Saturday 28 February 2015

Lent - March Month of St. Joseph

   
      APOSTOLATE Of ST JOSEPH PRINCE Of The CHURCH: ⚒ JESUS & JOSEPH AT WORK ⚒: The time for transition in the life of Christ was at hand and he was to engage fully in manual work. In the years leading up to this, he...
 
    http://apostolateofstjoseph.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/jesus-joseph-at-work_5.html  
Month Dedicated March St Joseph 2015
Pope Francis Intention

March

  • Universal: That those involved in scientific research may serve the well-being of the whole human person. 

  • Evangelization: That the unique contribution of women to the life of the Church may be recognized always.
Lent Station, 

2nd_Sunday_Lent The Transfiguration
 

Second Sunday of Lent


The Station at Rome is in the church of St. Mary in Dominica, on Monte Celio. Tradition tells us that in this basilica was the diaconicum of which St. Lawrence had charge, and from which he distributed to the poor the alms of the Church.


Between Moses and Elias Jesus shows forth His divine glory, thus foreshadowing His resurrection. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of all things. Today's Mass places before us the transfigured Lord and the model toward Whom we must tend, and our own transfiguration as the goal we must attain. We attain this goal by a profound realization of our sinfulness and need of a Redeemer; by preserving purity of body and soul; by combating our passions and carnal instincts and observing the commandments and most importantly by participating in the Mass. — Excerpted from Cathedral Daily Missal

Sunday Readings
The first reading is taken from the book of Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18. Abraham had promptly obeyed the true God and come to Canaan. Now God tests him by asking him to offer his son, Isaac, in sacrifice. Abraham obeyed promptly once more, but God intervened as Abraham got ready to slay his son. He renewed His promise of a great race, through which the whole world would receive the blessing of God — divine adoption throught the Incarnation.
The second reading is from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans 8:31-34. St. Paul is emphasizing the indwelling of the Spirit in Christians and their freedom from sin, eternal death and the Jewish law. The liberating act of Christ had made them children of God, destined for glory.
The Gospel is from St. Mark 9:2-10. This vision of Christ glorified, given to these Apostles on Mount Thabor (the traditional site of Transfiguration) was surely a very special privilege, and it was one they did not forget. "We saw his glory," St. John says in his gospel, written over sixty years later. In his epistles John also refers to this privilege (1 Jn. 1:1-4). St. Peter, writing from Rome to the churches in Asia Minor about thirty years later, mentions this outstanding experience: "For we were not following fictitious tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when from out the majestic glory a voice came down to him saying: ‘this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.’ And this voice we ourselves heard borne from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain" (2 Pt. 1:16-18).
Yes, the three Apostles were privileged and we too are sharers in their privilege. The Transfiguration of Christ is but one among many of the incontrovertible proofs of the divine Sonship of Christ which we have in the gospel narratives and in the twenty centuries-long history of the Church which he founded. Were he not divine, that Church would long since have crumbled and fallen under the many vicious assaults from outside which it has undergone, as well as from the many human weaknesses which have beset it from within. But Christ is God and the Church has his divine protection and assistance. Therefore, it will go on to the end of time to continue his work of elevating and redeeming mankind.
This enlightening glimpse of Christ's future glory—a glory in which they would share—was given to these Apostles to strengthen and encourage them in the terrible test of their faith which the passion and death of Jesus would be for them very soon. It is for a similar reason that the Church orders this story of the Transfiguration to be read to us during this season of Lent. We are or should be mortifying ourselves during this season. This mortification can earn for us a glorious and unending future life. To encourage us to continue it, we are reminded that the One we are following, the One whose voice we listen to, is none other than the Son of God. There are the voices of many false prophets shouting around us, telling us to enjoy ourselves in this life, to "eat, sleep, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die," but there is the rub—tomorrow we shall die, but where shall we go then?
Let us thank our divine Lord today, for giving this consoling and encouraging vision of his glory to his Apostles and through them to us. It was for them, and it is for us, a guarantee and a foretaste of the joys and the glory that will be ours for eternity, if we but persevere in our struggles against the world, the flesh and the devil. This struggle is not easy for our weak nature, but our loving Savior is ever beside us to "raise us up and tell us not to fear" if we but rely on him. When we are tempted to give way to our human weaknesses, or to give way under the weight of the crosses that sometimes are about to crush us, let us think of Mount Thabor, and the glorified Jesus, who a few weeks later faced his own real passion and cross cheerfully for our sakes. This thought will help us to carry our crosses as the thought of the future glory which will be ours should make us thank God that we have been created and thank his beloved Son for setting us on the road to that future glory.
Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.


