. But He was human now, child. His human heart, His human soul, His body suffered in great torment knowing the evil in the hearts of those surrounding Him. He, child, could almost bear no more, yet God in His mercy for mankind, gave the grace to His Son to endure—endure pain, torment, humiliation, torture in the extreme sense of the word. “Have you ever seen any suffering like my suffering?”
He, child, gave the grace to Simon to repent, to be baptized, to love in the end, with all his heart. His heart melted on the way to Calvary. Anger gave way to sorrow, for the man beside him now. Softened now in his heart by God's grace, he saw the Creator and love of his life beside him. Child, as he walked to Calvary with your Lord, his heart became one with the Lord and the grace to carry on was given him.
He remarked to those around of His love, the love flowing from the Lord, but he knew not words to say, and none would listen. He went away sad, knowing his heart was touched, but not knowing why or how. He gave to the Lord, his life, for sins, for repentance, for the evil done Him, and for Love.
He is blessed now, child, in eternity. You may pray to his love, to intercede for you as you carry your cross—for your cross is given as his. You, child, too, will know the joy of carrying the Cross for another, for your Beloved. Know Simon is here for you to call on in your walk, your pilgrimage, your love for the Lord. Be at peace in knowing the Cross for you is joy for all. Pray that you will likewise carry your cross in love.
Together as we walk again we see the holy woman reach out to your Lord in pity, in anguish. She sees her Lord cruelly tortured, pressed down, hemmed in by the crowd, crushed by the sins of many. Child, do not see now the anguish in her eyes, see the love in her heart for one so afflicted, so burdened, so hurt by hatred and scorn, so murdered in spirit. Oh, child, see now her heart, her heart. She knows not what to do for her Lord. She is scared—afraid to move for fear of the crowd, but her love overcomes her fear. She reaches out and touches her Lord with love. Giving Him the towel, the veil, she gives her heart to Him who loves her so much. In return for her generosity of spirit, He gives her a heart so fair, so pure, as to be exquisitely beautiful before her Lord.
See now the scene. Your Lord comes walking, barely able to move, Simon now carrying the Cross. Slowly He approaches, the crowd ridiculing and spitting, hurling insult upon insult, as He walks along—demanding His blood at each step—demanding His life. Demanding, child, this group no longer saw what they were doing as wrong. Before them all that existed was hatred for this man who would put Himself above them, as God's Chosen.
Jealousy, anger, hatred, abuse. Loneliness now plagued your Lord. Loneliness, for He walked alone. Imagine the joy He had in His Heart for one filled with such pity and love to reach out to help. To hurt was all the crowd had in store for Him. Here was a child of God who overcame the sins of the flesh to reach out in love—as you should—always. As she reached out to Him she knew the heart of her Beloved in a new way. He touched her soul to be made ever one with Him. This gesture of love on her part is an example for all eternity—an example of love, an example to reach out to the needy, an example to follow always in your heart. She now also as Simon is one with God forever singing praises to Him and interceding for the needs of the world. She is there for you. Remember each time as you come to this holy station to ask for her intercession, her love. She is there for you too. Know this.
Now we walk closer and closer to Calvary. Meditate on the mystery of the Cross in your heart. Do not meditate as the world meditates, seeing only the images. Feel now with your heart—in this you are one with Him as you walk. As you reflect on each station reflect on His heart, His love. As you reflect on each station become one in heart with Him, one with me—for we are here always to show you the way. You will know His love. You will know His peace. You will know His joy—always.
I love you and wish you to know the desire of the Cross, to draw the hearts of all into the Heart of the Lord. The Cross—the Cross is the way. See now the second fall. See now the glory, the purification, the love—hidden. See now only the hatred, anger, blasphemy done upon your Lord. See the rage of those around Him trying to justify the actions that are about to ensue, and those of the soldiers and the crowd to this point. The point of redemption—near at hand. The point of sorrow now reached in depths of despair beyond hope—yet hope exists—for hope is never extinguished in the Heart of the Lord. The flicker of hope, the meaning of life—all lie in the Heart of the Lord, the Savior, Redeemer, Messiah.
I love you, child, and wish you to know the truth of the Cross, the reality of the Cross, the love of the Cross. Embrace it—always—embrace it in your heart. Embrace it in your mind. Embrace it in your soul—always. Yes.
