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1st
- The Agony of Jesus in the garden |
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Then cometh
Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto
the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And
he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began
to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them: "My
soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here,
and watch with me". And he went a little farther, and fell on
his face, and prayed, saying: "O my Father, if it be possible,
let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as
thou wilt". (Mat 26,36-39). And being in an agony he
prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops
of blood falling down to the ground. (Luk 22,44)
In the forsaking prayer to the
Father, Jesus found strength, trust, and an angel was sent
to comfort Him. So Jesus will be our comforting angel. It's
as He said to us: " Why do you worry in your difficulties?
Be strong in me; look to your God in your most troubled
hour, and you will be triumphant." Let us ask to forsake
ourselves to God, to always do His will.
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2nd
-The scourging of Jesus at the pillar
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When the
morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the
people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. And
when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered
him to Pontius Pilate the governor. And Jesus stood before
the governor: and the governor asked him, saying: "Art thou
the King of the Jews?" And Jesus said unto him: "Thou sayest".
And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he
answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him:" Hearest thou
not how many things they witness against thee?" And he answered
him to never a word Pilate saith unto them: "What shall I
do then with Jesus which is called Christ?" They all say unto
him: "Let him be crucified!" And the governor said:" Why,
what evil hath he done?" But they cried out the more, saying:
"Let him be crucified!" (Mat 27). And so Pilate, willing
to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered
Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. (Mar
15,15) ss
How many pains, how many torments,
and how many wounds on the body of Jesus? How much blood falls
to the ground, while His tormenters laugh, insult him, and
gather their strength to hit the innocent body of Jesus again?
Let us ask to accept every insult for the love of our Lord,
and also a true regret for our sins. |
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3rd
- The Crowning with Thorns
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Then the soldiers of the governor took
Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole
band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him
a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns,
they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand:
and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying:"
Hail, King of the Jews!" And they spit upon him, and took
the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they
had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put
his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.
(Mat 27,27-31)
Think of the indignity, outrage,
pain, and humiliation that Jesus suffered. They striped
Him of every dignity, He was treated as the guilt of our
worst sins. He seems to say to us: " Why do you despair
when you suffer? Is that the way you love me? Meditate
about my passions and find in them great riches." Let
us ask the gift of patience to accept all humiliations,
thinking of how Jesus suffered for us.
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4th
- The Carrying of the Cross
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And as they led him away, they laid
hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country,
and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it
after Jesus. And there followed him a great company of
people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented
him. But Jesus turning unto them said: "Daughters of Jerusalem,
weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your
children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which
they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs
that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck".
... And there were also two other, malefactors, led with
him to be put to death.. (Luk 23,26-32)
Even if He had suffered just
for you, Jesus would have accepted such pains, great is
His love for you. Along the road to Calvary Jesus sees
Mary, His Mother. Can we imagine the moment when Their
eyes met? Oh how Her Heart must have ached. Let us pray
to Mary for the grace to always accept our cross, so that
Her and Jesus may bear it.
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5th
- The crucifixion and death of Jesus |
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Now
there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his
mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary
Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and
the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto
his mother:" Woman, behold thy son!" Then saith he to
the disciple: "Behold thy mother!" And from that hour
that disciple took her unto his own home. ( Joh
19,25-27)
Jesus wishes to see us close
to His Mother; He wishes that, like children, we keep
our hand in the hand of Mary. That is what He wants.
He asks us to look to the heavenly Mother, that is
depend on Her. He asks that we accept Our Lady as
our true Mother, who will ignite in us a fervent love
of Her Son. Mary, we trust in You, take us and put
us in the refuge of Your Immaculate Heart, heal with
Your humility our pride, that so often takes us far
from God.
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