Friday 27 February 2015

St. Aelred Mirror of Love Friday of the First week of Lent


Lent Mass, 

Friday, 27 February 2015

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 5:20-26.
Jesus said to his disciples:  "I tell you,  unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.'
But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, 'Raqa,' will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you,
leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison.
Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny." 

RESPONSORY
Exodus 12:7, 13; 1 Peter 1:18, 20


The children of Israel shall put the blood of the lamb
on the doorposts and lintels of their houses.
 This blood will be a sign to you.

You have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ,
the lamb without blemish.
 This blood will be a sign to you.
SECOND READING

From the Mirror of Love by Saint Aelred, abbot
(Lib 3, 5: PL 195, 382)

Christ, the model of brotherly love


The perfection of brotherly love lies in the love of one’s enemies. We can find no greater inspiration for this than grateful remembrance of the wonderful patience of Christ. He who is more fair than all the sons of men offered his fair face to be spat upon by sinful men; he allowed those eyes that rule the universe to be blindfolded by wicked men; he bared his back to the scourges; he submitted that head which strikes terror in principalities and powers to the sharpness of the thorns; he gave himself up to be mocked and reviled, and at the end endured the cross, the nails, the lance, the gall, the vinegar, remaining always gentle, meek and full of peace.

In short, he was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb before the shearers he kept silent, and did not open his mouth.

Who could listen to that wonderful prayer, so full of warmth, of love, of unshakeable serenity—Father, forgive them—and hesitate to embrace his enemies with overflowing love? Father, he says, forgive them. Is any gentleness, any love, lacking in this prayer?

Yet he put into it something more. It was not enough to pray for them: he wanted also to make excuses for them. Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. They are great sinners, yes, but they have little judgment; therefore, Father, forgive them. They are nailing me to the cross, but they do not know who it is that they are nailing to the cross: if they had known, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory; therefore, Father, forgive them.They think it is a lawbreaker, an impostor claiming to be God, a seducer of the people. I have hidden my face from them, and they do not recognise my glory; therefore, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.

If someone wishes to love himself he must not allow himself to be corrupted by indulging his sinful nature. If he wishes to resist the promptings of his sinful nature he must enlarge the whole horizon of his love to contemplate the loving gentleness of the humanity of the Lord. Further, if he wishes to savor the joy of brotherly love with greater perfection and delight, he must extend even to his enemies the embrace of true love.

But if he wishes to prevent this fire of divine love from growing cold because of injuries received, let him keep the eyes of his soul always fixed on the serene patience of his beloved Lord and Savior.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Let us pray.

Lord,
may our observance of Lent
help to renew us and prepare us
to celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever.
 Amen.

Luisa Piccarreta 3 "I adore You, I praise You, I thank You" in every Sacramental Host"



   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe1iuSqFZfo  

Hours of the Day of the Divine Will
+ Guiseppe Carata, 1995
      
today the storm of the human will to be calm and reconcile our will with yours, to make us rest in the safe arms of your supreme Fiat!+
My dearly Beloved, I see You are turning your steps again toward Jerusalem. Therefore, I accompany You with my "I love You, I adore You, I thank You." But what pain does your Divine Heart suffer when You witness the Temple, your Father's House, being desecrated as though it were. a marketplace ... You become angry at the sight, take up some cords and, with divine authority, begin swinging left and right. You overturn everything and drive out the desecrators. There is no opposition against your commanding act, and everyone runs away.
My Jesus, I invest those cords with my "I love You," to ask You to take hold of them again in order to drive out our human will that dared to desecrate your living temple of our souls. Beat it down, if You will, so it may no longer dare to dominate souls but surrender fully to your Divine Will!


