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Jesus
This seventh step,
my other self,
is one that tests your will.
From this fall learn to persevere
in doing good.
The time will come
when all your efforts seem to
fail and you will think,
"I can't go on."
Then turn to me,
my heavy-laden one,
and I will give you rest.
Trust me and carry on.
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Response
O Lord, you shared our human condition. You experienced the human condition as we do. You felt the limitations of the body: hunger, thirst, heat, cold, tiredness, pain. You stumbled as we stumble, fell as we fall. Guide me, and those who follow you, to cast off our hesitancy and to turn to you in faith when the burden grows heavy.
We know we must not cease but persevere in doing good, but often we stumble and fall.
Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; who lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen
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| As the woman is separated from him, Jesus feels
again the searing weight, the pain, the solitude, the humiliation.
He prays quietly to the Father and struggles to move on. He
tries to numb himself to just keep moving, to avoid more lashes
from the soldiers or mocking cheers from the crowds, to avoid
the pebbles on the roadway that were biting into his soles.
Not able to, he once more stumbles to the ground, struggling to rise quickly, in fear of more lashes. Instead though, the soldier next to him lends him a helping hand. Jesus tries to smile his gratitude but injured jaws wont allow him even a facial expression to show his gratitude for the small compassion instead of a blow.
The soldier patted him on the shoulder to keep moving. Taking a deep breath, he moved on, he'd make it now.
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