Stations of The Cross Continued, 3 & 4

Posted on March 24, 2011 by Martha

“So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).”  John 19:17

 This is the second installment of The Stations of The Cross from my personal prayer book, “Blessed Be God.”  Lent is the perfect time to meditate on The Passion of Jesus Christ by prayerfully reflecting on The Stations of The Cross, and especially to do so on Fridays.  It is always helpful to have images of each Station to reflect on, but if none are available just picture each in your mind.  Then read the meditation, reflect, and pray.

     This post contains the Third and Fourth Stations.  I will continue to post two at a time over the course of Lent.  By Holy Week, you will have all fourteen. 

This passage from Mark 15 can help center your thoughts before beginning:  “The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers.  They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him.  And they began to call out to him, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’  Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him.  Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him.  And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him.  Then they led him out to crucify him.”  Mark 15:16-20

Third Station: Jesus Falls The First Time under His Cross.

 Pray:  We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.  Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

      Consider, my soul, this first fall of Jesus under His cross.  His flesh was torn by the scourges, His head crowned with thorns, and He had lost a great quantity of blood.  He was so weakened that He could scarcely walk, and yet He had to carry this great load upon His shoulders.  The soldiers struck Him rudely, and thus He fell several times in His journey.

     My beloved Jesus, it is not the weight of the cross, but of my sins, which has made Thee suffer so much pain.  Ah, by the merits of this first fall, deliver me from the misfortune of falling into mortal sin.  I love Thee, O my Jesus, with my whole heart; I repent of having offended Thee.  Never permit me to offend Thee again.  Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

 

Fourth Station: Jesus Meets His Afflicted Mother.

Pray:  We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.  Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

     Consider the meeting of the Son and the Mother, which took place on this journey.  Jesus and Mary looked at each other, and their looks became as so many arrows to wound those hearts which loved each other so tenderly.

     My most loving Jesus, by the sorrow Thou didst experience in this meeting, grant me the grace of a truly devoted love for Thy most holy Mother.  And thou, my Queen, who wast overwhelmed with sorrow, obtain for me by thy intercession a continual and tender remembrance of the Passion of thy Son.  I love Thee, Jesus, my love;  I repent of ever having offended Thee.  Never permit me to offend Thee again.  Grant that I may love Thee always, and then do with me what Thou wilt.

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Stations Of The Cross Personalized, 1 & 2

Posted on March 16, 2011 by Martha

“Pilate again asked them, ‘What am I to do with the man you call the king of the Jews?’  They shouted back, ‘Crucify him!’  Pilate protested, ‘Why?  What crime has he committed?’  They only shouted the louder, ‘Crucify him!’  So Pilate, who wished to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and after he had had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified.”  Mark 15:12-15

     During Lent, a most beautiful way to meditate on The Passion of Jesus Christ is to reflect on The Stations of The Cross, and especially to do so on Fridays.  I am going to share here a version of The Stations of The Cross from my prayer book, “Blessed Be God,” that can help you to experience them in a very personal way.  It is always helpful to have images of each Station to reflect on, but if none are available just picture each in your mind.  Then read the meditation, reflect, and pray.

     I will post the first two Stations today, and then two at a time over the course of Lent.  By Holy Week, you will have all fourteen. 

 

First Station: Jesus is Condemned to Death.

 Pray:  We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.  Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

      Consider, my soul, how Jesus, after having been scourged and crowned with thorns, was unjustly condemned by Pilate to die on the cross.  My adorable Jesus, it was not Pilate, no, it was my sins that condemned Thee to die.  I beseech The, by the merits of this sorrowful journey, to assist my soul in its journey toward eternity.  I love Thee, my beloved Jesus; I love Thee more than myself; I repent with my whole heart of having offended Thee.  Never permit me to separate myself from Thee again.  Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.

 

Second Station: Jesus is Made to Bear His Cross.

