The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery:
The Carrying of the Cross

Our Lord accepts his cross. He is weak from loss of blood and in agony due to the torture inflicted upon him, yet he manages to carry that great load on his shoulders. He falls, straining to get up. The soldiers enlist Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross behind him. He falls two more times,  struggling on to Golgotha.

Our Lord accepts his cross. He is weak from loss of blood and in agony due to the torture inflicted upon him, yet he manages to carry that great load on his shoulders. The soldiers continue to strike him cruelly. He falls the first time just passed the city gate. He struggles to rise, his eyes meeting his mother’s as he does; her soul is surely pierced by the sword. How each longs to ease the other’s suffering. Jesus continues on, his weakness and pain overcoming him as he spies Golgotha Hill in the distance. He is moving too slow for the soldiers; they also fear he may die on the way. The soldiers enlist Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross behind him. Veronica meets him on the way and compassionately offers her veil to wipe sweat and blood from his face. The sacred image of his face is left on the cloth. Jesus struggles on and falls the second time. Jesus meets the daughters of Jerusalem and says, “Weep not so much for me, but rather for your children.” Jesus falls for the third time at the foot of Golgotha hill. He struggles to get up one last time, stooped in pain and staggering. He arrives at Golgotha, completely spent.

“Too many of our contemporaries seek an easy life without suffering, without sacrifice, without renunciation, without mortification. Many people would like to stand under the cross of Jesus and cry out ‘Come down from the cross.’ Contemporary society does not want to suffer… [and yet it] is precisely in the crucible of intense suffering that we either come close to God or rebel against his loving presence” (Fr. James Farfaglia). All those who follow Jesus must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him to Calvary. We must sacrifice for love of God and others.

Briefly reflect, discuss with God, and Praise God.

Our human suffering, when accepted and offered up in union with the Passion of Jesus, is mightily redemptive, for ourselves and others. “In so far as man becomes a sharer in Christ’s sufferings—in any part of the world and at any time in history—to that extent he in his own way completes the suffering through which Christ accomplished the Redemption of the world” (“Salvifici Doloris,” John Paul II). He completes it personally. He completes it through his taking part in it—he completes it in accepting to take up his cross and follow Christ!

Briefly reflect, discuss with God, and Praise God.

At a certain point, even Jesus could no longer pickup up his cross and go on. Simon of Cyrene took up the cross and followed behind him. We are all called to take up the cross and follow behind Jesus. And yet we all get to the point we cannot get up again and go on without help. Often that help comes directly from Jesus through grace. Other times it comes through the helping hand of another believer, the encouraging words and fellowship of God’s family. Let us accept support and offer support among our family and friends, our confidants and small church communities.

Briefly reflect, discuss with God, and Praise God.

“If under certain circumstances we show toleration and patience in bearing an insult, in suffering a wrong in silence without indignation and anger or resentment, it is a good sign, and we may begin to conclude that we have some humility; but even then, patience can only be an infallible sign of true humility when it proceeds from the recognition of our own unworthiness and when we tolerate the wrong because we know that we ourselves are full of faults and are deserving of it” (Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo,  Humility of Heart). May we humbly endure difficulties.

Briefly reflect, discuss with God, and Praise God.

We are to expect a life with many trials. Let us not only expect trials, let us also embrace them and offer them up to God for the conversion of sinners—especially ourselves.

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May we always encounter the worst of sinners as the worst of sinners. May we humbly acknowledge that “there but for the grace of God go I” (St. Francis of Assisi).

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May we see in all our crosses the opportunity to grow in patience and humility. May we waste no such precious opportunities; may we pray for more if we be slow learners!