It is believed that mother Mary who accompanied Jesus on his way of the cross who is the model and source of this devotion (Way of the Cross). As we continue this Lenten journey let us follow the footsteps of Jesus along with Mother Mary. In the first station, we see Jesus is condemned to death and in the second station; He begins his redemptive journey by carrying His cross. There is a question that creates a lot of dilemma in us: Why did God choose this way of the cross for His beloved Son? We cannot state a definite answer for this. But If God would have chosen some other means for the salvation of humankind, then the greatest tragedy of humankind, ‘the problem of suffering’ could have left unanswered.
Jesus was condemned unjustly. All the crimes charged against Him were part of the conspiracy against him. All through the public ministry we evidently witness how He faces the allegations of Jewish religious leaders with convincing and prudent answers but at this juncture, Jesus accepts those entire allegations just like the Paschal lamb. Isaiah in his prophecy about the suffering Servant of Yahweh says: “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent so he did not open his mouth” (Is. 53: 7). God is always with us, even in those moments we think that we are left alone, abandoned by all; He is there on our side as an intimate companion who helps us to carry our daily cross. Let us remember and pray for all those unjustly condemned and those who struggle to meet the challenges of their day-to-day life that they may encounter Jesus as the one who walks by their side. Let us encourage each other to continue our way in hope…

A Disciple is one who is called to walk the way of the Master; even at the cost of all his/her possession and his/her own life. As we follow our Master Jesus in his footsteps let us contemplate on the 3rd and 4th stations of His way. We all have experienced varied falls in our life spiritual, physical, intellectual etc. Spiritual fall happens when we distance ourselves from the Master and decide to walk our own way. We experience Physical fall when our body become weak whereas, when our prejudices blind the intellect completely we have the third category of fall. But, In the case of Jesus, He did not have any form of above mentioned failures yet. He decided to fall for you and me that we may be able to get up by experiencing the rhythms of grace. Fallen men and women will rise again on wings of grace, out of his meritorious passion and suffering…
The 4th station invites us to reflect on the beautiful love story of the whole of the Bible. A Son who fell in love with his mother from eternity and a mother who dedicated her life for her beloved son. She continues to partake in his mission by drawing all people to Christ. In the midst of physical and mental suffering the meeting with his mother comforts Him. All his disciples who were called to be with him abandoned him but this perfect disciple stand by His side. He realizes that he is not alone but she is there… like a shadow, in his sojourn from crib to the Calvary. Then again, who would give to humanity as his parting gift other than His own Mother… Mary, the woman never fails…
Dear friends all of us experience fragilities on our way but it is not a reason to give up. When we fall, let us seek His amazing grace and ask his amazing mother to hold our hand…we will not fail, we will be strengthened to carry our cross and continue our way…

“He will not fail you or forsake you.” Deut. 31:6
The fifth and sixth station of the way of the cross can be considered as stations of tender love and care. It is a significant moment wherein the universal saviour was assisted and helped by the human beings. Simon of Cyrene was asked to carry the cross. If the merciless Roman soldiers decided to appoint someone to help Jesus to carry his cross means the condition of Jesus could have been so miserable. Simon felt compassion for Jesus, he might have not understood the notion of a suffering Messiah and above all the divine identity of one he is helping, that he is the Son of God. He is blessed among men because he had the unique privilege of carrying the cross and helping out Jesus in his most agonizing and helpless moment. The lesson of the way of the cross is that people whom we think would be there for us, may not be there when we need them the most. At the same time unknown people whom we may not have even seen will be the only ones available to carry our burden.
The 6th station portrays the heroism of Veronica. None of the gospels recorded the event but even today Veronica and her towel on which was imprinted the face of Jesus remain as a great legacy. We need to assume that Veronica was not a stranger to Jesus. She could have been part of the close disciples of Jesus. Otherwise she would not have performed such an act of charity during the execution of a criminal by the Romans. At that moment Jesus did not have anything to give back to her for her gesture of immense love. But, He gives his own image to her. All through his public ministry Christ cared for and healed the vulnerable. At this moment of his vulnerability, Veronica becomes another Christ by living out his values. “I was a prisoner, I was thirsty…” Simon of Cyrene and Veronica present before us as the paragon of Christian discipleship and charity. Let us continue to help our brethren to carry their crosses by being with them in their way of the cross…

Today let us contemplate on the 7th and 8th stations of the Way of the Cross. In the seventh station we see Jesus falling for the second time. What is this second fall of Jesus conveying to us? The falls are part and parcel of our earthly sojourn. No one can claim that they haven’t had a single fall. After very fall, normally we examine the reason that led us to fall.
In the seventh station we see Jesus falling for the second time. What is this second fall of Jesus conveying to us? The falls are part and parcel of our earthly sojourn. No one can claim that they haven’t had a single fall. After very fall, normally we examine the reason that led us to fall.
Jesus carried the burden of our sins. When we distance ourselves from God with our sinful life, there is a strong possibility for a fall, either spiritual or physical. These falls in a way help us to be humble ourselves, because in those moments we recognize that we are in need of God’s grace than our own physical and mental strength to get up and continue our journey. Jesus was too weak and unable to get up; yet he gets up and continues his journey, impelled by the purpose of his journey. This is a clear sign of the need to depend on God’s Strength and grace to complete our journey. My grace is sufficient for you (2Cor. 12.9). I can do all things in Him who strengthens me (Phil 4.13).
The 6th station portrays the heroism of Veronica. None of the gospels recorded the event but even today Veronica and her towel on which was imprinted the face of Jesus remain as a great legacy. We need to assume that Veronica was not a stranger to Jesus. She could have been part of the close disciples of Jesus. Otherwise she would not have performed such an act of charity during the execution of a criminal by the Romans. At that moment Jesus did not have anything to give back to her for her gesture of immense love. But, He gives his own image to her. All through his public ministry Christ cared for and healed the vulnerable. At this moment of his vulnerability, Veronica becomes another Christ by living out his values. “I was a prisoner, I was thirsty…” Simon of Cyrene and Veronica present before us as the paragon of Christian discipleship and charity. Let us continue to help our brethren to carry their crosses by being with them in their way of the cross…