Pray:  We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.  Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

     Consider how Jesus, in making this journey with the cross on His shoulders, thought of us, and offered for us, to His Father, the death that He was about to undergo.  My most beloved Jesus, I embrace all the tribulations that Thou hast destined for me until death.  I beseech Thee, by the merits of the pain Thou didst suffer in carrying Thy Cross, to give me the necessary help to carry mine with perfect patience and resignation.  I love Thee, Jesus, my love, I repent of having offended Thee.  Never permit me to separate myself from Thee again.  Grant that I may love Thee always, and then do with me what Thou wilt.

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It’s All About Who You Know

Posted on March 16, 2011 by Martha

 “For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.  For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:5-8

     The Holy season of Lent is a time for Catholics and Christians alike to draw closer to God.  The traditional ways of self sacrifice, such as giving up candy or eating between meals, and alms giving, such as making charitable donations, are wonderful ways to grow closer to Him.

     Another way to grow closer to God is to strive for holiness, godliness.  A good way to help accomplish this is to add something to our regular daily prayer routine in order to learn more about Him.  Throughout history there have been many wonderful people who set beautiful examples of holiness and were later declared to Saints by The Church.  Getting to know a few of these inspiring holy people would help us to grow in spiritual zeal.

     There are many books available in both stores and on-line.  A lot of these books are fairly short biographies that are easily read in a short amount of time.  One might pick out two or three to read over the course of Lent.  Another way, would be to pick a reputable website that offers short summaries of the Saints.  Some offer up a Saint a day!  Learning a little about them will allow you to pick and choose which Saints seem interesting to you so that you can then find a more in depth book or article on them.

    One source that I use regularly is Catholic Online http://www.catholic.org/saints/.  It is a great resource for Saints and for Gospel readings, etc.  To get started why not choose a few of the traditional Saints that you have possibly heard of before.  A few good ones are:

Saint Therese of Lisieux
St. Francis of Assisi
St. Thomas Aquinas
St. Teresa of Avila
St. Francis de Sales

     After checking out a few you that already know about click on some that you have never heard of.  You might be surprised what you find out!  Saints were ordinary people who struggled through the trials of  everyday life much the same as we do.  I often find something in their life I can totally relate to.  Most of them struggled to be holy.  They fought their weakness and sins while praying to God for help to become who He wanted them to be.  They humbled themselves before Him trusting in His mercy and forgiveness.  God especially loved them for this.  It was in the actual striving for holiness, for godliness, that they became Saints.

     Get to know these very influential people of faith.  Learn from their example and strive to be like them.  Make Lent a time of growth toward holiness, toward godliness.  Who you know will make a difference!

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Embarrassment To Sacrifice

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Martha

 “This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed.  Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”  1 Corinthians 4:1-2

     Have you ever been embarrassed by something you do, and yet, you are determined to continue doing it?  Most of us would quit doing the embarrassing thing so as not to be embarrassed again!

     Sharing our faith can sometimes put us in situations we find embarrassing, or at least uncomfortable.  I found myself in such a situation.  I wasn’t exactly sharing my faith, but rather demonstrating it.

     I often listen to inspirational CDs while driving in my car around town running errands, to doctors appointments in Tampa, or to and from the office.  One that I listen to regularly is The Holy Rosary.  I pray out loud along with it every day.

     I know I look odd, as if I am talking to myself.  However, these days with all the new technologies, I probably just look like I am talking on my cell phone hands free.  Besides, I don’t really mind if people think I am just a little odd!

     The embarrassment I experienced was when it came time to make the Sign of The Cross.  I especially found it to be embarrassing when I was sitting behind or beside someone at a traffic light.  The embarrassment didn’t stem from showing my faith, but rather from the worry of what others would think.  I just didn’t want them to think I was some kind of kook!  Odd, yes; kook, no!

