In the Way of the Cross, Jesus falls three times. These falls have come to remind me of God’s plan for our salvation. Surely a man who could feed 5000 with a few fish and loaves, or still a frightening storm with a few words, or turn water into wine didn’t have to endure such degradation! He could have waltzed to the cross, or floated on the air through Jerusalem! But apparently it was important that we see His human weakness. Why? Perhaps because in God’s loving plan for our salvation, Jesus came as a man like other men in all ways but sin, so that we could finally and fully understand God’s love. And that love did not shrink from the very human condition of suffering! The road to salvation goes through the cross. Perhaps then, Jesus suffered and fell because we suffer and fall too.

Now I know that Jesus did not fall because of sin like we do. But He was baptized, which was done for repentance of sin, even though He had no sin. Couldn’t it be that He fell as a part of our salvation story in same way? The Bible is the story of falls. Adam and Eve fell into sin in the Garden of Eden. King David “fell” for Bathsheba! God’s people built a golden calf, and, later, altars to nature gods. Over and over God’s people fell.

So God sent prophets to speak on His behalf, and that worked for some, for a while.

Until it didn’t anymore. People still fall away from God again and again.

Still, God doesn’t give up on His people. He had a plan, which unfolded in another Garden called Gethsemane, and continued down a street in Jerusalem called Via Dolorasa (from the Latin for “Sorrowful Road), where Jesus fell to the ground several times due to His weakened condition resulting from devastating inflicted by scourging. Each time must have cost enormous amounts of mental, physical and spiritual energy to struggle back to His feet, take up that cross once more, and stagger on! Think of that for a few moments!

Henri Nouwen wrote: “This [suffering for our salvation] was not just a show of willpower, staunch determination, or great heroism. This was a deep spiritual yes to Abba, the lover of the wounded heart.”

Can we do that? Can the “yes” of our surrender comes from the love in our hearts for our Abba who loved us first? He is indeed the “lover of the wounded heart”. Without that understanding, we cannot rise from our failures. The Tempter told Adam and Eve they could be like God. As we lay in the dirt of our own mistakes, wounded and weak, he tells us the same thing. But Jesus shows us how failure can be overcome. “Father, take this cup from me, but not my will, yours be done.” Lk. 22:42 It is only in surrender of ourselves, as Jesus surrendered Himself, that we will find strength to get up after we fall.

For every hill I’ve had to climb, / For all the blood and sweat and grime,
My heart still sings a grateful song. / These were the things that kept me strong.

Anonymous