The 11th station narrates to us the nailing of Jesus to the cross. We normally tend to think or imagine that they nailed Jesus to the cross through his palms. Everywhere the crucifix was depicted in this way. But the reality invites us to understand the intensity of Jesus’ suffering on the cross. Romans normally condemns only the notorious criminals with this barbaric punishment. They nail the victims through their wrist. They used 6-7 inches long nails hammered through the wrist bones and also the veins so that the entire body weight falls on the arms. In most of the cases, arms would be dislocated from the shoulder socket due to the body weight, as a result, the person would be struggling to breathe because the entire body weight falls on the Chest ribs. The person wouldn’t be able to lift his body up and his legs would bend about forty-five degree.
If they feel pity and wanted to cut short the physical agony of the victim they used to break their legs so that they would die fast. It is said that a person can remain on the cross alive for hours and days since it is a slow death. Therefore, prior to the crucifixion, they used to flog the person with the leather belts made up of bones of the goat. In the case of Jesus this is what happened, he was brutally wounded before the crucifixion itself; as a result, they had to call Simon of Cyrene to help Jesus to carry his cross. In the end, they broke the legs of the other two men crucified with Jesus to speed up their death but they didn’t break Jesus’, because he was already dead. As usual, they confirmed his death by piercing his side.
It was not the nails that held him close to the cross but his love. A person who is the son of God, almighty, eternal… How could he suffer like this? In those intense moments of suffering, one single thought would have been sufficient for him to stop everything. Yet he accepts, forgives, prays for his persecutors and loves… Yes, Jesus, you remained on the cross because you are truly the Son of God…
The 12th station invites us to reflect on the death of God. The most significant moment in the history of the universe because this moment redeemed the entire cosmos. A question that could possibly disturb us a lot can be – How can God die? then that Being is no more a God. We may not be able to find reasonable answers for this question but there ensues only one insight – God is love. In the fullness of His love, He accepted or tasted the lifelessness that we may all have life in its fullness. We use the red rose flower as a sign of love, whereas, a crucifix speaks not about the suffering of innocent blood but the depth of his infinite love, a love that enables him to accept a reality called death. As we contemplate on these two stations we need to really reflect on the love with which we live our life. And probably ask ourselves, do we really love others or are we the products of the materialistic culture that treats people as objects and throw them away when our use of rhem is over or replaceable. Let every way of the cross that we make, be an occasion for us to renew our love in the crucified Christ, who loves us unconditionally…

Today being the last Friday of the Lenten season as well as the Good Friday, we recall to our mind the great sacrifice of our Lord on the cross. It is indeed a graceful moment to reflect on the 13th and 14th stations on this day which invites us to enter into the last moments of the earthly sojourn of our Lord. We meditate on these stations, wherein the body of Jesus is taken down from the cross and the burial.
The 13th station leads us to reflect on the depth of maternal love of mother Mary for Jesus. She carries the lifeless body of Jesus in her arms. Mary was there at the foot of the cross. The greatest blessing of Jesus was a woman like Mary, who carried him in her womb, even risking her own life and also the shame of unknown pregnancy. Now, she is there to carry the lifeless body of Jesus on her lap. She became the first tabernacle who carried the word made flesh and now she becomes the first altar who carries the broken body of Christ. No one can support us like mother Mary in our way of the cross. We could count her on our side always. Jesus was quite sure that the woman who accompanied him without fail would also do the same in the lives of his disciples. So He gives his own mother as the mother of entire humanity. We cannot trace a saint in the church who did not hold on to the mantle of mother Mary. She will be there to carry us on her lap when we are exhausted or our path seems to be vague or cloudy…
On the 14th station, we contemplate the burial of Jesus. In fact, Jesus did not have a proper place to be born, he was born in a manger, at the end, he did not have his own tomb, and he was buried in a borrowed tomb. Then the self-emptying of Son of God has completed. They could not even give him a proper burial. According to the Jewish custom, they used to anoint the body with perfumes and spices; but in the case of Jesus there was no much time left before the Sabbath so they had to do it in a hurry.
In the end, everything seemed to be a great tragedy. He called himself as a saviour, now he ended up on the cross, couldn’t save himself, All his disciples who promised him that they would be with him abandoned him; one betrayed, another denied and the rest ran for their lives. Taking into consideration all these factors, we could conclude that his mission was a great failiure, whatever he preached, his dreams everything was buried in the tomb.
Dear friends apparently these two situations speak about the dead end of Jesus. The entire world thought that everything is over. But in the sight of God it was a great success. We can never comprehend God’s mind. The death of Jesus can be considered as a brutal murder the world has ever seen but God could transform this great tragedy into a great blessing for the humanity. ‘By His Bruises we are healed.’ The grain of wheat died in order to give life. The greatest mystery of hope is that where we think everything is lost, God can start again…those who crucified Jesus thought that they could seal him in the tomb. But His love was life giving and it defeated death. This unfailing love is our hope… Jesus, who is the source of our love will be there on our way of the cross and He never fails…