The First Sorrowful Mystery - The Agony in the Garden
After the Passover supper with His Apostles Jesus went out to Gethsemane and He became very sad and sorrowful. He said to Peter and James and John, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death. Wait here and watch with Me.’[i]
In that moment, the sins of the whole world from all time pressed upon Him, including sins that would be committed by the members of His Church.
We call to Him from the depths of our hearts: “Kyrie eleison. Have Mercy on your Church.”[ii]
The Second Sorrowful Mystery – The Scourging at the Pillar
Pilate said to the crowds, “What then shall I do with Jesus, who is called the Christ?” And they all said, “Let Him be crucified!” So Pilate released Barabbas and had Jesus scourged.[iii]
“He was stripped of His garments, tied to a pillar, and His flesh lacerated from head to foot with cruel scourges until His body could bear no more.”[iv] The body of Jesus, the Church, has again been scourged by the sins of some of its members.
We call to Him from the depths of our hearts: “Kyrie eleison. Have mercy on Your Church.”[v]
The Third Sorrowful Mystery – The Crowning with Thorns
The soldiers fashioned a crown of thorns and fastened it on His head, driving the thorns deeply into His head. They mocked His kingship, kneeling before Him crying, “Hail, King of the Jews.”[vi]
“Jesus, our true king, does not reign through violence, but through a love which suffers for us and with us.”[vii] Jesus, You are now suffering with us, Your Body the Church, because of the sins of abuse, misconduct and abuse of power and position. O King, by Your passion, cleanse and purify the Church.
We call to you from the depths of our hearts: “Kyrie eleison. Have mercy on Your Church.”[viii]
The Fourth Sorrowful Mystery – Jesus Carries the Cross
“We cannot conceive the sufferings, the insults, the indignities Jesus experienced”[ix] “as He was dragged, weak and suffering through the streets.”[x] “The weight of all of our sins presses upon Him.”[xi]
Jesus, Your Body the Church experiences the sufferings, the insults, the indignities of the way of the cross. Only Your grace and power can lift us up when we have fallen – once, twice, three times and many times. O suffering Savior, by your passion cleanse and purify your Church.
We call to you from the depths of our hearts: “Kyrie eleison. Have mercy on Your Church.”[xii]
The Fifth Sorrowful Mystery – The Crucifixion of Our Lord
When they came to the place called Golgotha, that is the Place of the Skull, they crucified Him.[xiii]
“The unbelievable cruelty of this procedure of being nailed to a cross cannot even be imagined.”[xiv] Through Your passion, crucifixion, death and resurrection, Jesus, you have brought us the gift of forgiveness of sins. Cleanse and purify the Church You love of the sins of abuse and misconduct which have seriously wounded the Church. Bring healing and love to victims.
Help us all to rededicate ourselves to the pursuit of true holiness.
— Catholic News Herald
[i] Matthew 26: 36-38.
[ii] Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Way of the Cross at the Colosseum (Ninth Station), March 24, 2005.
[iii] Matthew 27: 22, 26.
[iv] Charles V. Lacey, Rosary Novenas to Our Lady (U.S.A.: Benziger Brothers, 1954), p. 25 (The Scourging).
[v] Ratzinger, Way of the Cross (Ninth Station).
[vi] Lacey, Rosary Novenas, p. 27 (The Crowning with Thorns).
[vii] Ratzinger, Way of the Cross (Second Station).
[viii] Ratzinger, Way of the Cross (Ninth Station).
[ix] Holy Hour of Reparation (Oak Lawn, Ill: CMJ Marian Publishers, 2001), p. 19.
[x] Lacey, Rosary Novenas, p. 29 (The Carrying of the Cross).
[xi] Holy Hour of Reparation, p. 3.
[xii] Ratzinger, Way of the Cross (Ninth Station).
[xiii] Matthew 27: 33, 35.
[xiv] Ratzinger, Way of the Cross (Eleventh Station).