On Tuesday night during our Kenosis: Teen Disciples for Love and Life meeting, pairs of high school students were assigned a particular station of the cross, with the task of writing a meditation through the lens of self-gift. The first ten Stations were written by high school students, and the remaining four were written by young adult leaders.
You can read Stations I-V here, and Stations VI-X here.
Eleventh Station: Jesus is nailed to the cross.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
As I think about the nails piercing Your skin, I think about how sin pierces my life. What choices do I make that drive those nails further into Your hands and feet? You gave Yourself completely for my sake, suffering without complaint. Following Your example, help me to accept suffering and take opportunities to give of myself.
Our Father … Hail Mary … Glory Be …
Twelfth Station: Jesus dies on the cross.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
In silence You suffered for me. In anguish beyond human comprehension, Your silence spoke the deafening truth of not just acceptance of this cross, but a choice, a desire. A King who chose to humble Himself, be broken, to bear every pain and affliction, to offer every ounce of Yourself … for me. Your eyes never left me, your heart burning with a love so deep and a thirst so unquenchable for my soul … it suffered everything. In this ugliness, there is beauty, and in this suffering, there is love. Love. A love so pure and true it gave all, and continues to again and again. Oh my sweet Jesus, allow my eyes to never leave You. My Lord and my God, I deserve not the greatness of your gift, but in humility allow me to accept Your love and offer the imperfect love of my own heart in return. My beloved, I love You … and everything shall I suffer, for in the love of Christ, nothing have I to fear.
Our Father … Hail Mary … Glory Be …
Thirteenth Station: Jesus is taken down from the cross.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Lord, in the moment Your life was exhausted completely, Your body became lifeless and limp upon the cross. You poured Yourself out completely. Your body emptied in full continues to bless us. Your death only emphasizes our need for You. This moment so complete is felt throughout eternity. This gift, freely given, not taken. This gift, faithfully given, foreshadowed in the Last Supper. This gift, totally given, through humiliation to the last drop of blood. This gift, fruitfully given, is already drawing us to a fuller communion with You. Joseph has given of himself in preparing without fear a grave for You. This gift, source of all true gifts.
Lord, help me to keep Your gift of self at the center of all my actions. You became lifeless so that my life can be a full gift.
Our Father … Hail Mary … Glory Be …
Fourteenth Station: Jesus is laid in the tomb.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Oh Jesus, what a gift you gave to us. You took upon the guilt of us all. You allowed sin to destroy You, in order to conquer it. You subjected Yourself to death in order to free us from it. As You laid in the tomb, the world now experiences life without You. The world grows dark, and sadness prevails. How often do we feel that life is void of You. Lord, what is it that needs to die in us? What is it that we need to lay in the tomb? What needs to die in us?
As a seed dies in order to spring forth life for a plant, let us die to self in order that we may have life in You. We lay ourselves in the tomb next to You, knowing that in You is life.
Our Father … Hail Mary … Glory Be …
You can read Stations I-V here, and Stations VI-X here.
Eleventh Station: Jesus is nailed to the cross.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
As I think about the nails piercing Your skin, I think about how sin pierces my life. What choices do I make that drive those nails further into Your hands and feet? You gave Yourself completely for my sake, suffering without complaint. Following Your example, help me to accept suffering and take opportunities to give of myself.
Our Father … Hail Mary … Glory Be …
Twelfth Station: Jesus dies on the cross.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
In silence You suffered for me. In anguish beyond human comprehension, Your silence spoke the deafening truth of not just acceptance of this cross, but a choice, a desire. A King who chose to humble Himself, be broken, to bear every pain and affliction, to offer every ounce of Yourself … for me. Your eyes never left me, your heart burning with a love so deep and a thirst so unquenchable for my soul … it suffered everything. In this ugliness, there is beauty, and in this suffering, there is love. Love. A love so pure and true it gave all, and continues to again and again. Oh my sweet Jesus, allow my eyes to never leave You. My Lord and my God, I deserve not the greatness of your gift, but in humility allow me to accept Your love and offer the imperfect love of my own heart in return. My beloved, I love You … and everything shall I suffer, for in the love of Christ, nothing have I to fear.
Our Father … Hail Mary … Glory Be …
Thirteenth Station: Jesus is taken down from the cross.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Lord, in the moment Your life was exhausted completely, Your body became lifeless and limp upon the cross. You poured Yourself out completely. Your body emptied in full continues to bless us. Your death only emphasizes our need for You. This moment so complete is felt throughout eternity. This gift, freely given, not taken. This gift, faithfully given, foreshadowed in the Last Supper. This gift, totally given, through humiliation to the last drop of blood. This gift, fruitfully given, is already drawing us to a fuller communion with You. Joseph has given of himself in preparing without fear a grave for You. This gift, source of all true gifts.
Lord, help me to keep Your gift of self at the center of all my actions. You became lifeless so that my life can be a full gift.
Our Father … Hail Mary … Glory Be …
Fourteenth Station: Jesus is laid in the tomb.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Oh Jesus, what a gift you gave to us. You took upon the guilt of us all. You allowed sin to destroy You, in order to conquer it. You subjected Yourself to death in order to free us from it. As You laid in the tomb, the world now experiences life without You. The world grows dark, and sadness prevails. How often do we feel that life is void of You. Lord, what is it that needs to die in us? What is it that we need to lay in the tomb? What needs to die in us?
As a seed dies in order to spring forth life for a plant, let us die to self in order that we may have life in You. We lay ourselves in the tomb next to You, knowing that in You is life.
Our Father … Hail Mary … Glory Be …
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