Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/739

 suffering Saviour. According to  a reliable  tradition,  Veronica,  who handed to  our  Lord  a cloth  wherewith  to  wipe  the  sweat  from  His brow, was  one  of  these  weeping  women. When she  received  back the cloth  from  Him,  the  Sacred  Face  of  Jesus  was  wonderfully  imprinted on  it.

Carrying the  Cross  is  both  necessary  and  meritorious. It  was  to  all men that  our  Lord  said  (Mat.  16,  24):  “If  any  man  will  come  after Me, let  him  deny  Himself  and  take  up  his  cross  and  follow  Me.” Whoever, therefore,  wishes  to  be  a true  disciple  of  Jesus  Christ  must take up  his  cross  daily  and  follow  our  Lord,  or,  in  other  words,  he must  patiently  bear  all  labours,  burdens,  and  sufferings. The story  of Simon  of  Cyrene  shows  us  what  a blessed  and  meritorious  thing  it  is to  carry  the  cross  after  Jesus. At first  he  strove  against  the  honour imposed on  him,  considering  it  to  be  an  indignity. Soon, however, he was  seized  with  compassion  for  the  Divine  Sufferer,  and  from  that moment he  carried  the  Cross  with  joy. By the  labour  of  love  which he performed  for  our  Lord,  he  obtained  the  gift  of  faith,  and  was consecrated bishop  by  St. Peter.

The devotion  of  the  Way  of  the  Cross  places  before  us  for  our devout contemplation  the  sufferings  of  our  Lord  divided  into  fourteen stations, from  His  condemnation  to  death  to  His  being  laid  in  the sepulchre. The Church  recommends  this  devotion  very  much,  and  he who  devoutly  practises  it  in  a state  of  grace  may  obtain  the  same indulgences that  are  granted  to  the  faithful  who  visit  in  person  the, sacred places  in  Jerusalem. The fourteen  stations  are  as  follows:  1. Jesus is condemned  to  death  by  Pilate;  2. The Cross  is  laid  on  the  shoulders of Jesus;  3. Jesus falls  under  His  Cross  the  first  time;  4. Jesus meets His Mother;  5. Simon of  Cyrene  is  compelled  to  help  Jesus  to  carry the Cross;  6. St. Veronica  wipes  the  Face  of  Jesus  with  a cloth; 7. Christ  falls  under  His  Cross  the  second  time;  8. The women  of Jerusalem  mourn  for  our  Lord;  9. Jesus falls  the  third  time  under  the weight of  the  Cross;  10. Jesus is  stripped  of  His  garments;  11. Jesus is nailed  to  the  Cross;  12. Jesus dies  upon  the  Cross;  13. Jesus is  laid in the  arms  of  His  most  afflicted  Mother; 14. Jesus is  laid  in  the  tomb.

Contemplate the  Passion  of  our  Lord  Jesus Christ very  often  and  very  devoutly,  that  you,  like  the  pious women, may  be  moved  to  tears. Do not,  however,  be  content with a merely  natural  compassion  for  your  Saviour  so  cruelly nailed to  the  Cross,  but  let  it  call  forth  within  you  a deep  love for the  Son  of  God,  who  offered  up  His  sufferings  for  you. Let it awaken  in  your  heart  a great  horror  of  sin,  which  brought  all this suffering  on  your  sinless  Saviour. Weep for  yourself  and for your  sins  which  caused  our  Lord  s bitter  Passion,  and  pray