Ninteenth Hour

The Soul Follows Jesus as He Enters Jerusalem. It Asks
Him
for the Victory of the Divine Will over
the
Human WiII then Follows Him in the
Institution
of the Sacraments.

Heavenly Lover, my "I love You" follows You in the triumphant entry You made into Jerusalem. I impress it everywhere: on the palm branches, on the cloaks thrown [p44] at your feet, on the jubilant cries of "Blessed is He who comes as King" from the crowds that received You.

My Divine King, your aspect of victorious conqueror seems to want to bring me the happy news that the Kingdom of your Divine Fiat will arrive soon upon the earth. With this in mind, I will not leave You. I will not get tired following You with my "I love You's" until You promise me that It will make a happy arrival.

But I already seem to hear You whispering into my ear: "O soul, follow Me. My Love feels the need of your company. My enemies, envious of the jubilant cries of "Blessed is He who comes as King" from the crowd, are trying to take my life. So, before I die, I want to institute the Sacrament of the Eucharist, to leave a final remembrance of the intense love I have for my children and to live perennial life among them. Take advantage of this gift of mine to ask Me ceaselessly for my Divine Fiat! ...

My Love, I bind myself to You so I can place my "I love You" in each of the Sacraments You institute. I join it to each Baptism administered, to ask You, by virtue of it, to grant the Divine Fiat to each baptized person. I repeat it to You in the Sacrament of Confirmation, to invoke the victory of your Divine Will in each person being confirmed. I seal this "I love You" of mine also in the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, so every dying person may complete the final moment of his life in your Divine Will. I impress it in the Sacrament of Holy Orders, to ask You for Priests who conform to your Will: May they possess and spread your Holy Kingdom. My "I love You" is impressed in the Sacrament [p45] of Matrimony, to ask You for families formed in the school of your Divine Fiat. I introduce my "I love You" into the Sacrament of Penance to ask You to give, in each Confession of the Faithful, death to sin and life to your Divine Will.

My Saviour Jesus, I desire that my "I love You" never abandon You and may be eternal with You. Therefore, I leave it with my "I adore You, I praise You, I thank You" in every Sacramental Host, in every hidden tear You shed
, through each consecrated particle, in every offense You receive and in every act of reparation You accomplish, to ask with You that the Kingdom of your Divine Will may rule on earth as It does in Heaven. My Heavenly Archer, from every tabernacle wound the human wills and wrap your chains of Love around them. Use every heavenly tactic You have to overcome them. Then give us in exchange your Will, so that It may be one with our own, on earth as it is in Heaven.   
Twentieth Hour

The Soul Follows Jesus to Gethsemane and in
the Sufferings
of His Passion.

My afflicted Jesus, now that You have left Yourself in the Sacrament of the Eucharist to descend into each heart, You make Yourself available to your creatures and say to them: "I won't leave You. I will stay with all of you to form the Kingdom of my Divine Will among you, my children." your Love is fulfilled, and so you enter generously into the sea of your Passion.
[p46]
I now see that your steps are directed toward the Garden of Gethsemane and You prostrate Yourself on the ground to pray. In the meantime your breathing becomes heavy. You are troubled; You sigh, agonize, and sweat blood! You see everything in front of You: the sins of men, the pains of your Passion, each of which bears the infamous imprints of the deadly weapon of the human will that fights against a God.

