Holy Week Mittagong 2009

The Passion of Jesus continues ….

Jesus was so exhausted on the journey. He was becoming slower and it was becoming very difficult for him to carry the cross alone. Simon of Syrene was simply a bystander who was made to carry Jesus’ cross with him.

Like Jesus, there are times when people in our society reach the point when it is no longer possible for them to carry the budens that they carry by themselves. May we be mindful of people who through their empathy and good works, pick up crosses for others throughout the world. May they do this with respect for the dignity of those that they are assisting.

The Passion of Jesus continues in our world today …. (Passionist Constitutions)

2009 Good Friday @ Mittagong

[Photo: 2009 Good Friday Stations of the Cross, Marist Brothers, "The Hermitage", Mittagong, Australia]

We worship you, Lord,
we venerate your cross,
we praise your resurrection.
Through the cross you brought joy to the world.

Almighty and eternal God,
you have restored us to life
by the triumphant death and resurrection of Christ.
Continue this healing work among us.
May we who participate in this mystery
never cease to serve you.
(Final Prayer from the Good Friday Liturgy)

Lord
send down your abundant blessing
upon your people who have devoutly recalled
the death of your Son
in the sure hope of the resurrection.
Grant them pardon:
bring them comfort.
May their faith grow stronger
and their eternal salvation be assured.
(Prayer over the People, Good Friday Liturgy)

Jesus takes up his Cross

The rough woord of the cross is loaded onto Jesus’ back. Jesus takes the first stumbling steps on his way to Golgotha.

Like Jesus, we must each also take up our own cross. The cross that I have to carry is not the one that Jesus’ carried. May we be mindful of people everywhere as they each carry their cross. We pray particularly for those people who live with physical disability, chronic pain or illness. May they continue, step by step, along their journey.

Lord Jesus, let us go with you on your journey. In your strength, we accept all the suffering, large and small, involved in following the path of justice, honesty and care for others.

We pray for all who are weakened in their struggle, who are near to breaking point, that their hope will not fail and their hearts not grow hard. Be with us on our different ways that we might meet and find support in your love.

A second-hand Cross

Was Christ’s cross at Golgotha built especially for him ?

Who knows ? Wood was hard to come by in Judaea
and the Romans were thrifty people.
So they gave him a cross
which had already been used for others.
A second-hand cross!
On which Christ’s blood mingled
with that of the others who were condemned
before him – and after him!
For this cross would be used again!
On the same wood
were indiscriminately
and intimately mixed
the blood of the just
and the blood of sinners,
the suffering of God
and the suffering of humanity
of yesterday, today and tomorrow.
At Golgotha on that day
it wasn’t a divine cross that was put up
between two human crosses,
but a fully human cross
which God wished to take on himself
and make his own in order to offer up
on it the sacrifice of his life
given for all.