Station IX: Jesus falls a third time.

This is part nine of a series of posts on the Stations of the Cross. Here are Stations I and II and III and IV and Vand VI and VII and VIII.

At this point in the stations, I always get a little antsy: "Okay, okay... so he falls again. I get it. Wow, this is starting to be long. Oh, wait, I should be meditating on this and feeling bad. Sigh." I start thinking about the hamburger I'm going to eat after Easter.

Image source.

Oh, the guilt. The whole world seems like a landfill or a river choked with garbage and filth. And I am very much a part of that world. Jesus falls yet again, and all I can think about is red meat. Jesus is still suffering, and we are very much a part of his pain even when we're being pious and meditating on the Stations.

That's the point, I suppose. Instead of trying to be a perfect Catholic or Orthodox or Christian, instead of being angry at myself for failing to be that perfect woman, the third fall of Christ is a time to grieve but also to trust. He fell a third time and he rose. Entrusting my sin to his mercy, I follow on the way to Calvary.

"When we fall, we drag you down to earth, and Satan laughs, for he hopes that you will not be able to rise from that fall; he hopes that being dragged down in the fall of your Church, you will remain prostrate and overpowered. But you will rise again. You stood up, you arose and you can also raise us up. Save and sanctify your Church. Save and sanctify us all." ~from the Vatican website Stations