Station 3: Jesus falls for the First Time

Station 3: Jesus falls for the First Time

   Jesus, beaten and tired falls from the weight of the cross that has been placed upon Him. Jesus shows His humanity by showing His human difficulties of carrying the physical cross. Yet, the cross was more then just physically heavy but was spiritually heavy as well. 

     Have you added to the weight of the cross by turning from Jesus and following your own path? Have you tried to help Jesus by following Him and turning away from sin so not to add to the weight of the cross? 

     We all have fallen on our faith journey. It is not in the falling that defines us but it is in the getting back up, picking up our cross and following Jesus again. We are human and we will fall at times. God knew this and when Jesus came down to earth He gave us the sacrament of Reconciliation. We are able to fall and ask for forgiveness. Jesus forgives us because we are asking from a contrite heart and knows that within us we want to do better and follow Him. Think as if you are walking and trip and fall and you get up and dust yourself off but sometimes you need something more then that quick dust off. You need to use soap to get out that grass stain. No matter how much you try you will walk around with that stain till you use the soap. Jesus through reconciliation is that sin remover that we all need at times. He helps us to be able to continue on.

       If we do not get back up we are allowing sin to control our lives and also those things in life that may have us down. It is not only sins that hold us down under the cross but those things we struggle with in our lives. It may not be something that cause us to sin but maybe an illness, pain, relationships, inner struggles, etc... Each of them we carry on that cross with our sins. The great thing is that when we accept Jesus as our Savior and turn to the sacrament of reconciliation our cross does become lighter. 

      Every day we get up and carry our cross. Somedays we carry it better then others and even sometimes we fall and need the strength to get back up and carry on. It is through Jesus’ grace we are able to do this. 

Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may you always be able to stand after a fall and remember Jesus will be there for you. 

Wednesday of the First Week in Lent

Lectionary: 226

Reading 1

JON 3:1-10

The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time:

“Set out for the great city of Nineveh,

and announce to it the message that I will tell you.”

So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh,

according to the LORD’s bidding.

Now Nineveh was an enormously large city;

it took three days to go through it.

Jonah began his journey through the city,

and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing,

“Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,”

when the people of Nineveh believed God;

they proclaimed a fast

and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.

When the news reached the king of Nineveh,

he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe,

covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes.

Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh,

by decree of the king and his nobles:

“Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep,

shall taste anything;

they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water. 

Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God;

every man shall turn from his evil way

and from the violence he has in hand.

Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath,

so that we shall not perish.”

When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way,

he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them;

he did not carry it out.

Responsorial Psalm

PS 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19

R. (19b) A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;

in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.

Thoroughly wash me from my guilt

and of my sin cleanse me.

R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

A clean heart create for me, O God,

and a steadfast spirit renew within me.

Cast me not out from your presence,

and your Holy Spirit take not from me. 

R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

For you are not pleased with sacrifices;

should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it.

My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;

a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

R. A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

Verse Before The Gospel

JL 2:12-13

Even now, says the LORD,

return to me with your whole heart

for I am gracious and merciful.

Gospel

LK 11:29-32

While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,

“This generation is an evil generation;

it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,

except the sign of Jonah. 

Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,

so will the Son of Man be to this generation.

At the judgment 

the queen of the south will rise with the men of this generation 

and she will condemn them,

because she came from the ends of the earth

to hear the wisdom of Solomon,

and there is something greater than Solomon here. 

At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation

and condemn it,

because at the preaching of Jonah they repented,

and there is something greater than Jonah here.”