Reflecting on the Death of Jesus

The Stations of the Cross are a deeply prayerful devotion. Pilgrims meditated on the path that Jesus walked as early as 335 AD. Praying The Way of the Cross creates an everlasting bond between those who read them and JesusContemplating events such as Pilate's unfair show trial give us a new understanding of how we blaspheme God when we choose our sins over Him, the Author of Life. The fact that Jesus carried His cross makes our daily struggles more tolerable because we know that there is a supernatural purpose to everything we suffer in this world.

The knowledge that Jesus fell as he carried His cross might strike us with amazement that God, who made everything, endured this suffering. When we examine that Jesus fell, not once, but three times, we see that even with our human limitations we will accomplish God's plan if we are obedient to Him.

There are also moments of compassion captured in this devotion, like when Simon helped Jesus carry the cross and was transformed by the action. Consider the courage and love of Veronica who wiped Jesus' face despite the chaos surrounding His march to death. There is no doubt that the meeting along the way to Golgotha between Jesus and Mary was bittersweet, where the prophesy of the sword piercing Mary's heart was fulfilled.

Jesus spoke what appeared to be harsh words to the women following Him and weeping. Could it be these women felt betrayed by the scandal of the cross? Jesus' own apostles ran away when it became too difficult to follow Him. Are we today that far removed from these temptations?

As Jesus' clothes were taken away from Him, He was left naked and in pain. How tender Jesus is with us when we turn to Him when we are in pain and stripped of all we love!

When we think about the nail holes in Jesus' wrists, we realize how our sins fastened God's healing hands to the cross. Could it be that our hidden love of sin stops God from healing us? Or following the example of Jesus, will we offer up our own sufferings for other sinners, so they may find the balm of God's grace?

Consider the soldiers tossing dice, indifferent to the pain of the condemned. Do we wonder how much we betray Jesus by our own indifference to sin? When we contemplate Jesus' agony, His crying out to the Father, His thirst, do we find ourselves resolving not to sin again?

Did St. John, with all his political connections in the Jewish temple, feel fearful as he stood under the cross? Could it be that by standing there John understood that the cup at the Last Super was not a symbol but a reality because of what he witnessed?

When we face our own death will anyone understand what we are going through? In God we have a faithful friend as Jesus testified as he hung on that tree. The great trust of Jesus in His Father shows us that even in Jesus' human weakness God's glory is present. This reflection reminds us those who trust in God are never alone despite their affliction.

The Way of the Cross is a personal experience for all who pray it. It has the power to lead us to conversion. The prayer helps us to understand our soul's worth, thanks to the death of Jesus.