My agonizing Jesus, my poor heart cannot bear to see You fallen to the ground and bathed in your own Blood. Because of this cruel martyrdom of yours, I ask that your Divine Will extend its Kingdom on earth. With Its divine weapons, may It .put to death the human will, taking up Its own vital place in every heart

My Jesus, I want to bring You some relief by making my "I Love You, I adore You, I praise You" flow in every drop of Blood You shed, in your every suffering, anguish and sigh. With my "I love You," I'd like to form for You high clouds to hide from your horror-struck view the hor­rendous spectacle of so many sins. O Jesus, if your Divine Will were to reign, You wouldn't experience so many sufferings nor would You suffer so excruciating an agony. Therefore, assure me that the triumph of your Divine Will will not be long in coming!

My suffering Jesus, your enemies are now in the garden. They are binding You with ropes and chains. They tread You underfoot They drag You along and bring You from tribunal to tribunal.

[p47] 

Luisa Piccarreta 2 - How the Soul Can Make ltself a Host for Jesus


 COMMENT: http://luisapiccarreta.me/corato-conferences/conferences-bernardino-giuseppe-bucci-o-f-m/3rd-conference#The-Eucharist-in-the-Divine-Will


Vol. 12: October 20, 19 17

How the Soul Can Make ltself a Host for Jesus

Having received my Jesus in Holy Communion I thought to myself: how could I give love for Love? Moreover, it was impossible for me to be able to shrink myself, to reduce myself, as Jesus does in the Host for love of me. This is not in my power as it is in the power of Jesus. Then my Beloved Jesus said to me:  

“My daughter, if you cannot squeeze yourself within the small circle of a Host for love of Me, you can very well shrink yourself completely into My Will so as to form the Host of Yourself in My Will. Every act that you do in My Will forms a Host for Me; and I will feed on you, as you will feed on Me. What does the Host form? My Life in the soul. What is My Will? Is it not all My Life? Thus you can make yourself a Host for love of Me. For however many additional acts you do in My Will, so many more Hosts will you form to give Me love for Love.”



Divine Will Writings of Luisa Piccarreta

  1. Mystics of the Church: Maria Valtorta and the Poem of the ...

    www.mysticsofthechurch.com/.../maria-valtorta-and-poem-of-man-god....

    This “spiritual apostolate” for souls was only a part of her life as a victim soul, ... Jesus does not .even ask the usual question: «What do you want Me to do for you? ... because She is happy when She can relieve distress and I want to make Her happy....... -Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta -Mystic and Victim Soul(1865-1947)  ...
    You've visited this page 3 times. Last visit: 07/02/15

Thursday 26 February 2015

Knock, Seek, Ask. Mt 7:7. Fr. Nivard

Thursday, 26 February 2015


Mass Introduction by Fr. Nivard.
Fw: Ask and you shall receive 



----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Nivard ....
To: Donald .....
Sent: Thursday, 26 February 2015, 15:26
Subject: Ask and you shall receive

Magnificat, extract, 1 Lent Thur 26 Feb 2015 Mt 7:7-12 

He who asks always receives.
Queen Esther prostrates amidst all her majesty before the Lord and prays, “Come to my help, for I am alone and have no helper but you”.
   There is no more perfect human gesture than such authentic prayer.     
   Even in our wickedness we know how to give good gifts to our children.    
   Which means that the inclination to pray is something as natural as our heart beat.
   Christ tells us to be true to our inborn sense of dependence on our heavenly Father,
   “Ask, and it will be given to you, seek and you will find.”
  
  
  Father in heaven, Help me to conquer anger with gentleness, greed by generosity, apathy by fervor. Help me to forget myself and reach out towards others."  (Prayer attributed to Clement XI of Rome, 1721)
, through Christ our Lord.
Sancta Maria Abbey: http://www.nunraw.com.uk (Website)  
Blogspot :http://www.nunraw.blogspot.co.uk 
|
domdonald.org.uk Thursday of the First week of Lent  

The Station today is at St. Lawrence in Panisperna. The church stands on the site of St. Lawrence's martyrdom. The appellation refers to the name of the street, which in turn most likely refers to the tradition of the Poor Clares in the adjacent convent of distributing bread and ham (pane e perna) on August 10th, the feast day of St. Lawrence. This is done in remembrance of St. Lawrence distributing funds from the church to the poor.



