Now that the Jews had Jesus in their power, they did all they could to make Him suffer. They brought a heavy cross, laid it on His bleeding shoulders and forced Him to drag it through the streets. They made Him carry it up a hill. This hill was called Mount Calvary. Our dear Lord could hardly walk; He was weak and smarting from His many wounds. But most of all His Sacred Heart was sad because of the sins committed by the people. On his way to Calvary Jesus fell several times. Each time the cross fell heavily upon Him. The men beat Him cruelly and pulled Him up again. While on the way to the place where He was to be nailed to the cross, Jesus met His Blessed Mother. What great sorrow she must have felt when she saw her dear Son so terribly wounded and bleeding, with a heavy cross on His shoulders! How she longed to wipe the sweat and blood from His holy face! How she would have liked to help Him carry that heavy cross! But the rough men pushed her away. She followed Jesus on His way to Calvary and remained with Him to the end.
Will you not also have pity on the great sufferings of the dear Mother of Jesus? Do you remember what the holy man Simeon told her in the temple: "A sword shall pierce thy heart?" The sharp pain which Mary felt when she saw Jesus wounded and covered with sweat and blood did pierce her heart. You know, dear children, how it pains your dear mother when you are sick. Mother has no rest night or day as long as one of her children is suffering. So the Mother of Jesus suffered with Jesus. Ask the Blessed Mother to make you feel pity for the sufferings of Jesus. Promise her that you will always remember what Jesus suffered for you.
THE SORROWFUL MOTHER
Jesus Dies on the Cross
When Jesus reached the top of the hill, they pulled off his clothes and along came pieces of His flesh that had stuck to His garments. The blood started to flow again. They laid Him on the cross and nailed His hands and feet to it. Can you think of anything more cruel, dear children? These bad men took long nails and drove them through His hands and feet. The blood squirted into their faces and on their arms and hands, but these cruel men did not feel any pity. Jesus felt the pain very much. His Blessed Mother heard the blows of the hammer and it was as if they were striking her heart. Oh, what dreadful pain our dear Lord suffered! The nails held Jesus tight to the cross. What pain He felt again when they raised the cross and let it fall into the hole dug for it! The openings in His hands and feet were made bigger by the weight of His body. For three long hours Jesus hung on the cross. His Mother stood under it, but she could do nothing for Him. SJie had to listen to the mocking and laughing of the wicked Jews. Now they were glad they had Jesus out of their way. Now He could no longer tell them that they were wicked. He was dying on the cross. Think of Mary standing for three hours under the cross watching every movement Jesus made. How she longed to help Him! If she could only give Him a drink! He was so thirsty. Blood filled His eyes; His hands and feet were bleeding. His whole body trembled with pain. Standing with Mary under the cross were Mary Magdalen and St. John, one of the Apostles. At last, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit. " His head fell on His breast. Jesus was dead.
Showing Our Love for Jesus Crucified
Now, dear children, see how much our divine Savior loved you, what sufferings He bore in order to save your souls. He could not have done more for you than give up His life. And such a death as He had! The most painful death any one can ever suffer! Do you wonder now why the martyrs were so glad to die for Jesus ? Do you see now why the saints tried to lead such holy lives? Is there nothing that you can do to show Jesus that you love Him and that you are thankful to Him for what He suffered for you? Yes, there are many ways in which you can show your thankfulness to Jesus. You can show your love to Jesus crucified by obeying the commandments of God and of the Church, by loving His Blessed Mother and by being willing to suffer something for His sake. What can you suffer? Think of all the pains Jesus suffered. In His sacred head, His hands, His whole body, what great pains lie bore! When you have a headache or a toothache or some other pain, think of Jesus hanging on the cross, and offer up your little pains to Him. If your pains were ever so great, Jesus suffered still more than you.
My dear children, there is much more I should like to tell about the sufferings of Jesus, but I shall have to wait till another day. Often look at your crucifix and tell Jesus how sorry you are that He had to suffer so much. Remember also that each time you commit sin, you are doing to Him what the wicked men did who crucified Him. You do not want to scourge Jesus, or strike Him, or mock Him, or nail Him to the cross, do you? Be careful, then, that you do not commit sin. Every time you sin you crucify Jesus again. Pray hard each day that you may keep from sin.