Do this for me now: Imagine yourself as the Lord, being beaten, humiliated, scorned—retribution upon retribution being poured out upon your being. How do you feel? Feel now His love for you as we take this walk. Feel now His love for all as He is humiliated and scorned. Feel now His love. Feel now His fall. Again being beaten to the point of death, the Lord again falls under the weight of the Cross, the sins of the world. The Lord is redeemed only in heart by the knowledge His human heart is redemption for the world. Feel His mercy poured out on all. But now, child, live the Cross, the second fall, the humiliation, blasphemy, pain, anguish, heartache upon heartache, pierced by the sins, pierced by the Crown, pierced in heart—pierced through and through to the point of death. You fall—with Him. You see again His face in the dust, gravel gouging deeper the wounds inflicted previously on your Lord. Deeper and deeper—the pain is unbearable now—the pain blinds you. You see nothing but anguish and pain—no respite in sight—no one to help carry the burden. No one. You are alone—as your Lord. You are redeemed only in the end of this journey. You know not whether you can continue to the point of redemption. You feel only pain in your heart—wounded in spirit to the point of death of mankind.
In His heart child, the strength to carry on came only from the knowledge, "Thy Will Be Done." You are renewed briefly in spirit, enough to get up with help. Simon helps you and is flogged. Simon helps you in prayer. Your mother again is there in the distance—you remember her touch, her love. You get up—only in great agony, only in the despair given by the devil. You do not know how you can make it further. One more step and you may collapse again. None is there to help. You are there in spirit only. Feel as He feels, the pain of knowing it is His children, His beloved, who inflict on Him such pain and disgrace. Knowing these children are for whom He is to die. He would again for one—even one. Know this—always
Now as we come once again to our Lord on the road to Calvary, we come as the holy women, as their companions in grief, as their accompaniment to life. Know this.
As you come to them see their faces streaming with tears, weeping uncontrollably over the sight they are beholding in grief. Grief, child, to the point of despair, death. New life awaits, but they know it not. New life awaits, but they believe in the old, know only the old. Our Lord teaches them on the way to Calvary—teaches them of what they will experience in the flesh, what they will experience in the world around them—if they do not turn their hearts and their children's hearts to God—by being examples of love, as He is an example to follow of love. To the extremes of which exhaustion overwhelmed Him, He was tortured in Spirit by knowing the crowd around Him would sin, remain in sin, and die in sin. But this would not be if He could carry His Cross all the way—if He could give to His Father in heaven this sacrifice of love for His future—the salvation of the children around Him—the salvation of all. He kept on, spurred on by thoughts of redemption, though ready to collapse in the spiritual soul manifested in the flesh of God. Knowing now only to Himself the great offering He was making—He tried desperately to make others see through His example, the love—the sacrifice of love—the sacrifice that Love makes for all. Be this.
As the holy women approached your Lord, He was unable to lift His head enough to behold the love they had in their eyes—but in their hearts, the love of the Lord reigned as He placed in them a new heart. They did not know the depths to which they were touched at that moment.
The child there, the child of the woman closest now, reached out to Him, your Lord, in love. He is touched now also in his spiritual soul by the One Who Loves and is loved. Left by the impression of Love, is Love itself. Impressed on the hearts and souls of those around who have come to weep, to love this man in pain, was love so intense as to convert the hearts of the beloved in truth. They, child, knew the heart of the Lord in a new way—not in understanding—but in their spiritual soul. The pain they had seen, the desire to kill in those around them, the hatred, anger and rage was pushed aside that He might live—but it was not to be as they desired, but as God.
Imagine now the pain of your Lord. Imagine now His hurt. Touched by the women He is renewed in grace to carry on. Touched by the love of the child He gives love. Love. Love all, love one—always.
Together now we walk again the Stations of the Cross. Imagine yourself now at the third fall of Jesus—beaten, downtrodden, harassed in spirit—complicated by the fact that He is now one with God and man—yet not. Due to choice He begins a most horrible time in His life of love. Love fades and withers as He falls. He has not the strength to move a muscle. He is again beaten, whipped to the point of despair, afraid if He moves He will be flogged again. Understanding that if He doesn't, the flogging He will receive will be as nothing compared to the loss of grace and salvation He affords mankind. He must go on. But how? He is anointed again in the Holy Spirit to go on. He is given the grace.
Imagine the scene: You are there with the Lord, but can't reach Him. You see only despair and longing in the eyes of your Beloved. You see the Crown—now pressed down even deeper in His scalp due to the flogging. Blood flows freely in His eyes. His Heart is ever pierced deeper and deeper by the sins of the world, by the sins of those around Him, by the hate—pierced through and through to the point of destruction. He is laden with the burdens of the world. You cannot help. You can only pray to God that He will lighten the burden and help your Beloved. You see Him fall. No, God! No! Please help! Oh, God, have mercy on my Beloved! Have mercy! You cry and fall to your knees in despair—but you are not noticed, for the crowds eyes are fixed on your Beloved in pain—now inflicting more pain on Him, more insult, more humiliation. You are hurt in spirit to the point of death. You are one, but for a brief moment. You are His mother—affording Him the only consolation of the heart that God will allow. It is the grace to continue on—only that and no more—for as He suffers, He earns the grace for mankind's redemption. He is pleasing to the Father, for He has followed in obedience, each step.
