As we journey through Lent, reflecting on Christ’s journey to the Cross, we asked Johnathan, a youth leader from St John XXIII Parish, Glenwood-Stanhope Gardens, to reflect on the Station of the Cross that resonates most with him.
The Ninth Station – Jesus falls for the third time.
Jesus’ journey to Golgotha was a tiresome and gruesome one. Having been brutally whipped before having the weight of the Cross placed upon Him, Jesus would have been in a state of agony beyond our comprehension. The Ninth Station of the Cross encompasses this, having fallen for the third time, I am reminded of the weight of the burden that Jesus bore for us.
In trying to comprehend the trials that Jesus suffered, I remind myself of the importance of Jesus’ humanity in taking up the Cross. He willingly accepted the plan of His Father, giving up His divinity to walk amongst us. Jesus encompassed perfection in the human form, with His body, soul and mind aligned with God’s will for His life. He endured what no human had and will again.
Within my life, I will never have to face a pain or task as grave as Jesus’ sacrifice for us. Yet, we all face our own struggles and hardships, and it’s within these moments that I like to remember the example that Jesus set for me. In falling for the third time, most of us would consider giving up and remaining on the ground. However, Jesus got back up, He persevered and continued along the hardest path of all because He knew He had to fulfil God’s will for His life.
There have been periods in my recent life where I have struggled to comprehend my purpose in life. I have struggled to hear what God is calling me to achieve with the life He has gifted me. I have fallen much more than three times on the path to fulfilling God’s will for me, and there have been times where I would have preferred to stay down. However, it was in those times that I turned to God and was reminded to face my struggles with a steadfast faith, knowing that God would not give me more than I could handle.
A Bible verse that I like to remind myself of when I am struggling is John 13:7, in which Jesus says, “you do not realise now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” This verse reminds me to continue to be patient in my circumstance, diligent to His word and to keep God at the centre, regardless of what lies before me.
In falling, but most importantly, getting back up for the third time, Jesus embodied what you and I must do within our own lives. Jesus reminds us to find strength and grace in God, trusting His plan for us in the midst of our own trials.
We all have our own hills to climb, and the path may not always be easy, but like Jesus, we should be reminded to be resilient and place our trust in the Lord, as it is through Him that we will find salvation.
This article was originally published in the 2024 Easter | Autumn edition of the Catholic Outlook Magazine. You can read the digital version here or pick up a copy in your local parish.
