The Stations of the Cross, the Way of the Cross, is a popular devotion for Lent. Not that droves of Catholics are going to Church to say them, just that one is more prone to hear about this devotion during Lent than at any other time. But should this be?

    Christ said, "If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matthew 16:24-25) Christ said this shortly after He told His Apostles what was to happen to Him. Considering what the cross meant to them at the time, they no doubt thought He was speaking metaphorically, not literally. Soon, He would show them what He meant by taking up your cross.

    Archbishop Sheen pointed out that the cross was a barrier. For some, it's a barrier to faith, for others, it's a barrier to hell. "My will, therefore, He took to Himself, my grief. In confidence I call it grief, because I preach His Cross. Mine is the will which He called His own, for as man He bore my grief, as man He spake, and therefore said, 'Not as I will, but as Thou wilt.' Mine was the grief, and mine the heaviness with which He bore it, for no man exults when at the point to die. With me and for me He suffers, for me He is sad, for me He is heavy. In my stead, therefore, and in me He grieved Who had no cause to grieve for Himself." (St. Ambrose; Exposition of the Christian Faith, Bk II, Chap. VII, #53) "For this cause, then, that we might learn these divers virtues, "a Son was given us, Whose beginning was upon His shoulder." That "beginning" is the Lord's Cross--the beginning of strong courage, wherewith a way has been opened for the holy martyrs to enter the sufferings of the Holy War." (IBID; Bk III, Chap VII, #53)

    The Way of the Cross is more than just a devotional, it's a guide. The Way of the Cross is the way to life. It's a guide to our way of life. Though the Stations of the Cross begins for us with His being condemned, His way of the cross begins in the Garden when He accepts the will of His Father. "And going a little farther He fell on His face and prayed, 'My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt'" (Matthew 26:39).

    The first station: Jesus is condemned to death. Did He protest the unfairness of it? This was His Father's will for Him. Actually, He gave up His life long before, leaving the glory of Heaven and taking on the flesh of humanity. St. Paul wrote: "Who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2: 6-8).

    Today, we're tempted to reject this and to grasp at things we cannot, or should not. We see those who seek the god/dess within, who see their gender, position, orientation, etc., as the center of their lives, as the most important thing. But Christ shows us how wrong this is, how true life comes from the abandonment of self, to obedience even if we think it's unfair. To the Greeks, that is, the wise, the cross is absurdity. It was unfair, or an end. Actually, as St. Ambrose said, it was the beginning. The beginning of our life. So Christ gladly accepted His cross as the way He would save mankind, and to show us the way to life.

    The Third Station: Jesus falls the first time. In fact, He fell three times. How easy it would have been to give it up then. After all, it was close, wasn't that good enough? No, He got up, time after time and continued on with what He had to do. We too fall all too often. We fall in sin. Old sins, new sins. How easy it would be to say, "Well, that's good enough. I tried." And stop trying to get back up. After all "That's the way God made me, that's good enough." Christ persevered to the end, we're called on to do the same. "Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved... And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because wickedness is multiplied, most men's love will grow cold. But he who endures to the end will be saved" (Matthew 10: 21-22; 24:11-13).

    Out of love for us, Christ got back up and continued on. Out of love for Him, we get back up and continue on. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us" (1 John 1:8-10)

    The fourth Station; Jesus meets His mother. Here's Mary, fulfilling Simeon's prophecy, "Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed" (Luke 2:34-35). Her heart has been pierced, she can only try to give Him what strength she can. When our cross becomes too much for us to bear, when we fall and feel tempted to give up, she's there to offer us her strength, her prayers, for us. One can almost hear her saying "Get up my child, you're following my Son, our Lord. The suffering may be great, but the rewards are infinite."

    Simon helps carry His cross. We don't know whether Simon did this voluntarily or was 'volunteered'. But the teaching is clear. We all need help to carry our cross. This is why St. Paul wrote: "All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3: 16-17) Through support and even rebuke, teaching, reproof, and correction, we help others, and ourselves, carry our cross and follow Him. When we say, "It's not our concern, judge not..." We don't help others come to Christ or carry their cross. Instead, we show that we don't care for their salvation.

    Veronica wipes the face of Christ. Such a seemingly unimportant event, but it speaks volumes. Christ's pain was Veronica's pain, His suffering, her suffering. She does what she can by wiping the dirt, sweat and blood from Christ's face. And her love and compassion is rewarded by His face on her veil. Such a little thing. But St. Theresa the Little Flower showed us that Heaven is reached in little things. Simple things, the devout participation at the Mass. Honoring and glorifying God over ourselves or the community. Going to spend an hour with Him before the Blessed Sacrament, etc. Asking what He would have us do, not what we want to do. And Christ rewards us by imprinting His face on our hearts so we may better accept the pain.

