Sorrowful Mysteries

Jesus came with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane.

He began to feel fear and anguish, and said to them:

“My soul is sorrowful even unto death.

Remain here and keep watch.”

Going a little farther, He fell to the ground and prayed:

“Abba, Father, all things are possible for You.

Take this cup away from Me.

Yet not what I will, but what You will.”

Suffering can become a place of surrender, growth and love.

God does not always give us an explanation for pain.

He offers us something greater: His presence, which accompanies us.

Even in the darkest night, faith opens a breach of light.

Pilate asked the crowd:

“What then do you want me to do with the man you call the King of the Jews?”

“Crucify Him!”

Pilate handed Jesus over to be scourged and crucified.

Jesus does not respond to violence with violence.

He gives Himself freely.

His Passion is not a fate that He suffers passively: Jesus entrusts Himself to the Father and offers Himself out of love.

Saint Paul helps us to understand this mystery with deeply personal words:

“He loved me and gave Himself for me.”

The soldiers dressed Jesus in purple and placed a crown of thorns upon His head.

Then they began to salute Him:

“Hail, King of the Jews!”

They struck Him on the head, spat upon Him and knelt before Him to mock Him.

Jesus is King, but His kingship does not seek power, honour or triumph.

His throne is the Cross.

Jesus is a King who loves to the very end.

And He teaches us that true greatness is not found in dominating, but in serving;

not in possessing, but in giving ourselves.

Let us look upon this humiliated King and learn from Him how to love.

After they had mocked Him, they led Jesus away to crucify Him.

As they were going out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon.

They compelled him to carry the Cross of Jesus.

To follow Jesus means to go beyond ourselves.

It means going out to meet others, especially those who have been forgotten, those who most need understanding, consolation and help.

This is the logic of the Cross.

It is not, first of all, the logic of pain and death.

It is the logic of love and self-giving, which brings life.

When they reached the place called Calvary, they crucified Jesus.

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Later, Jesus cried out:

“Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit.”

And having said this, He breathed His last.

The Cross is God’s response to the evil of the world.

And His response is love, mercy and forgiveness.

God does not respond to our evil with a greater evil.

He responds by taking it upon Himself.

Let us walk with Jesus, carrying in our hearts this word of love and forgiveness.

Because the Cross does not end in death.

It opens us to the hope of the Resurrection.