Mar 15 2009
On The Way Of The Cross: The Fifth Station
To see the other stations published so far go HERE.
And as they led him away, having taken hold on Simon, a certain Cyrenian, coming from the field, they put on him the cross, to bear it behind Jesus (Lk 23:26).
But we preach Christ crucified: unto the Jews indeed a stumblingblock, and unto the Gentiles foolishness: But unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men: and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For see your vocation, brethren, that there are not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble. But the foolish things of the world hath God chosen, that he may confound the wise: and the weak things of the world hath God chosen, that he may confound the strong. And the base things of the world and the things that are contemptible, hath God chosen: and things that are not, that he might bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his sight (1 Cor 1:23-29).
Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love of the brethren, a tender heart and a humble mind. Do not return evil for evil or reviling for reviling; but on the contrary bless, for to this you have been called, that you may obtain a blessing. For “He that would love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile; let him turn away from evil and do right; let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those that do evil.” Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is right? But even if you do suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts reverence Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence; and keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are abused, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing right, if that should be God’s will, than for doing wrong.
For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit (1 Pet 3:8-18).
The end of all things is at hand; therefore keep sane and sober for your prayers. Above all hold unfailing your love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. Practice hospitality ungrudgingly to one another. As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace (1 Pet 4:7-19)
My most sweet Jesus, I will not refuse the cross as the Cyrenian did; I accept it, I embrace it (St Alphonsus De Liguori).
The cross began to torture Jesus Christ before he was nailed upon it; for after he was condemned by Pilate, the cross on which he was to die was given him to carry to Calvary, and, without refusing, he took it upon his shoulders. Speaking of this, St Augustine: “If we regard the wickedness of his tormentors, the insult was great; if we regard the love of Jesus, the mystery is great; for in carrying the cross, our Captain then lifted up the standard under which his followers upon this earth must be enrolled and must fight, in order to be made his companions in the kingdom of heaven.”
St Basil, speaking of the passage in Isaiah, a child is born to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon His shoulder (Isa 9:6), says, “that earthly tyrants load their subjects with unjust burdens, in order to increase their own power; but Jesus Christ chose to take upon himself the burden of the cross, and to carry it, in order to leave life to us therein, that he might obtain salvation for us.” He further remarks that the kings of the earth found their kingdoms in the force of arms and in the heaping up of riches; but Jesus Christ founded his kingdom in the insults of the cross,-that is, in humbling himself and in suffering,-and on this account he willingly accepted it, and carries it on that painful journey, in order, by his example, to give us courage to embrace with resignation every cross, and thus to follow him. Wherefore, also, he said to his disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
It is useful here to note the beautiful expressions applied to the cross by St John Chrysostom:
He calls it the hope of the despairing; for what hope of salvation would sinners have were it not for the cross on which Jesus Christ died to save them?
He calls it the guide of the voyager; for the humiliation of the cross (that is, of tribulation) is the cause which, in this life that is like a sea of dangers, gives us grce to keep the divine law, and to amend ourselves after our transgressions; as the prophet says, It is good for me that Thou hast humbled me, that I may learn Thy justifications (Vulgate: Ps 118:71).
He calls it The counselor of the just; because in adversities the just learn wisdom, and gain motives for uniting themselves more closely to God.
He calls it the rest of the troubled; for where can the troubled find relief but in beholding that cross on which their Redeemer and God died of pain for love of them?
He calls it the glorying of the martyrs; because in this consists the glory of the holy martyrs, that they were able to unite their deaths to the pains and death which Jesus Christ suffered on the cross; as St Paul says, God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Gal 6:14).
He calls it the physician of the sick; and great indeed is the remedy of the cross to those who are sick in spirit; tribulations make them repent, and detach them from the world.
He calls it the fount for the thirsty; the cross, that is, suffering for Jesus Christ, being the desire of the saints, as St Teresa was wont to say, “Oh that I might suffer! oh that I might die!” and as St Mary Magdalen of Pazzi said, “May I suffer, and not die;” meaning that she would refuse to die and to go to rejoice in heaven, in order that she might continue to suffer upon this earth.
Finally, to speak of all alike, both the just and sinners, every one has his own cross. The just, though they enjoy peace of conscience, yet all have their vicissitudes; at one time they are comforted by visits of divine mercy, at another they are afflicted by bodily vexations and infirmities, and especially by desolation of spirit, by darkness and weariness, by scruples and temptations, and by fears for their own salvation. Much heavier are the crosses of sinners, through remorse of conscience, through the terrors of eternal punishment, which from time to time affright them, and through the pains they suffer when things go wrong with them. The saints, when adversities befall them, unite themselves with the divine will, and suffer them with patience; but how can the sinner calm himself by recollecting the divine will, when he is living at enmity with God? The pains of the enemies of God are unmixed pains, without relief. Wherefore St Teresa was wont to say “that he who loves God embraces the cross, and thus does not feel it; while he who does not love him drags the cross along by force and thus cannot bu feel it.”THE PASSION AND DEATH OF JESUS CHRIST, by St Alphonsus De Liguori
