Meditating on the Passion of Jesus
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March 8, 2018Father Romeo Salinas is Vocations Director
for the Diocese of Corpus Christi.
St. Faustina writes that she pleased Jesus best “...by meditating on his sorrowful Passion…by such meditation much light falls upon my soul,” she said. “He who wants to learn true humility should reflect on the Passion of Jesus…I want to resemble you, o Jesus—you crucified, tortured and humiliated. Jesus, imprint upon my heart and soul your own humility. I love you, Jesus (Diary of St. Faustina, Sec. 267).”Later, while she prayed during a holy hour, Faustina said she “...saw Jesus being scourged at the pillar. In the midst of this frightful torture, Jesus was praying. After a while, he said to me, ‘there are few souls who contemplate my Passion with true feeling; I give great graces to souls who meditate devoutly on my Passion’ (Diary of St. Faustina, Sec. 737)”.
Let these pure and loving sentiments serve to enlighten us in meditating upon the Passion of our Lord as we walk with him on this agonizing and sorrowful journey to Golgotha where Jesus will be crucified for our salvation.
Jesus, open our eyes and our hearts; let us feel your distress, your sorrow, your desperation and the deep pain of your wounds. Let us pray with you in the Garden of Gethsemani and help you by adding our suffering to yours.
We have failed you, Lord, by our words and actions against you and against our brothers and sisters. We have been selfish, arrogant, untruthful and hurtful to others. Accept us, Jesus, so that we too can suffer your pain and wounds for our own salvation. Let us carry our cross, and then help you carry yours. Let us carry all the crosses of the world together with our own and yours, so we can be a part of redeeming the world together with you.
JESUS CONDEMNED TO DEATH, TAKES HIS CROSS, FALLS THE FIRST TIME AND MEETS HIS MOTHER
Oh, my sweet Jesus, people are hateful. You have been condemned and beaten. You direct your sad and wounded look toward the uncaring. Your heart and your mother’s heart are melded with love and pain, as are ours now. Rid us, Lord, of the tendency to anger, to condemn, to judge others. Help us find the strength to aid those persecuted unjustly. Let us walk with you and your mother toward love and forgiveness. Mary, intercede for us always. Help us remember that “one must see God in everyone (St. Catherine Laboure).”
O holy cross, be our salvation at the hour of our death. Through your exhaustion and first fall, Lord, help us be constant in following your holy ways. Have mercy on us and cleanse our souls of sin; let us never offend you; help us rise from our falls through prayer and the sacraments. Give grace to our priests, Lord, for they help us reach heaven through the sacraments. You and they are our bridge to heaven.
SIMON HELPS JESUS, VERONICA HELPS JESUS, JESUS FALLS AGAIN AND JESUS CONSOLES THE WOMEN
Lord, give us the patience to embrace our crosses without complaint. Let us be Simon to all, so we can help them carry their crosses in hardships, in illness, in poverty and in times of need.
Imprint your bleeding and battered face on our hearts as you did on Veronica’s veil. Let us emulate her in helping others carry their crosses toward salvation. St. John Vianney said, “If you carry your cross courageously, it will carry you to heaven.” How much easier it will be if together we carry those crosses courageously. How grateful our blessed mother must have been to Veronica for her loving kindness to Jesus.
Jesus, when we fall many times over, falling victim to sin, and hit the hard stones and choking dust, as you did in your second fall, lift us up. Your cross is made heavy by our sins and by the hatred, evil and lack of faith and charity that exist in this world. Forgive our sins, our ingratitude for your graces and all we have failed to do through neglect and lack of compassion. Help us to persevere, as did our blessed mother, in doing good, and help us be the instruments that unleash the power of the Holy Spirit and inspire us to do your work in helping those who weep, who suffer, who despair and who lack the courage to seek your love and unfathomable mercy.
THE THIRD FALL, JESUS IS STRIPPED, IS CRUCIFIED, DIES, IS TAKEN DOWN AND IS BURIED.
Through this most painful fall, Jesus, free us from sin and hell. We plead for forgiveness and for your mercy. Help us get to heaven.
Jesus, you are stripped of the tattered and bloody rags that barely cover your bruised and tortured body. Let us be stripped as well of everything that keeps us from you, except our will to do your holy will. Help us find our humanity again. Strip us of attachment to things of this world—to prestige, position, power and wealth. Lord, may we be poor in spirit so that we can be rich in you.
Most innocent Jesus nailed to the cross for our sins, come to us in our suffering at our hour of death. Make sweet and efficacious our sufferings through the merits of your and your mother’s sufferings.
Through your death on the cross Lord, redeem our hearts at the hour of our death. Help us accept our pain, suffering and agony through the love of you and through our hope of joining you for all eternity. Help us, now, to never offend the cross; to meditate on your wounds daily and to know you gave all to save us. Help us pray the sorrowful mystery of the rosary because we know it gives you great comfort. Take from us all that remains obstinate and cruel. May your pain melt man’s inhumanity to man and fill with joy all hearts. Let your most precious blood heal all suffering and protect all humanity from harm and evil.
It is over Lord. Your tormented body will suffer no longer. A soldier pierces your side with his sword and blood and water pour out, an act repeated in every Holy Mass. O sweet Mary, how your heart must be breaking as you hold your son’s lifeless body in your arms. Comfort us; hold us in your arms; make us all your children. Jesus, through your suffering and death, bless us in your divine mercy; be our assurance, and let the river of reconciliation run through our hearts and souls.
You are buried Lord, but there will be a resurrection, and one for us, as well. Help us to love you more and more. Help us take Mary’s counsel to pray at the beginning and end of each day. Help us to cherish her as our heavenly mother, for she leads us to you and gives us the gifts of courage, hope and wisdom to discern your will.
Through the grace of your holy Passion Lord, we pray for the conversion of sinners; for the deliverance of the holy souls in purgatory; for vocations to the priesthood and religious life; and for the protection of our families, our Church and our world.
