Meditation on the Stations of the Cross of Good Friday

April 6, 2007

Probably not everyone knows that the text of the Station of the Cross that we recited was born spontaneously in Lourdes in 1991, during a pilgrimage.

At that time we would have preferred to withdraw, unlike other pilgrims, to make the Stations of the Cross more peacefully and to have more space for reflection and prayer. Then these Stations of the Cross had done good to the pilgrims present and I believe that, today, it will do good to you too: words that come from the heart were spoken and, certainly, with help and inspiration from Our Lady. When I preached these Stations of the Cross I didn't think it would be transcribed; instead, Our Lady intervened asking to be published and, since some had recorded it, she also wanted it to be printed. These Stations of the Cross were even translated into other languages and read in different parts of the world. This text does good to those who meditate on it, not because of the particular merits of whoever preached it but, simply, because our Lord, in his goodness, wanted the words that were spoken to have a particular light and strength, in order to reach the hearts of those who listen to it. The reading of these Stations of the Cross can also be done privately, each in his own home; you will have the benefit of re-reading the passion of Jesus because, together with the meditation, the evangelical passage is also reported.

I can say that today, Good Friday, is the hardest and suffered day: morally, physically and spiritually by both the Bishop and the Seer. We have truly experienced, on our skin, the sense of abandonment by God: what Christ experienced in Gethsemane, the Lord wanted us too to experience. I can assure you that it is a test that strips and destroys to such an extent that, without the help of God's grace, one collapses and falls down without being able to rise again.

This Good Friday day was the most painful one compared to others, so strong that we hope it could be the last one. I want to hope so and, for this reason, I also ask you to join me in prayer, in adoration of the cross so that, effectively, this can happen as soon as possible. And then there will certainly be joy for those who have suffered so much and a little serenity will come for those who have carried this cross which, believe me, the more time passes the heavier it becomes, because energy and strength diminish.

The Church must be reborn from the pierced side of Christ, the sacraments must be practiced more and more by every man. The world cannot continue to be indifferent to the suffering of Christ, and I add, to the suffering of souls that Christ unites to himself in the Station of the Cross which begins in the Upper Room and reaches the Golgotha.

In these Stations of the Cross you have heard the juxtaposition between the silence of the tomb and the silence of the tabernacle: it is an oppressive silence and even Jesus, really present in the tabernacle, is hurt by it. It is true, the Eucharist has triumphed but, in order to reach all hearts, or at least an ever-increasing number of people, it also needs your collaboration and your contribution to God.

Give to Christ what you can give: loyalty, love, docility, obedience, faith and testimony, so that others too, seeing your good deeds, can convert, glorify the Father, love Christ and open to the light and grace of the Holy Spirit.

May God bless us all.