Practice:
1. I will keep a crucifix near me so that I may often think of the sufferings of Jesus.
2. I will ask the Blessed Mother to help me love Jesus so much that I shall never offend Him again by my sins.
Dear Jesus, all I have to Thee I give;
I am content if I for Thee may live.
Source: Practical Aids for Catholic Teachers, Imprimatur 1928
To be continued . . . . . . . . . .
Will you not also have pity on the great sufferings of the dear Mother of Jesus? Do you remember what the holy man Simeon told her in the temple: "A sword shall pierce thy heart?" The sharp pain which Mary felt when she saw Jesus wounded and covered with sweat and blood did pierce her heart. You know, dear children, how it pains your dear mother when you are sick. Mother has no rest night or day as long as one of her children is suffering. So the Mother of Jesus suffered with Jesus. Ask the Blessed Mother to make you feel pity for the sufferings of Jesus. Promise her that you will always remember what Jesus suffered for you.
THE SORROWFUL MOTHER
Jesus Dies on the Cross
When Jesus reached the top of the hill, they pulled off his clothes and along came pieces of His flesh that had stuck to His garments. The blood started to flow again. They laid Him on the cross and nailed His hands and feet to it. Can you think of anything more cruel, dear children? These bad men took long nails and drove them through His hands and feet. The blood squirted into their faces and on their arms and hands, but these cruel men did not feel any pity. Jesus felt the pain very much. His Blessed Mother heard the blows of the hammer and it was as if they were striking her heart. Oh, what dreadful pain our dear Lord suffered! The nails held Jesus tight to the cross. What pain He felt again when they raised the cross and let it fall into the hole dug for it! The openings in His hands and feet were made bigger by the weight of His body. For three long hours Jesus hung on the cross. His Mother stood under it, but she could do nothing for Him. SJie had to listen to the mocking and laughing of the wicked Jews. Now they were glad they had Jesus out of their way. Now He could no longer tell them that they were wicked. He was dying on the cross. Think of Mary standing for three hours under the cross watching every movement Jesus made. How she longed to help Him! If she could only give Him a drink! He was so thirsty. Blood filled His eyes; His hands and feet were bleeding. His whole body trembled with pain. Standing with Mary under the cross were Mary Magdalen and St. John, one of the Apostles. At last, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit. " His head fell on His breast. Jesus was dead.
Showing Our Love for Jesus Crucified
Now, dear children, see how much our divine Savior loved you, what sufferings He bore in order to save your souls. He could not have done more for you than give up His life. And such a death as He had! The most painful death any one can ever suffer! Do you wonder now why the martyrs were so glad to die for Jesus ? Do you see now why the saints tried to lead such holy lives? Is there nothing that you can do to show Jesus that you love Him and that you are thankful to Him for what He suffered for you? Yes, there are many ways in which you can show your thankfulness to Jesus. You can show your love to Jesus crucified by obeying the commandments of God and of the Church, by loving His Blessed Mother and by being willing to suffer something for His sake. What can you suffer? Think of all the pains Jesus suffered. In His sacred head, His hands, His whole body, what great pains lie bore! When you have a headache or a toothache or some other pain, think of Jesus hanging on the cross, and offer up your little pains to Him. If your pains were ever so great, Jesus suffered still more than you.
My dear children, there is much more I should like to tell about the sufferings of Jesus, but I shall have to wait till another day. Often look at your crucifix and tell Jesus how sorry you are that He had to suffer so much. Remember also that each time you commit sin, you are doing to Him what the wicked men did who crucified Him. You do not want to scourge Jesus, or strike Him, or mock Him, or nail Him to the cross, do you? Be careful, then, that you do not commit sin. Every time you sin you crucify Jesus again. Pray hard each day that you may keep from sin.
Practice:
1. I will keep a crucifix near me so that I may often think of the sufferings of Jesus.
2. I will ask the Blessed Mother to help me love Jesus so much that I shall never offend Him again by my sins.
Dear Jesus, all I have to Thee I give;
I am content if I for Thee may live.
Source: Practical Aids for Catholic Teachers, Imprimatur 1928
To be continued . . . . . . . . . .
RSS Feed