     My feelings about it haunted me to the point of feeling guilty toward Jesus.  I found myself making the Sign of The Cross, but timing it so that my car wasn’t exactly beside another one, or doing it as we were taking off so eyes would be on the road ahead instead of the rear view mirror!  The more I did this the more I felt guilty.  I began to see myself as Peter, denying he even knew Jesus.  So, I began to pray about it and ask Jesus to help me, to ask Jesus show me how to overcome this embarrassment.

      Here is the answer I got!  “At that moment picture Me hanging on the Cross.  Feel you fleeting, yet real, embarrassment and offer it up to Me, through My Most Sacred Heart within you.  Off it for the souls who do not seek Me , and yet, I am all around them.”  (Journey Through The Stillness, April 8, 2010)

     He never ceases to amaze me with His understanding and loving mercy.  I now turn my own personal embarrassment into a sacrificial offering on behalf of others.  Instead of the guilt driving me away from Jesus, I now look forward to enduring this small public discomfort.  I now use it as a tool to witness for Him.  Maybe seeing me praying in public will stir a longing in the soul of someone nearby.  As Jesus said, “I am all around them.”

     I think, during this season of Lent, this season of sacrifice and reflection of one’s relationship with Jesus, that I will look for even more ways to express my faith openly.  You just might want to look in your rear view mirror!

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A Private Peek

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Martha

 “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.”  Hebrews 5:7

     In my March 3, 2011 post, A House In Ruins, I mentioned a method of prayer journaling.  It came from the book “Too Busy Not To Pray,” and used the acronym ACTS.  The A is for Adoration, C for Confession, T for Thanksgiving, and the S is for Supplications.

     To provide an example of this type of prayer journaling I am going to share an entry from my private personal Daily Prayer Journal, aka My Book of Answered Prayer!  As stated in the March 3rd post, over the years I have seen all of my prayers either answered or resolved … not always in the manner I would have chosen, but still, they all are answered.  My journal is proof-positive in writing.  (This Daily Prayer Journal, however, is not the same as “Journey From The Stillness,”my personal spiritual journal that I share publicly on Facebook.)

     I would also like to point out that in this entry, for the sake of privacy, I wrote in more general terms.  Normally I write on a much more personal level mentioning specifics, naming names, and asking specific things for specific people.  This will still show the method and hopefully inspire you to try it too.

Good morning, Lord.                                      (March 11, 2011, Daily Prayer Journal)

You are Holiness.

Forgive me, Lord, when I am everything but Holy; when I allow sin to prevail in my thoughts, words, and deeds.

Thank you, Lord, for the grace of mercy and forgiveness, and for the gift of Salvation.

Bless Turner and I.  Bless and strengthen our faith, marriage, health, parenting, and finances.  Bless each of our children in faith, health, relationships and goals.  Lead each of us to what is ours to do.

Bless all of our family members, Lord.  Especially those with aging health concerns, and those suffering in physical pain.  Bless those with financial difficulties, and those in need of life direction.  Bless those who are separated from You and bring them quickly back.

Bless all of our friends in their individual needs and concerns.  Especially bless them in matters of faith, health, relationships, and guidance.

Bless all those for whom I offer to pray, and especially those I then forget.  Bless the sick and the dying; the hungry and the poor; the lonely and the depressed.  Bless the homeless, and the unborn.

Bless this Nation, guiding its leaders, and guiding us back to You.  Bless and protect all who serve in the military.

Bless The Church, Lord.  Send her faithful, enthusiastic servants, and prosper her throughout the Earth.

Bless our home and our pets.

Love, Martha

     Lent is a time to reflect on matters of faith.  A Daily Prayer Journal is one way to add another dimension to our prayer life.  Start one tomorrow and you will soon find you have your own book of answered prayer!

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A Tale As Old As Time

Posted on March 13, 2011 by Martha

“One man’s offence brought condemnation on all humanity; and one man’s good act has brought justification and life to all humanity.”  Romans 5:18 


     Entwined together, today’s Mass Readings present the entire history of mankind.  They weave a tale of life and death, a tale as old as time.