“Oh, Jesus, my Beloved Son, I love You!”—but He does not hear. He is helped to His feet only after flogging Him again, only after spitting upon His person in blasphemy, only after pressing down the thorns in the Crown once again, only after humiliating Him—all to the point of death. He is seen as one beaten and afflicted, but no one offers help. “Oh, Jesus, my Son, I am here!”—but He does not hear me now. The crowd jeers. It is loud in its condemnation and demand for His death. They know now the Cross is near. He will make it, for them to give Him the ultimate insult, disgrace, and humiliation. They are beyond reproach. All this is done upon your Lord, and more.
If you were to know all that happened to your Lord that day, you could not bear it. The day will come, when you will know, you will live it. In disgrace and mortification you will see His pain, feel His pain, live His pain. You will do all of this for the love of your Lord.
Be with me now again as we approach the place where they stripped my Son of His garments; His pride—all is now gone. He is stripped in spirit, humiliated, pressed down and made low. In the eyes of man, He is nothing. In the eyes of God, He is love. Love, for all. He is love, exudes love, blesses all in love. But now, He is humiliated to the core of His being—blasphemed and hated, scorned by all around. This stripping, stripped Him of all—as you should strip yourself of all sins of the flesh, attachments to the world, loves that are not of the Lord.
As you now pray to God Above, see in your heart the love of God before you—stripped completely in His humanity—love for all in His divinity—yet this is masked by His Father now. As you approach Him as His mother, you reflect on all the love He has given you—all the gifts of grace in His Heart. But you are not allowed close to Him. He stands out as a spectacle before men—that more may humiliate, blaspheme, and inflict deeper wounds upon His being. His clothes now—removed by soldiers to cause the utmost in pain. None is to be spared the spectacle of torture about to ensue. All jeer. The crowd now is one, demanding death, demanding His life in retribution for the pain caused them. They will not be denied even one torture—the more pain inflicted on my Son, the better. He can barely stand. About to collapse now, they beat Him again. As He stands before the crowd, His forgiving heart sees those of His beloved steeped in hate, anger, and rage. They will not be denied! The soldiers carry out the tortures to please the crowd. Had they been able to flog my Son again without killing Him, they would have done so.
Redeemed now in the grace of the Spirit to carry on, He approaches the Cross now laid down before Him. The soldiers cast lots for His clothes. Whose shall they be? The soldiers now take their eyes off their Lord for their selfish motives. His clothes are divided. He now has fulfilled scriptures to this point. Can He go on? Death and life await. Can He persevere to death? Can He bring about new life with His love? He must, He will. Renewed briefly in grace, He is taken to the Cross to abandon Himself to the will of God.
I love you. Know now the pains inflicted on your Lord this day. Know He would endure each pain, each torture, each humiliation again—for you. He loves you child, as all His children He loves. But each one is individual and unique—and He loves each one as He has made them—individual and unique. Know my heart and the Heart of the Redeemer this day—in love.
Look now child to the Cross laid out on the ground before you. You see the pain inflicted upon you to this point, and know the torture of dying on the Cross cruelly, will now surpass any pain and torture you have endured to this point—because each pain inflicted upon you to this point, each torment, each torture, will now be multiplied in its feeling, in its pain, in its torment. Tortured now to the point of death, your Lord is laid upon the Cross. He moves not a muscle. He will not escape. The soldiers need not worry—for this is the will of God brought to fruition in His life, His death, His Resurrection.
As He is laid on the Cross forcibly, His wounds again are ripped open. Bleeding from all wounds now, He is bleeding from His heart in grief—the grief of knowing His beloved can continue the tortures inflicted upon Him. He will forgive. They are His beloved!
He looks now to the nail, pressed first to His face to increase His torment. Ridicule and jeering from the crowd abound. They see the nail. They yell and shout all the louder, “Crucify Him!” “See the nails to pierce your feet!” “Get away now if you can!” “Where is your God?”
My Son now is cruelly nailed to the Cross. My Human Son is now redeemed only in the end, for God's graces and mercies are no longer felt. He is abandoned in spirit, as you will be. Abandoned, hurt, cruelly tortured now—He waits. The nail pierces His flesh! “Oh God, my God, where are you?” The hammer strikes again and again—deeper and deeper. The nail is so large. Impaled now, His hand bleeds as His Heart bleeds forth its grief. They pull now His other hand to the place they have made on the Cross for it. Held now with chains, so that He will not move, the hammer again strikes the nail and it pierces the flesh—pierces the Heart of the Lord in grief. “My God, my God, where are you?”
