SEVENTH STATION:
I FELL FOR THE SECOND TIME
INTRODUCTION
The statue you're seeing now is the Seventh Station of the Cross, "I Fell for the Second Time," which captures a profound and poignant moment in Jesus' journey to Calvary. This station portrays the scene where Jesus, weighed down by the heavy cross, stumbles and falls for the second time.
At this station, we are invited to reflect on the depth of Jesus' humanity and His willingness to fully experience the physical and emotional strain of His Passion. Despite His divine nature, Jesus embraced every aspect of human existence, including vulnerability and weakness. His second fall emphasizes His profound love and solidarity with humanity, as He shares in the trials and tribulations of the human condition.
This Seventh Station of the Cross portrays Jesus' resilience in the face of suffering as He carries the heavy cross. Despite the physical toll and immense burden, He remains determined to fulfill His Father's plan for the redemption of humanity. Each fall of Jesus symbolizes the weight of humanity's sins that He willingly carries, demonstrating His sacrificial love and commitment to seeking our redemption and reconciliation with God.
In contemplating this station of the cross, we are called to find meaning in our own suffering. Just as Jesus found purpose and redemption through His Passion, we are encouraged to seek spiritual growth and transformation in our trials and difficulties. Through our own experiences of stumbling and falling, we can draw closer to Jesus, finding comfort in His understanding of our human struggles.
The Seventh Station serves as a powerful reminder of Jesus' selfless love and His unwavering commitment to His mission. It inspires us to persevere in the face of adversity, trusting in God's divine plan for our lives. As we continue our pilgrimage and meditate on this station, may it deepen our appreciation of Jesus' humanity and His profound love for us. May it also motivate us to embrace our own journey of faith with courage, resilience, and a renewed sense of devotion to God's will.
PRAYER
Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
Response: Because, by Your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Leader: Consider how the second fall of Jesus under His cross renews the pain in all the wounds of the head and members of our afflicted Lord.
Response: My most gentle Jesus, how many times You have forgiven me; and how many times I have fallen again and begun again to offend You! By the merits of this second fall, give me the grace to persevere in Your love until death. Grant, that in all my temptations, I may always have recourse to You. I love You, Jesus, my Love with all my heart; I am sorry that I have offended You. Never let me offend You again. Grant that I may love You always; and then do with me as You will.