     In the first reading from Genesis we see how God created man and gave him life by giving him His own breath.  He breathed His own spirit into him.  “Yahweh God shaped man from the soil of the ground and blew the breath of life into his nostrils, and man became a living being.”  (Genesis 2:7)


     Continuing in the reading from Genesis we see, from that same soil, God grew a beautiful garden into which He placed the man and the woman he had created.  Enticed to eat from the tree of wisdom the woman in turn gave the fruit to the man.  At once they were aware of their nakedness before God and each other.  And, because of this sin, we are all born into this life branded by death.  Each soul is marked with the Original Sin.


      In today’s Responsorial Psalm we listen to David, “Remember, I was born guilty, a sinner from the moment of conception.”  (Psalm 51:5)  In his state of sin, David turns to the One who can heal him, the One who can save him.  “But you delight in sincerity of heart, and in secret you teach me wisdom…Give me back the joy of your salvation, sustain in me a generous spirit.”  (Psalm 51:6, 12)  Through David’s prayer we can also hear His trust in God. 


     David’s trust in God is ultimately rewarded, for in today’s Gospel the entire story of man comes to its climax.  “It was by one man’s offence that death came to reign over all, but how much greater the reign in life of those who receive the fullness of grace and the gift of saving justice, through the one man, Jesus Christ.”  (Romans 5:17)


     The tale of man, the tale of life and death, ultimately ends in Life.  We are born branded by death, then through baptism in Him and through His own death and resurrection, Jesus restores us to Life.  It is a tale as old as time.  If we believe, if we have faith in Jesus, if we live for Him and in Him, we know how it ends.  It ends in Life Eternal.

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Emotional Movies

Posted on March 8, 2011 by Martha

 “But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.  And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”  Mark 5:33-34

     I absolutely love to watch old movies.  Are you emotional over movies?  I am; not so much over people, but especially over animals.  As a child I was crazy about horses to the point of making scrapbooks, reading every horse book, and watching every horse movie.  One old horse movie that I remember crying profusely over was Gallant Bess.  It based on a true WWII story of a soldier in the Solomon Islands who finds and nurses a wounded horse back to health.  Gallant Bess later saves the soldier’s life, and becomes the unit’s beloved mascot.  Eventually the unit must leave the island, and Gallant Bess.  At the climax, as the transport ship is setting sail, Gallant Bess decides not to be left behind and begins to swim out to the boat in rough waters.  She does make it, but the whole time I cried relentlessly.  First, I cried because they had to leave her behind, and then because she was in such peril trying to get to the ship and her master.  I cried so loud my Mom came to tell me if I didn’t stop, she wouldn’t allow me to watch!  I couldn’t bear the thought of not watching, and yet, I cried so hard I could hardly see the TV screen.

     My Mom worried I would make myself sick over the horse in the movie.  I think she wanted to make sure I could separate the movie from real life.  She kept saying it was just a movie!  Maybe they were just movies, but they certainly did their job making me feel totally enveloped in the story, and I always had the idea, that somewhere, real life was like that for some people.  I had great empathy for them.

     Over the years there have been many movies, like Gallant Bess, that I watched once and would not watch ever again.  I became so emotionally disturbed by them that once was enough.  Some of these movies were Old Yeller, The Yearling, Tonka, and The Red Pony.  As I matured, I became better able to handle the emotions such movies invoked, and better able to enjoy the overall story.

          Why am I telling you all of this?  Simply because the Bible is like these movies for me.  The Bible stories are so rich, and full of meaning for everyday life, that I become totally absorbed in the stories.  I am able to place myself there and feel strong empathy toward the people in them.  The closer I get to the climax of the Crucifixion and The Resurrection, the more emotionally involved I become.  And, as a mature adult, I can channel these emotions into real life actions.