“Oh, Jesus my Son, I am here!” He hears me not. The crowd prevents any approach. The guards keep back the crowd. The nail is now driven deeper and deeper in the flesh. He is fixed now on the Cross in great agony—for He cannot move and His pains are great. All His wounds now make Him suffer over and over again. Each wound is as fire burning the flesh. Searing pain now engulfs His body. He awaits the other nail now—to pierce His feet, pierce his Heart, in grief. In grief, child, for none know His love for them but a few—His mother, those He has carried in grace. An abundance of love has been poured out—but now all is hidden; in grief, in uncertainty of the flesh, in love of the heart only—not the mind.
Now child, imagine yourself transfixed on the Cross after you have been cruelly nailed and tortured, beaten again and again, stopped only through the pity of one soldier knowing the cruelty He was yet to endure.
The Cross is raised. You are destroyed in heart and spirit to the point of death as your Cross drops in its place in the ground made for God's Love. You, now, will know the cruelty of the Cross, the humiliation, the abomination, the extreme torture. You will feel His wounds. Live His pain. You are there.
Now as we walk the Stations together we come to the point of death and new life. Your Lord is crucified cruelly—inhumanely crucified. Oh child, if you knew my pain, my anguish, my heartache, my tears. If you knew, child, the love lost. Oh dearest little one, come now and walk it with me. See the pain, the anguish of the Lord. See my heart nailed upon the Cross with His. Child, if you only knew. His heart will be your heart and yours His as you are made one in His love.
See the crowd now pressing in to see the spectacle. See now the crowd continuing to ridicule and chide the Almighty. See now the pain of your Lord manifested in the flesh of all mankind on the Cross. All sin, all placed on your Lord. See the pain. Know it is His, and yours. You will know.
See now the pain of His mother beneath the Cross of her Beloved Son and Lord.
See the anguish my heart bears for all He has been through.
See the pain. See it pierce my heart, my soul.
See my pain. Feel it in your heart.
My eyes run with tears—one is for you now child. My heart all aflame with the desire for the end to come quickly—but no—not as I will it, but as God ordains. I must stand firm and steadfast in what He has told me. I must live for Him now the pain and anguish. I must take upon my heart all He has willed, and I must pray. But a mother's heart, oh a mother's heart is pierced deeply—unlike any other—for a mother's pain for her child is unlike any other. A mother's pain is manifested in her heart. My heart, close to breaking, as I see my Son reach out to me in peace.
“My mother, behold your son.” And I have been given a new life in John. “Behold your mother,” He says to John. Oh my Son, I can take no more, but as you have given new life through John, I give back my love through him. I will pray always. I will give my heart always. As You will and command it, I am here. But not a word is spoken outside my heart.
“I thirst.” Oh Son, that I could be there to quench Your thirst—but no, you thirst for mankind—for the souls of all to come to You. You hunger for the lives of all men. You thirst for the lives of Your children.
Do you see now the anguish, the pain, the heartache, the love—the intense love I have for my Son?
All is ended now as He cries out to his Father in heaven, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” Oh God, my God, why have you forsaken Me? A few try to quench His thirst, ease His pain, but they do not understand the depth of His longing. They do not see the spiritual reaching out to God—only the physical. This you must do now—reach out in the spirit always to your God. Hunger for Him in new ways—but not ways of the flesh.
I am abandoned as He abandons Himself to the will of the Father. I am alone in spirit, but new life awaits. I have a new son given in love—as was the first. But all is now represented in John—all mankind—all love. Amen
As they remove my Son from the Cross child, be there with me. Know my pain. Know my peace. I am here child, to show you the way to His Heart. Reflect now on your Lord being removed from the Cross after being so cruelly crucified by His beloved children. All, child, were touched by this scene—good and evil alike. All who stood there after death came to my Son, remained briefly as my Son was laid in my arms. In grief child, I received Him. John laid His head on my heart.
“My beloved Son, oh how I love you.” There are no words now, only grief, only mourning over one lost who was only Love. Love, now lay in my hands, my arms, at my breast. As a baby, He laid there. Now once again, I hold Him in love, yet grief. Not the grief of eternal despair—no—grief for the loss of my beloved Son—His love to the world, now quiet. No one knows. None understand but me, and I, only to the extent my Son allowed and foretold. I understood but a bit. Compared to His Heart, my understanding was so small. But I love child, all. Knowing what they have done to my Son, my God, I love yet. Yet none come to comfort me but a few—Simon Peter, John my beloved new son, Joseph of Arimathea, and his wife. A few, child. A soldier remains—He who pierced the side of my Son with a sword. As the blood and water poured forth, his heart was purified in love. He knew then, his God. Too late to know Him in the flesh, but now as new life awaits, he will be born into new life—yet now he grieves with me.
