The Ninth Station

Jesus Falls for the Third Time

We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

Because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

For the third time, You fall. From where will You find the strength to stand? Who will help You now?

I raise my eyes toward the mountains.

From where will my help come?

My help comes from the Lord,

the maker of heaven and earth.

Psalm 121:1–2

When all human strength is gone, when all hope is lost, it is only in the Lord that You find your solace. Emptied of all You could accomplish on Your own, You rise. You walk these final steps toward the loving arms of Your Heavenly Father.

I feel you now, Father, as I fall for the third time. I feel the agony of Your children who fall again and again. I know they believe it is worthless and hopeless. You wanted me to show them the way. This path I walk is their path, too. So from this ground, I raise my eyes to You. I am empty. I am tired. But I am not alone. I give myself to You--for them. I rise. I walk.

We pray. Father, our pride can make us believe that we are in control. We set goals, make demands, give orders, and dictate results. Yet despite our best human effort, we still fail. Defeated, we cry out to You. Sometimes we cry in anger, other times in desperation. From the hard ground, we raise our eyes to You and beg for help. Despite our weakness, You answer lovingly. You give us Your hand, You help us to rise, and with us--You walk.

Amen.

When there seems to be no more to give, we must give up control and surrender all to God.

[excerpt from Stations of the Cross by Denise Hemrich-Skomer and Fr. Joachim Tyrtania. ©2009. Nihil Obstat: Charles McNamee, J.C.L. Censor Librorum. Imprimatur: Thomas G. Doran, D.D., J.C.D, Bishop of Rockford]

Sit back and listen.