     One of my favorite Bible stories is of the hemorrhaging woman in Mark 5:25-34.  After years of suffering she follows along in the crowd, until finally, she comes close enough to reach out and touch Jesus’ cloak.  Immediately, power drains from Him and she is healed.  Her faith, her belief in Him, made her well.  For some reason this story touches my heart in a profound way.  It is probably the reason I cannot sit in doctor’s offices, or emergency rooms, without praying for all those I see there.  It is probably the reason I cannot pass by a person who seems lonely, or physicallly suffering, without praying for them.  Even though I do not know what their sufferings are, I have great empathy for them.

     Read in your Bible daily.  Learn to know the people in the stories.  Let them stir emotions and empathy within you.  And then, channel these emotions into your real life.

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The Best Times of Your Life

Posted on March 5, 2011 by Martha

“Do not say: How is it that former times were better than these?  For it is not in wisdom that you ask about this.”  Ecclesiastes 7:10

     I always hate hearing grown ups say to young teenagers, when talking to them about high school or college, “Enjoy these times.  They are the best times of your life!”  It actually makes me cringe.

     Imagine at 18 or 20 years of age that the best days of your life are already lived.  What does that say about the next 60 to 70 years?!  What is there to look forward to?

     I also cringe whenever I hear young mothers carelessly say in front of their young children, “I can’t wait until they start back to school!”  What does that say to the child?!  They surely think Mom is tired of me, that she likes it better when I am at school.

     In my simple optimistic view of life, I believe even amongst troubles that life as a whole just keeps getting better and better.  For me there is nothing better than having my husband and children around me at all times.  I have enjoyed all the different stages of my life and my children’s lives.

     When they were in high school and college, I told each of them to enjoy their time, but to also look forward with anticipation to the future and all that God held in trust for them.  I told them life was a gift that God gave us; a gift to be appreciated, enjoyed, and lived to the fullest; a gift to be cherished and protected.

     Children learn from our example how to react to the events in their own lives.  If we spend all of our time looking backwards, living in ‘what ifs’, and blaming our present trials on the past, then they will learn to do the same.  They will always look backwards with remorse, or with a longing for the ‘good old days.’  Either way they will not be focused on the blessings of the present or the hope of the future.  Living in the past is not a path to success in the future.

     If our children feel they are a burden to us, or that we would rather be somewhere else than with them, then they will see themselves as unlovable, or at the very least, a burden.  They will see themselves as something we need a break from.  Whenever another Mom said to me she couldn’t wait for school to start back, I would reply loud enough for my kids to hear, “Not me!  I love having my kids home with me!”  Which kid would you rather be?

     Our children need to see us making the present time the best time in our life!  Sure, we can share good times from the past with them, but at the same time, making them think we love all the different times of our lives.  I loved my kids in every stage of their lives.  I wouldn’t want to go back though, because I love who they are right now too!

     My view of life may be simple and optimistic, but I am also a realist.  Like everyone, I have real responsibilities and problems.  At times, some are more serious than others.  I choose how I react to them.  I have to find ways to deal with difficult times and difficult problems, but I remain happy in my core beliefs.  I believe in my God, my Father, my Creator.  I believe He’s got my back!  Because I believe this, I am able to navigate through all the different times of my life, and look forward with hope and joy to the next.  I live in His seasons for my life.

     It may be difficult for some to understand, but the best way I know to explain is to say that I choose happiness even in sadness.  I focus on the blessings in my life, no matter what else is going on.  I focus on God.

 “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.”  (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

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God’s DNA

Posted on March 1, 2011 by Martha

“Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”  Genesis 2:7 

          As a Catholic Christian Woman believing in the solemnity of all life, I can not be silent.  I must speak out.

     On a recent episode of The World Over with Raymond Arroyo, on EWTN, I watched a live interview with Abby Johnson, a former director of a Planned Parenthood Clinic in Texas.  She had been at Planned Parenthood for eight years.  She had also previously been in the room while abortions were being performed.   

