Darkness descends
and it seems as though
death has spoken in her finality.
You died.
Hung there between two thieves,
but all alone.
God in flesh, alone.
God in flesh forsaken.
God in flesh dead.
But with your final breath, you commended your spirit to the Father.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Betrayed, broken, beaten, condemned.
You suffered every indignity
and then they stretched out your arms and legs
and nailed you to a cross.
Did you scream in anguish as the soliders drove the nails?
Did You know that God’s plan of redemption would hurt so much?
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
The took your clothes and divided them.
You were left naked.
All dignity was taken from you.
You would die naked on a cross.
You knew fully our shame.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
You fell a third time.
Physically You were spent,
but trust in the Father
and His plan of Salvation
sustained You.
You had nothing left to give
but Your life.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
The daughters of Jeruslem wept as they followed.
You rebuked them, “Do not weep for me. . .
Weep for yourselves . . .If people do these things
when the tree is green, what happens
when it is dry.”
Your words were compassionate warnings.
You offered what comfort you could
but knew that the crowd’s rash judgments would one day
be the city’s undoing.
No stone would be left on the other.
You told those standing by to consider what was coming
and to look at the condition of their own souls.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
the love of Your mother
and the compassion of a St,
You stumbled and fell again.
You knew in Your depths
the weakness of humanity.
Your body buckled, your strength failed.
The God of all Glory brought low
as You stumbled and fell.
Again.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
They say that St. Veronica wiped Your face.
It’s not in the book, but I hope it’s true.
The horror of the moment
and Your utter desertion makes me hope,
on Your behalf,
that you felt the compassion of this saint.
But was she there?
I don’t know. But from her
we learn to contemplate
Christ who set his face like
flint towards Calvary.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
thoughts, prayers & songs: 