Stations of the Cross meditations, Part III

Our Kenosis teens prepared these Stations of the Cross meditations during this Holy Week. We hope and pray that they present you an opportunity for fruitful reflection during this Triduum.

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.

The nails pierced the median nerves. Pain shoots not just through Christ’s hands and arms but through His entire body. These nerves. This body. The same sensory system that allows us to feel joy, is causing such great physical pain.

Lord, the depth of Your suffering is only a shadow of Your love for me. When I am sorrowful or happy, these are only a glimpse of the profundity of Your plan for me. A plan for happiness, for eternity.

Jesus, help me to accept the grace You offer to bear my own pains, with my eyes always heavenward towards the point of it all.

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.

Dear Jesus, You died on the cross for love of us. You forgave those who hate You, and even as You died, You prayed for them. You taught us that there is no greater love than to give up one’s life for one’s friend. Even when we are treated unfairly and we feel like we are alone, help us to know you are there, encouraging us and teaching us to love those who sin against us.

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, as Your body was taken down from the cross – bloody, bruised, pierced, wounded – you were surrounded by Your mother Mary, your disciple John and Joseph of Arimathea. The world would look at Your body and shun the blood, the violence, the mangled limbs. But the eyes of faith of those who surrounded You most closely told a different story. This was no meaningless death, no waste of a life. It was a sacrifice of love. Each nail mark radiated the pure light of love. Each mark of blood represented infinite sacrifice. Each wound poured forth a gift – a fruit of love given to the end.

While looking at Your body, most would walk away in disgust, yet Your disciples, along with their grief, could experience even a glimmer of joy, knowing they were loved to the end. Please give us the grace to look at You and Your sacrifice with eyes of faith and hope and to embrace the fruit of suffering in our own lives.

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.

When You laid in the tomb, the earth mourned, the trees wept, the seas wept and the land barren. At this moment the world stood still and the cosmos paused, but Your body laid waiting for the victory. Oh, the anguish, darkness, and emptiness we all feel at times, Lord, You knew in the tomb. The joy You knew in what was about to be accomplished. You allow us Lord at times to experience emptiness in order to purify the gift. Teach me Lord to find joy in the emptiness as You did.

Our Father … Hail Mary … Glory Be …