Commentary of the day : 

Homily attributed to Saint Macarius of Egypt (?-390), monk 
Spiritual Homilies no. 30, 3-4 
"Ask, seek, knock"

Try hard to please the Lord, pay him unwearying attention within yourself, seek for him with the aid of your thoughts, keep a check on your will and its decisions, control them so they are constantly directed towards him. Then you will see how he draws near you and makes his dwelling within you… He stands there, taking note of your reasoning, thoughts, reflections, examining how you are seeking him, whether it is with all your soul or whether sluggishly and carelessly. And as soon as he sees you seek him fervently, he will make himself known to you. He will appear to you, grant you his help, bestow the victory on you and save you from your enemies. In fact, when he sees how you are looking for him, how you continually place all your hope in him, then he will instruct you, teach you true prayer, give you that authentic charity that is himself. Then he will become everything to you: your paradise, life-giving tree, precious pearl, crown, architect, farmer, one subject to suffering but not afflicted with suffering, man, God, wine, living water, lamb, bridegroom, soldier, armor, Christ who is “all in all” (1Cor 15,28).

Just as a child cannot feed or take care of itself but can only look at its mother and cry until she takes pity and gives it her attention, so believing souls always hope in Christ and attribute to him all righteousness. As the shoot withers if it is separated from the vine (Jn 15,6) so does someone who wants to become righteous apart from Christ. Just as “someone is a thief and robber who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere” (Jn 10,1), so it is with someone who wants to become just without him who justifies. 

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 7:7-12.
Jesus said to his disciples: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf of bread,
or a snake when he asks for a fish?
If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.
Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets."

ASK SEEK KNOCK

  
330 views
Published on 1 Jan 2014
There are some Questions
that can't be Answered by Google
Ask God Any things..

  http://www.freemake.com/blog/siri-answers-20-hilarious-questions/    

Wednesday 25 February 2015

michael-burghers-
Origen-of-alexandria-christian-writer-and-teacher-
one-of-the-greek-fathers-of-the-church

First Week Lent
Wednesday
First Reading Deuteronomy 10:12 ...
Second Reading From a homily by Origen of Alexandria
                                                    (Homilies on Numbers 12, 3: PG 12, 662)

God's gifts and human freedom
Do human beings have anything to offer to God? Yes, their faith and their love. These are what God asks of them, as it is written: And now, 0 Israel, do you know what the Lord, your God, requires of you? To fear the Lord, your God, to walk in his ways, to love him, to keep all his commandments, and to serve the Lord, your God, with all your heart and all your soul.

These are the offerings, these the gifts which we must present to the Lord. And in order that we may offer him these gifts from the heart, we must first know him, we must have drunk the knowledge of his goodness from the waters of his deep well.

But look more closely at these words of Moses the prophet:
And now, 0 Israel, what does the Lord, your God, require of you? Those who deny that the salvation of human beings is within the power of their freedom ought to blush when they hear these words! Would God require something of human beings if they were incapable of responding to God's demand and offering him what they owe him? No: there is indeed God's gift, but there is also a contribution they must make.

For example, it was indeed within the power of a human being to make a gold piece earn ten more or five more, but it was for God to see it that this man should have the gold piece which he could use to earn ten more. When the man present­ed to God the ten pieces he had earned, he received another gift, not money this time, but authority and rule over ten cities.
So, too, God required Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac on a mountain which the Lord would show him, and Abraham unhesitatingly did surrender his only son. He placed him on the altar and took out the knife to cut his throat, but a voice immediately held him back and a ram was given him to sac­rifice in place of his son.

