I believe that it is on the way to the cross that we see most clearly Jesus’ human weakness. We must never forget the torture to which He had been subjected prior to carrying His cross. The Bible tells us that Pilate had ordered Him scourged (Jn. 19:1). This was an inhumane torture of whipping with a sharp object, like a piece of jagged shell, at the end of the whip. With each blow, the back was laid open with a gaping wound. Blood loss was profound, as was the pain. Many prisoners died of scourging. They placed a crown of thorns on His head, no doubt causing intense pain as the thorns were shoved into His scalp. They mocked him by dressing Him in a purple cloak, the color of royalty. They struck Him repeatedly and taunted Him with insults. By the time He took up His cross to begin His long walk to His crucifixion on Golgotha, He was in awful pain and no doubt, terrible weakness. And so, in His human weakness, it was not long before He fell.

And we “fall” too. Sometimes we fall physically, and that can be serious! But in our weakness, unlike Jesus’ weakness, we fall spiritually, and that may have eternal consequences. We make the same mistakes repeatedly. We hurt others, we hate, we judge, we disappoint those we love, we fail to trust God. We “fall” into addictions- to substances, to material possessions, to ego, to the desire to control. We fail to put God first in our lives. We can’t forgive and we don’t love as Christ taught us. And, if we are sincerely trying to follow our Lord, “falling” again and again can get really discouraging, can’t it?

To me, the most beautiful thing about Station Three on the Way of the Cross is, not that Jesus fell, but that He got up and continued on! How could He do that? WHY did He do that? His cross was still heavy. His body was still weak. His way was still long. Could it be that He got up because He wasn’t finished yet? As long as He lived, He never gave up on His vocation. It was only at His death that He cried out, “It is finished!” His mission was accomplished. He’d done all He could do. The message was sent and God’s unique purpose for Him had been finished.

We are each a unique piece of the puzzle which is God’s plan for His world. We have been created in God’s image, given unique talents, abilities and circumstances. And we have a purpose. Even in times when we fall, and we are ashamed, and we ask forgiveness in confession, we must never give up on our mission of love. Refusing to accept God’s forgiveness by not forgiving ourselves means we remain on our face in the dirt. God’s grace is unending, and if He can forgive us, we must forgive ourselves. It’s only then that we can forgive others. It’s only then, that we can rise again and keep walking on our journey home. Because Jesus fell, our falls become meaningful. Because Jesus rose, our falls are forgivable!

Lord Jesus, when I fall, please lift me up and give me strength to keep going, even when I am weak, and my cross feels too heavy. Help me remember both my purpose and Your love. Amen