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: (Mt 11:28-30)

"Come to me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon your shoulders and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart. Your souls will find rest, for my yoke is easy and my burden light.

Reflect

I get mixed feelings in seeing a battered fighter in the ring who keeps rising up to fight a good fight. There is sympathy at his fate, but also the enthusiasm to help him make it to the end. St. Paul had this strong determination to complete his mission against all odds. He says, "We are afflicted in every way possible, but we are not crushed; full of doubts, we never despair. We are persecuted but never abandoned; we are struck down but never destroyed. Continually we carry about in our bodies the dying of Jesus, so that in our bodies the life of Jesus may also be revealed" (2 Cor 4:8-10). For a Christian, falls and stumbles are not hindrances to the journey in life, but they serve as opportunities of growth in humility, obedience and love for God and others. A Christian is always resilient and ready to start anew, never disheartened. This firm resolve is our share in welcoming the gift of salvation that Jesus has come to give us. In our struggles in life, he is there offering us his consolation. Rest, if needed. But rest in Him always, and the consolation of Jesus is yours for the next phase of the journey.

Pray

Dear Jesus, it pains me deeply to see you fall again. But it comforts me greatly that with you, I can rest, when I myself fall. As you had the strength of the Father in you to keep rising, I want to draw my own strength from you to keep me going. I pray for those who become desperate in their lives, those who get blinded by the falls they have, those who want the whole world to fall with them too. Inspire them to realize that there is always hope for victory in our struggles. May they be inspired always by your life and the examples of your chosen ones. On my part, may I keep rising from my falls as I joyously look forward to a final resurrection with you. Amen. (You may say the Our Father before you go to the next station.)