As you see, what we offer to God remains ours, but this offering is required of us in order that by giving it we may witness to our love for God and our faith in him.


Tuesday 24 February 2015

Dom Donald's Blog: Stations of the Cross from the Maronite Archbishop...

Dom Donald's Blog: Stations of the Cross from the Maronite Archbishop...:  COMMENT: Hours of the Passion Making the Stations of the Cross in Lent - there seem to be different views  on Simon of Cyrene helping Je...
 COMMENT: Hours of the Passion
Making the Stations of the Cross in Lent - there seem to be different views  on Simon of Cyrene helping Jesus. Among the mystics: Luisa Piccarreta, "Simon unwilling and grumbling, not by love but by force", Maria  Valtorta, "the man from Cyrene, strong man, about forty standing near donkey and his sons sons... the man from Cyrene feels such pity, as he sees that Mary cannot embrace Her Son..."
Prayer and meditation of the Twenty Hours of Jesus Passion, 5 PM to 4 PM.


At Rome, the Station is in the church of St. Anastasia, where, formerly, the Mass of the Aurora on Christmas Day was celebrated. The first church was built in the late 3rd or early 4th century, and was one of the first parish churches of ancient Rome. It was given by a woman called Anastasia and called titulus Anastasiae after her. Later, it was dedicated to a martyr of the same name.
Catholic Culture: Stational Church Rome
Stations of the Cross from the Maronite Archbishop of Syria - Independent Catholic News    
Stations of the Cross from the Maronite Archbishop of Syria

Stations of the Cross from the Maronite Archbishop of Syria | Archbishop Samir Nassar, Maronite Archbishop of Damascus, Meditations on the Stations of the Cross, Antonia Moffat
This Lent,  Archbishop Samir Nassar, the Maronite Archbishop of Damascus, has sent us Meditations on the Stations of the Cross in his capacity as Episcopal Shepherd of the Syrian Commission for the Family. They are deeply moving and I hope that you will appreciate them and encourage the Parishes to pray them in solidarity with the Persecuted Church. Syria has now entered a 5th year of continuous war .. there is nothing more to say .. and in presenting us with the Stations of the Cross the Archbishop of Damascus.
“Blessed Are They Who are Persecuted for justice, the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”   Matthew 5:10

The Way of the CROSS

Meditation for refugee and homeless families in the Middle East


FIRST STATION: JESUS IS ​​SENTENCED TO DEATH
“Pilate delivers Jesus to be crucified.” Mt. 15:12-13

An innocent man condemned to death. What injustice! Lord, our families feel their suffering with you, innocent victims in your image, through violence and persecution. They are forced to leave homes, schools, parishes, towns, neighbors, friends, and cemeteries, to live in refugee camps of misery and indifference.
Pilate is always there to feed injustice.

Lord, enlighten the minds of these “judges” and make us messengers of justice. Amen.

SECOND STATION: JESUS ​​CARRIES THE CROSS
“ ..then they led him away to crucify him ..” Mk. 15:20

Jesus is taken to the soldiers, he “through whom all things were made and nothing was made without him,” (Jn. 1:3) lowers his head and walks humiliated, carrying the cross, defenseless.
Lord Jesus, the force of evil is still rampant and destroys. Lord you identified with the weak, look at our fragile families, humiliated and torn by violence. They are victims of injustice as you were. Give them the strength to carry the cross, to keep the faith, and to hope in you. Amen.


