Consider Simon of Cyrene, the Everyman of the passion story. Like most of us, he was not prepared to be inconvenienced. In the Simon of Anne Catherine's vision, he resented helping a total stranger, especially when he had no choice. Yet with one look into Jesus' eyes, everything changed for Simon. His heart began to melt, and before long, he was carrying that Cross to a new eternal destiny. So it is with us: God honors even the most reluctant acts of charity with abundant grace.

When they had mocked Him, they stripped Him of the robe, and put His own clothes on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him. As they were marching out, they came upon a man of Cyrene, Simon by name; this man they compelled to carry His cross. - Matthew 27:31-32

With excerpts from:

• The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ by Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich (https://bit.ly/3kaeP6l)
• The Mystical City of God by Ven. Mary of Agreda (https://bit.ly/3IhySaO)

GET THE BOOK - The Passion: Reflections on the Suffering and Death of Jesus Christ by Paul Thigpen (https://bit.ly/3IiSNpM)

In the traditional Stations of the Cross, Jesus meets Mary as He trudges through Jerusalem toward Calvary. In Maria's vision, mother and Son meet several times. Consider the scene: Any mother would be crushed to see her child endure so horrendous a passion. How much more, then, the mother of this Child, who loved so perfectly the One who was so worthy of perfect love! The Mother of Sorrows drew close to the Man of Sorrows (Isaiah 53:3), leaving an example for us all.

And His father and His mother marveled at what was said about Him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed. ... And His mother kept all of these things in her heart. - Luke 2:34-35, 51

With excerpts from:

• The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ by Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich (https://bit.ly/3kaeP6l)
• The Mystical City of God by Ven. Mary of Agreda (https://bit.ly/3IhySaO)

GET THE BOOK - The Passion: Reflections on the Suffering and Death of Jesus Christ by Paul Thigpen (https://bit.ly/3IiSNpM)

At the very heart of His sorrowful passion, Jesus felt some sense of joy because He knew the purpose of His suffering: "Jesus ... for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross" (Hebrews 12:2). Yet we may still find unsettling Maria's vision of Christ as He lifted the cross to carry it. More than simply enduring it, she saw Him embracing it. The lives of certain saints suggest that by imitating Our Lord, they gave themselves up to God in martyrdom. As Maria's vision reveals, any delight Jesus may have taken in the Cross was in reality something a delight in the brothers and sisters He would reconcile to God through it.

You were dead in sins and uncircumcised in the flesh. But God brought you back to life with Christ, having forgiven us all our sins. He has canceled our debt to the Law, which had been charged against us. He obliterated it by nailing it to the Cross. He disarmed the demonic principalities and powers, parading them publicly behind Him in the triumphal procession of the Cross. - Colossians 2:13-15

With excerpts from:

• The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ by Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich (https://bit.ly/3kaeP6l)
• The Mystical City of God by Ven. Mary of Agreda (https://bit.ly/3IhySaO)

GET THE BOOK - The Passion: Reflections on the Suffering and Death of Jesus Christ by Paul Thigpen (https://bit.ly/3IiSNpM)