    Jesus consoles the women at the eighth station. Women have always suffered silently. Men suffered very publicly. We've suffered in our work, in wars, etc. But women suffered in caring for their children, caring for the home, helping their husbands and easing their sufferings. It was almost prophetic of today when Christ said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never gave suck!' Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us'; and to the hills, 'Cover us.' For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?" (Luke 23:28-31). Our children are being killed, both in the womb and outside of it. If these can happen when times are good, in times of plenty, when the wood is green, what will happen when times aren't as good?

    The tenth station, Jesus is stripped of His clothing. Consider this, His blood and sweat have dried, making a sort of glue holding His clothes fast. Being stripped of His clothes is not only painful, they re-open His wounds. Likewise, we are called on to strip ourselves of the 'clothes' of the world. This is true poverty of detachment, that all we have, emotionally, intellectually, physically, isn't really ours, but given to us by God for our benefit in His service. To detach, to strip ourselves of these is painful and will no doubt open old wounds. But we can't say, "This is mine, no one can take it from me.", or, "This is who I am, no one can make me change.", and remain His followers. Whatever 'clothes' we have, rich or poor, mundane or lavish, they are God's. To hold fast to them is to deny His love for us and make ourselves more important.

    Jesus is nailed to the cross. Here is the crux of the way of the cross, the climax. Consider the two thieves hanging there with Him. One joins the mob in mocking and ridiculing Him. Not for justice sake, but for himself. "Are you not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" (Luke 23: 39). He isn't looking for justice, or the truth, but rather, he's looking after himself. Contrast it with what the other thief said, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong" (Luke 23:40-41). One wants Christ to 'justify' his misdeeds, make them acceptable for his own sake, the other accepts his cross as just. Like the repentant tax collector, he is justified, and told "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43). The other, like the conceited Pharisee, isn't given this promise.

    So, we see that the Stations of the Cross are more than a devotional, a way to recollect the Passion of Christ. It's also a guide for our lives, the way we are to live our lives. "If any man would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matthew 16:24-25).

    So, we are all called to follow the way of the cross. Or as St. Paul tells us, "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of His body, that is, the Church," (Col. 1:24) Not that what Christ suffered wasn't sufficient, but that we join our sufferings with that of Christ. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, Who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer" (2 Corinthians 1:3-6). "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Romans 8:18).

    So, the way of the cross is our way of life. "If we have died with Him, we shall also live with Him; if we endure, we shall also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us;" (2 Timothy 2: 11-12). The cross is our 'life preserver' as we flounder and nearly drown in a world seeking to swallow us up. "Adoramus te, sanctissime Domine Iesu Christe, hic et ad omnes Ecclesias tuas, quae sunt in toto mundo, et benedicimus tibi; quia per sanctam Crucem tuam redemisti mundum. Amen." "We adore Thee, most holy Lord Jesus Christ, here and in all Thy churches that are in the whole world, and we bless Thee; because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the World. Amen."

    As Easter approaches, let's remember that before the glory of the resurrection, there was the suffering of the cross. Before the redemption of Christ, there was the Passion of Christ.

Pax Christi, Pat

  Today we bring you the Holy Father's Angelus Message from yesterday Laetare Sunday in which he emphasized the joy of "rejoicing" as is the custom of mid-Lent. His Holiness pointed out that this year that is especially meaningful in light of the fact he has just returned from his spiritual "Jubilee Journey" to the Holy Land and the "Cradle of Christianity" - the Jerusalem area which incorporates Bethlehem where the Savior Jesus Christ was born to the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom the Pope calls on as a willing guide during this Jubilee year in which Christians the world over are awakening to their roots and the meaning of their faith. See THE VICAR OF CHRIST SPEAKS

  We continue today, thanks to ZENIT News Organization, the spiritual exercises that Retreat Master Archbishop Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan preached to the Holy Father and Curia the week just before the Pope's "Jubilee Journey" to the Holy Land. Because of the wonders of the internet, all readers can now share in the inspiration that touched the Vicar of Christ and give all readers the opportunity to make a Lenten On-Line Retreat, so to speak, by contemplating on what the Archbishop presents, then going in silent prayer and meditation as John Paul II and his staff did to gain a greater peace and spirituality. The ideal way is to be able to go before the Blessed Sacrament and attend Daily Mass, but if this is not possible, then quiet time with Our Lord in meditation and prayer is the best scenario. For today's Fourth Spiritual Exercise, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" , click on LENTEN ON-LINE RETREAT

Spiritual Exercises preached to the Holy Father and his staff just prior to his historic "Jubilee Journey" Day FOUR: "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?"
Archbishop Nguyên Van Thuân Contemplates the Mystery of the Cross Fourth Day of Reflections - Papal Spiritual Exercises
conducted by
Archbishop Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan
President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace

   Today's Introduction: Today, continuing with his preaching of the Spiritual Exercises to John Paul II and his collaborators in the Roman Curia, Archbishop François Xavier Nguyên Van Thuân spoke about the feelings of abandonment and that truly we are never abandoned for God will never forsake us.