THIRD STATION: JESUS ​​FALLS FOR THE FIRST TIME
“He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities.” Isaiah 53:5

He who brings peace to the world is wounded by our sins and falls under the burden of our sins.
Lord we are crushed by the weight of the cross and the great desolation around us. Our selfishness and weakness pulls us down. Lord, lift us from our falls and direct our mind back to your truth. Amen
FOURTH STATION: JESUS ​​MEETS HIS MOTHER
“And a sword will pierce your own soul.” Luke 2:35; Isaiah 53.5

Wounded and suffering, carrying the cross of humanity, Jesus meets his mother and the face of all humanity. In this mutual suffering between son and mother a new humanity is born.
O Mary, Mother of God, you saw your son suffer. Help our moms who are deprived of their children, whose children suffer and die alone away from them. In our daily life children and parents are hurting mutually. Help us Lord to transform our families and homelands into spaces of love and serenity in the image of the Holy Family. Amen

FIFTH STATION: SIMON OF ​​CYRENE HELPS JESUS TO CARRY HIS CROSS
“..they laid the cross on him and he carried it behind Jesus.” Luke 23:26

This silent encounter between Jesus and Simon of Cyrene is a life lesson. Two eyes met in a silent speech that says a lot. Suffering received in faith traces a path of salvation.
Lord, our families are left alone in their misery. They are waiting for a hand, a heart, a “Simon of Cyrene” that you send in the wilderness. Amen.

SIXTH STATION: VERONICA WIPES THE FACE OF JESUS ​​
“Your face, O Lord, I seek. Do not hide your face from me.” Ps. 27:8-9

Veronica makes a strong symbolic gesture. She wipes the pain of your face in a gesture of faith that expresses her love for you. In Christian tradition this face is still seen on Veronica’s veil. Who will wipe away the wounded faces of our brothers, our mothers who weep for their children, and their distress?
God grant that we see your face in that of the poor, persecuted, and innocent victims of violence and injustice. Amen.

SEVENTH STATION: JESUS ​​FALLS FOR THE SECOND TIME
“Be not far from me, for trouble is near; for there is none to help.” Psalm 22: 8-12

This second fall under the cross is a sign of loneliness in suffering. Injustice and violence pound the lowly people into the abyss. Your loneliness, Lord, joined the isolation of the poor victims of the world’s selfishness.
Come Holy Spirit to comfort, strengthen and sow hope in the hearts the oppressed so that, united to Christ, they may be witnesses of his universal love. Amen.
EIGHTH STATION: JESUS ​​MEETS THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM
“Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.” Luke 23:27-28

These women saw in the cross a curse. The Lord saw redemption, the taking away of sins, and consolation for the oppressed. The eyes of the women were open to the truth of Easter.
Lord, our wounded moms who are suffering, need your consolation and comfort.
O suffering Christ, be peace and balm for their wounds. Amen.

NINTH STATION: JESUS ​​FALLS FOR THE THIRD TIME
“For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” Cor. 5: 14-15

Jesus falls under the cross for the third time and, despite his exhaustion, he seeks to get up again. Lord this exhausted and weakened people gathers strength to get up in vain.
Our divisions are deep even in the Church as we work for Christian unity.

Lord, help us to get up and walk the path of forgiveness and unity that flows from your saving suffering. Amen.
TENTH STATION: JESUS ​​IS STRIPPED OF HIS CLOTHING
“…they divided my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.” Ps 22:19

Lord you carry our humanity. The many victims of indiscriminate violence are poor and can only join you in your liberating suffering and your infinite love.
Lord, to our poor refugees who encounter various difficulties, give strength to overcome fear and remain committed to this holy land which empties of Christian witnesses to your word. Lord, teach us to detach from material goods so as to live in your evangelical poverty. Amen
ELEVENTH STATION: JESUS IS ​​NAILED TO THE CROSS
“Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews.” John 19:19

Lord Jesus, you were crucified for our sins. The blows of the hammer echo in our hearts.
Our children are martyred, killed with savagery, in aimless violence. These oppressed young people are close your cross.