     Witnessing, for the first time, a live abortion procedure on an ultrasound screen as a “learning experience” for her job as a Director of Planned Parenthood, Abby was asked to hold the ultrasound wand.  In her own words, “I saw a thirteen week old child in the womb.  And when the abortion started to take place, I saw that child begin to fight for its life during the abortion procedure.  And, I saw it try to move to the other side of its mother’s uterus, but there was no where for it to go.  And, I eventually saw that child lose the battle to abortion.”  About one week later, Abby Johnson left Planned Parenthood.

     Since that life changing experience, Abby has written a book entitled, “unPlanned.”  It is the story of her journey from pro-abortion to pro-life.  I have not read her book.  As one who believes in pro-life, I know within my heart and soul that abortion is an abomination; abortion is nothing short of the murder of an innocent child.  It is not because of my politics, or any sense of feminism that I feel this way.  It is simply my belief in God, my Father, my Creator, the God of the Universe.

     All life is created by God.  Humans make mistakes, God doesn’t.  God is all-merciful and all-forgiving, but He is also all-knowing and all-powerful.  When we are against life, we are against God. 

     There are those who believe that abortion has its place in circumstances such as rape, or child deformity.  They argue and push their agenda with the emotional issues.  They want us to think about how it would be if we ourselves, or our own daughter, were the victim of a violent rape.  Being that victim would be terribly painful, mind numbing, and horrific; unthinkable and unbearable if it were our child.  So is abortion.  A victim of violence is a victim because of another human being’s action, another human being’s crime.  That human commits the crime; for argument’s sake, the mistake.  The resulting human being, the fetus, is not a crime, not a mistake.  That child, conceived in violence, is the result of a God who doesn’t make mistakes; a God who creates all life.  Every life has the imprint of God’s own DNA.  We are created in His image and likeness.  If aborted, that life, the child, then becomes a sacrificial victim.  It only serves to continue the cycle of violence.

     If you are on the fence about abortion, if you haven’t given it much thought because it doesn’t affect you personally, take a moment to process this image.   Imagine a child, trying to move, trying to escape, and then cowering in the corner of its mother’s womb only to lose its life in an excruciatingly painful way.  I pray this image will not let go of you.  I pray that you will let this image move you to speak out on that child’s behalf, and if possible to act.

     We are all called to be stewards of God’s love and the life he creates.  Let us love the woman, love the child, and love God the Creator of all life, born and unborn.

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Trustworthy Steward

Posted on February 27, 2011 by Martha

“People should think of us as Christ’s servants, stewards entrusted with the mysteries of God.  In such a matter, what is expected of stewards is that each one should be found trustworthy.  1 Corinthians 4:1-2

     When we give someone a job to do for us, we expect the job to be done.  We don’t expect that we will have to stand watch to make sure it gets done.  A steward is one who oversees the use of and management of supplies, funds, etc.  To be a good steward is to be organized, attentive, aware, ethical, and above all, trustworthy.

     From the very beginning, God entrusted His message, His Word, to others.  Many were prophets meant to lead us or warn us.  However, Jesus was The Living Word.  He imparted it to His disciples through both His actions and His words.  To Peter he handed the Keys to the Kingdom.  Through Peter He established The Church, The Living Word on earth, in order that generations to come would have access to His Word.  He left us His living, vibrant, Word in action, His Church.  He also left us as stewards of His Word, His Church.

     Just as Jesus, just as The Church, we, His children, are The Living Word.  We are The Church.  Through our actions and our words we impart The Word to others.  We are stewards of the supplies, the funds, the Faith.  We have been entrusted with the mysteries of God.

     Do you live out your faith in a way that others can witness, in a way that others know you belong to Jesus?  Do they see you as a good steward who is attentive, ethical, and above all trustworthy with The Word?

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