Seventh Station, The Cross is placed upon Jesus' shoulders, Way of the Cross 2008

Way of the Cross - 20th Century
Society of the Divine Word Generalate Archives - Rome

SEVENTH STATION
The Cross is placed upon Jesus' shoulders

V/. Adoramus te, Christe, et benedicimus tibi.
R/. Quia per sanctam crucem tuam redemisti mundum.

From the Gospel according to Mark 15:20

And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak, and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.

MEDITATION

The Cross, that great symbol of Christianity, from being an instrument of shameful punishment has become a glorious victory banner.

There are courageous atheists who are ready to sacrifice themselves for the revolution: they are prepared to embrace the cross, but without Jesus.

Among Christians there are de facto "atheists" who want Jesus, but without the Cross. Now without Jesus, the cross is unbearable, and without the Cross, no one can claim to be with Jesus. Let us embrace the Cross and let us embrace Jesus, and with Jesus let us embrace all our suffering and persecuted brethren!

PRAYER

O divine Redeemer, with what great joy you embraced the Cross, which you had desired for so long! It weighs heavily upon your wounded shoulders, but it is held up by a heart filled with love.

The great Saints understood the saving value of the Cross so deeply that they could cry out: "Either suffer or die!". Give us the grace at least to accept your invitation to carry our cross behind you. You prepared a personal cross for each one of us. We have before our eyes the image of Pope John Paul II, who climbed the "Mount of Crosses" in Lithuania. Every one of those crosses had a story to tell, a story of suffering and joy, of humiliation and triumph, of death and resurrection.

All:

Pater noster, qui es in cælis:
sanctificetur nomen tuum;
adveniat regnum tuum;
fiat voluntas tua, sicut in cælo, et in terra.
Panem nostrum cotidianum da nobis hodie;
et dimitte nobis debita nostra,
sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris;
et ne nos inducas in tentationem;
sed libera nos a malo.

Quis non posset contristari,
piam matrem contemplari
dolentem cum Filio?