XII. Jesus dies.
Behold the wood of the Cross…
Pause and hold your heart and the world in your hands.
No one deserves to die this way. Especially not Jesus—Him who loved people so much, who helped them and healed them, and wanted nothing more for them than a joyful life.
Our Lord died a terrible death. It was anything but the “quick painless death” that most Christians pray for today. It was slow—excruciatingly slow. It was agonizingly painful—not only physically, but also emotionally and spiritually.
The Lord did not die surrounded by His loved ones. Instead, all around Him was that hostile and cruel crowd.
Jesus died a lonely death: No could hold His hand as He hanged on His cross. The last sound He heard were not assurances of love, but words of cruelty and mockery. What a way to die.
Our Lord paid a very dear price to redeem us. He paid for our salvation with His own blood.
No more words need to be said.
Linger here at this Station awhile—for a longer while than the other Stations.
Make sure to spend time thinking about what our Lord chose to go through out of love for you. Let His love for you sink in, and yes, let it affect you and move you.
Feel free to express how you feel concretely: Thank Him, bow your head, touch the cross or kiss it, fall on your knees… Whatever can help you express how you feel, consider doing it here and now.
The song “Jesus on the Cross” tries to express what the death of our Lord costs and what it means. Pray with it.
Feel free to share your thoughts, questions, and prayers below.