    "The first time I had to defend myself in court no one was by my side. Everyone abandoned me. But the Lord was with me and he strengthened me, so that even on that occasion I was able to proclaim his message." With these words from St. Paul, Archbishop François Xavier Nguyên Van Thuân began the fourth day of the Papal spiritual exercises. Today the Vietnamese Archbishop contemplated Christ on the Cross, hearing in the depths of his heart the anguished cry of Christ: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

    The Archbishop explained that the abandonment St. Paul felt, he, himself, also experienced during his 13 years of incarceration in Vietnamese prisons. "On several occasions I felt abandoned, especially on the night of December 1, 1975, when I was chained to another person and we were taken on foot, along with other prisoners, from the prison to the ship in which later they would take us to the north of Vietnam, some 1,100 miles from my diocese. I felt great pastoral suffering, but I can assure you that the Father did not abandon me, and He gave me the strength."

    "Perhaps all of us, on different occasions, have lived or are living similar moments of abandonment," he continued. "We feel abandoned when we are engulfed by loneliness and a sense of failure; when we feel the weight of our humanity and our sins. We feel abandoned when misunderstandings and infidelities disturb our fraternal relations; when we think the situation of confusion and despair in which some find themselves has no way out; when we are in touch with the Church's sufferings and that of whole peoples"

    "These are small or great 'nights of the soul' that darken the presence of God in us. Nevertheless, He is near and gives meaning to our whole life. In such moments even joy and love seem extinguished." According to Archbishop Nguyên Van Thuân, it is precisely at these times when we can best understand the "mystery of the cross."

    "The saints also experienced nights of despair, moments in which they felt abandoned by everything and everyone. However, as real experts in the love of God, they never hesitated to walk the way of the cross to the end, allowing themselves to be illumined and forged by it, even when this implied their own death," stated the Vietnamese Archbishop. "This is the law of the Gospel: 'If the seed fallen on the ground does not die, it remains alone, but if it dies, it produces much fruit.' This is also Jesus' Own law: His death was real, but far more real is the superabundant life that flows from that death."

    In the letter to the Philippians, St. Paul presents Christ "at the moment He strips himself of His divine form, to take on 'the form of slave,' the 'likeness of men.' This is the image of a God Who 'annihilates' Himself, 'empties' Himself in order to give Himself, to give His own life unconditionally, to the point of the cross, where He takes upon Himself all the guilt of the world, to the point that He, the 'innocent,' the 'just' comes to resemble sinful man," explained Archbishop Nguyên Van Thuân. This is the wondrous exchange between God and man, which St. Augustine described as the "commerce of love," and Leo the Great as the "commerce of salvation."

    Christ carries the sins of man to the point that from the cross He cries out to the Father: "My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?" "He had been betrayed by men," the Archbishop continued, "His own were not with Him, and now God, Whom He called 'Papa' ('Abba'), was silent. The Son feels the void of His absence, He loses the joy of His presence. The unqualified certainty of never being alone, of always being heard by the Father, of being an instrument of His will, gave way to this sorrowful supplication."

    The Vietnamese Archbishop concluded by saying: "It was the most desolating sensible abandonment he experienced in his lie, as John of the Cross states. Thus Christ was annihilated and reduced virtually to nothing. And, yet, St. John of the Cross continues to explain, precisely when He was oppressed, He accomplished the most wondrous work of all those He carried out during His existence on earth, which was full of miracles and prodigies of all kinds. With His death He reconciled and united God with mankind. In this amazing dynamic of the love of God, all our sufferings are taken up and transformed, every void is filled, every sin redeemed. Our abandonment, our distance from God is filled to overflowing." ZE00031502

Tuesday: THE EUCHARIST

Back to Top of Page

---

March 25th Medjugorje Monthly Message

NOTE: We respectfully recognize and accept the final authority regarding apparitions, locutions and prophecies presently being reported around the world rests with the Holy See of Rome and the Magisterium of Holy Mother Church to whose judjment we humbly and obediently submit.

"Dear children! Pray and make good use of this time, because this is a time of grace. I am with you and I intercede for each one of you before God, for your heart to open to God and to God's love. Little children, pray without ceasing, until prayer becomes a joy for you. Thank you for having responded to my call."

Back to Top of Page

---

Be an angel!

    Through the stewardship of Catholic Journalism you can help us reach more souls by sending whatever you can to help keep the DailyCATHOLIC going strong since it is the only daily publication of its kind for Catholics anywhere in the world in daily promoting the truths of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

Click here!

Back to Top of Page

---

---

Click here to go to SECTION TWO or SECTION THREE or click here to return to the front page of this issue.

---

---

To research any of the past 500 plus issues in archives from November 1, 1997 to the present, see ARCHIVES

---

---

April 3, 2000     volume 11, no. 66
The DailyCATHOLIC is available Monday thru Friday at www.DailyCatholic.org