Lord, may your liberating suffering release these young people and families from slavery so they may discover your divine face. Amen.
TWELTH STATION: Jesus Dies on the Cross
“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Luke 23:46

This cry of abandonment breaks the silence and opens the way to freedom. The whole meaning of the cross takes its value from this saving suffering. These innocent victims did not die for nothing. By your death Lord, you opened the door of the kingdom of eternal life. Death does not defeat us. Death introduces us to the Resurrection.
Lord, open the hearts of those who endanger the lives of others to discover the value of human life, a reflection of your divinity. Amen.
THIRTEENTH STATION: JESUS ​​GIVES US HIS MOTHER
“He said to the disciple, behold your mother.” Jn. 19:26

Lord Jesus, the one who loves you stands beside you. Mary is the model of this love, the model of faith.
O Mary, our Mother, we place in your hands our martyrs, our refugees, those unjustly tortured, hated and excluded. We entrust to you, our dear Mother, children without schools, the sick who are untended, and our homeless refugees. Ask the Lord that the blood of innocent victims is made the seed of a new society, peaceful and just. Amen
FOURTEENTH STATION: JESUS ​​IS LAID IN THE TOMB
“They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen.” Jn. 19:39

Nicodemus gratefully receives the body of Jesus, prepares it for burial and lays it in the tomb. Jesus crucified abandons himself completely into human hands, perfectly united with humanity in all things. Indeed, by his death we are buried with him so as to rise to new life with him.
These tombs of darkness await your spring Lord, the light of the Resurrection. Give us the grace to choose your redeeming cross, to keep faith and hope.
Lord, make us children of the light who no longer fear the darkness.
Make our cross lead to forgiveness, reconciliation and peace in the light of your Resurrection. Amen.

All Rights Reserved: Episcopal Commission for the Family in Syria.
Translation: Sr. Margaret Kerry, fsp
Original French: Maronite Bishop Samir of Syria
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Tags: Antonia MoffatArchbishop Samir NassarMaronite Archbishop of Damascus,Meditations on the Stations of the Cross

Simon of Cyrene  https://lordofsick.wordpress.com/2014/11/05/fifth-station-simon-cyrene-helps-jesus-carry-the-cross/   



Fifth Station: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry the cross


Station V     Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the cross
Station V Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the cross

PRAYER
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Jesus, the soldiers are becoming impatient. This is taking longer than they wanted it to. They are afraid you won’t make it to the hill where you will be crucified. As you grow weaker, they grab a man out of the crowd and make him help carry your cross. He was just watching what was happening, but all of a sudden he is helping you carry your cross.
As a child, sometimes I see people who need my help. Sometimes I pretend not to hear when my parents call me. I disappear when I know others could use my help.
As an adult, sometimes I try to do as little as I can and still get by. Others might need my help, but I ignore their needs. Even when I’m asked to help, I sometimes claim to be too busy.
My Jesus, blest, thrice blest was he who aided Thee to bear the cross. Blest too shall I be if I aid Thee to bear the cross, by patiently bowing my neck to the crosses Thou shalt send me during life. My Jesus, give me grace to do so.
Our Father…. Hail Mary…. Glory be to the Father….
Leader: Jesus Christ Crucified.
All: Have mercy on Us.
Leader: May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest in peace.
All: Amen.
Heart touching devotional song narrating about the station in this video is written by Fr. Abel C.M.I. in Malayalam Language of Kerala State, India. All viewers may not understand the meaning of the lyrics, but the music will surely touch your heart. This video also contain short narration and images of some of the places like, Gethsemane, Golgotha, Jerusalem, Tomb of Jesus etc. These informations and images are collected from Internet. I am not sure about the correctness of the same. Aim of the video is to make the people to think about the burdens and sorrows Jesus took for us.
If possible, it is good to pray and meditate Way of the Cross daily which will give peace and happiness in mind and also protect from Satan and Sin.
May the crucified Jesus Bless you and your family.

Other Stations of the Cross 

Way of the Cross – Introduction                                         
Station III Jesus falls the first time                                        
Station VII Jesus falls the second time                                
Station IX Jesus falls the third time                                   
Station XI Jesus is nailed to the cross                                 
Station XIII Jesus is taken down from the cross