V. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. (You may bow your head or genuflect)
R. Because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.

Read and Listen: (Lk 23: 32-33, 35-37)

Two others who were criminals were led along with him to be crucified. When they came to Skull Place, as it was called, they crucified him there and the criminals as well, one on his right and the other on his left...The people stood there watching, and the leaders kept jeering at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, the chosen one." The soldiers also made fun of him, coming forward to offer him their sour wine and saying, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself."

Reflect

The loss of the sense of dignity of Jesus was further intensified as he was nailed to the cross. Now it was definite that he had to die, as it was useless for him to fight back or save himself. All hopes in him as Savior have also been pinned down to the cross. He himself made the cry of lamentation to the Lord, as he cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mt 27:47). Taken from Ps 22, the cry was deeply an expression of hope and trust in the Lord. Even at the very brink of death, in abandonment and desperation, Jesus was still able to keep his loving trust on the Father. Through the crucifixion of Jesus, the marks of his wounds on the body prove how deeply God in him loves us. Our wounds and marks of sufferings in life indicate not that God abandons us, but that He loves us. Let us take joyful pride that they are marks of our own love for God also. St. Paul says, "in my own flesh I fill up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for the sake of his body, the church" (Col 1:24). In Christ crucified, nothing can put us down or separate us from God's love for us (Rom 8:39).

Pray

Dear Jesus, how can you ever endure all the pains, mockery and the sense of abandonment that you suffered in your crucifixion? Even your own disciples abandoned you. I am not sure of myself either, whether I can stick it out with you in such critical moment. Forgive me for my own infidelity. However, when I feel your deep love for me, I feel ashamed of myself. I thank you then for your immense love. I begin to feel confident to love you in return. I gain strength to follow you amidst the challenges that come my way. Again, dear Lord, I pray that your wounds of love for me make me love you more deeply and the others too in my life. Amen. (You may say the Our Father before you go to the next station.)