My face stained with tears, my heart broken and torn in grief, my love poured out for my Son. But now, child, I must be strong—strong to carry on the new way my Son has made—but no understanding is made known yet to the heart. The Heart of the Beloved of mankind, is dead now to the world—dead in spirit, dead in truth, dead in love. Death. Death brings forth new life; yet none understand but I, and I am in grief of heart beyond compare. Look what they have done to my Son. His wounds disfigure His face. His body, His wounds emit forth a perfume of love. His wounds penetrate my heart—each one I see—a new wound for me—a new wound opening up more grief upon grief.
But now I must go. It is time. But please, let me hold Him once more, remembering all the love He has given me. Do not take Him away yet.
[Men speaking] “He must be prepared, for the time is near. We must go. He must be laid to rest.”
No comfort for a mother so afflicted. No love. No tenderness. No joy. Just emptiness of spirit.
As we walk this path to new life, let us pause to reflect on the last Station—Jesus is laid in the sepulcher. He, child, is laid at my breast first then taken by the men to be buried in the tomb made for Him unknowingly by His disciple Joseph of Arimathea. You may pray also to his intercession, child. He is here for you always to call on, in peace. Know this.
Now reflect on the scene: The men, knowing darkness will fall soon—know they must take the body for burial. But first, the mother.
How can we take her beloved Son from her? In such grief she reposes with Him—in such heartache. She knows now the true meaning of sacrifice—sacrificial offering—it is her Son, her God.
As she reflects this day, she sees the hearts of all the children laid out before her. She knows, ahead lies the salvation of all mankind—but she does not know how it will be carried out. She does not see in her grief, the plan of salvation, beyond her love for her Son. She does not understand completely—but she gives her heart over to her Lord, and asks now for peace of soul for her Son. “Rest in peace, my Beloved. I will understand when you lead me to an understanding. I will know, when you wish me to know.” All is fulfilled now in His death.
To His resurrection we look now, not understanding its implications or how it will be carried out. I trust. I have to trust—for He has said He will come back for me. I love Him so, but will miss the precious moments spent with Him. I will miss Him in my heart until He comes again and releases all from the bondage of sin and death. Now child, we wait. We wait in anguish and pain. We wait. I love you.
Now see the men take my Son. As they wrap Him and lay Him in the tomb, I again say good bye—knowing this is not ended—yet is; knowing there is new life—but not how; knowing my heart is stabbed with a knife—pierced through with pain; knowing I will miss His love, His touch—but somehow knowing, it is not gone.
Come now and reflect on the Resurrection of your Lord. The Resurrection, child. The knowledge of good and evil coming together and departing—one ascending to the Father—one not. As justice is meted out to the world in love, the Savior reigns, the Lord is King, Salvation at hand, won for all.
Know this truth. All are invited in God's love to His table, His banquet in heaven. All are invited. All have come to know Him—through love, through penance, through severe trial and testing, through love and understanding of the Gospel, through humiliation, through grandeur around them created by God's hands, through the little things in God's nature, through all. All will know their God—yet not the same in understanding—not the same.
Now know this—the love of the Resurrection—the peace, the joy, the love. All are lived out in His rising, His coming to new life. All is accomplished in His rising from the dead.
Imagine, all the apostles gathering in fear. Imagine the women returning from the tomb in haste. “He is not here. He has been raised!” Imagine the fear, the unknowing, the doubt. Three days. He said three days! Three days are now up.
“We must see for ourselves this place He was laid!” “He is not here—He has been raised!” In wonderment, the apostles return to the others. You know the story. You know its truth. Now live beyond. Live beyond this into the future and what God wants deeply and desires for all—Salvation through His death and resurrection. All will be saved if they say yes to His Heart. His Heart, His forgiving, loving Heart is here. To condemn? No! To love. Yes! To love. The dying and the rising of the Lord are but symbols of His love, yet the reality of the Heart of the Lord.
All, give all of your heart. Reflect on the love of the Resurrection. Reflect on new life for all. Reflect on the morass of pain and fear He has destroyed with His life. All will come now reflecting on God's love in His grace if they choose to walk with Him. All will come to Him if they choose the grace of Love's loss and gift of new life. Come now. Reflect with me. Be mine always. Together we will walk. Amen.
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