The Divine Mysteries of Faith Part 2 of 2
The 13th Contemplation (The 12th Station of the Cross)
Contemplation – Jesus Expires on the Cross
The hour of our Lord had come, and our Savior was in agony in his struggle with death, a cold sweat had covered his limbs. The Blessed Disciple John stood at the foot of the Cross and wiped the feet of Jesus with his scapular. Mary of Magdalena was on the ground in a frenzy, grieving for the Lord.
The Blessed Virgin Mary stood between Jesus and the good thief, supported by Salome and Mary of Cleophas, with her eyes riveted on Jesus.
With his last breath, the Lord bowed his head and said: 'It is consummated;’ and, raising his head, cried out in a loud voice, ‘Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.’
These words were in a clear tone, and had resounded through the Heavens and Earth and at that moment he bowed his head and he gave up the ghost. Christ was seen by those with spiritual eyes, his soul appeared with an aura of bright light surrounding him that extending outward and penetrating into the earth at the foot of the Cross. John and the holy women fell prostrate on the ground at this sight.
The centurion Abenadar steadfastly fixed his eyes on the disfigured countenance of Jesus, and was overwhelmed by all that had taken place. When our Lord pronounced his last words in a loud tone the earth trembled, and the rock of Calvary burst asunder, forming a deep chasm between the Cross of our Lord and that of Gesmas.
The voice of God was heard, this was a most solemn and yet a terrible voice that echoed through the universe and broke the solemn silence which then pervaded all of nature. All had been accomplished, the soul of our Lord had left his body and his last cry had filled every heart with terror.
The earth by being rendered had paid homage to its Creator; the Sword of Sorrow as prophecies by Simon had pierced every heart, and of those who loved him. This moment was the moment of grace for Abenadar; his horse trembled under him; his heart was touched; it was rent like the hard rock; he threw his lance to the ground, struck his breast, and cried out: ‘
Blessed be the Most High God, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob; indeed this Man was the Son of God!’ His words convinced many among them to follow his example and were likewise converted in that moment.
Abenadar became from this moment on a new man. He adored the true God and would no longer serve the enemies of Christ. No sooner had he rendered public testimony of his belief in the Divinity of Jesus, than a large number of soldiers followed his example, as did many bystanders, and even a few Pharisees.
Many struck their breasts, wept, and returned home, while others rent their garments, and cast dust on their heads. All were filled with fear for their part in the execution of Jesus and their behavior towards the Lord.
John had risen from his knees with the holy women who attended to The Blessed Virgin Mary and led her away from the foot of the Cross as she was overcome with grief and exhausted from the terror of this day.
The grief of the Blessed Virgin cannot be expressed in words for the pain she felt. Her eyes were closed, her countenance had changed and she unable to stand, she fell to the ground, but was soon lifted up supported by John and Mary of Magdalena, and the other holy women.
The Blessed Mother had looked once more upon her beloved Son, The Christ who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, the flesh of her flesh, the bone of her bone, the heart of her heart prostrated upon the cross between thieves. Our Lord had been condemned and sacrificed by those whom he came to save and why The Virgin Mary is known as the Queen of Martyrs.
It was about three o’clock when Jesus expired on the cross. The Pharisees alarmed by the earthquake and after the first shock was over began to throw stones into the chasm to measure its depth, and with ropes. However the depth of this chasm could not be found or determined by any means.
Upon this they pondered as they listened to the groans of those present that were lamenting and striking their breasts. Many among the spectators were convicted and converted by the Holy Spirit, and the greater part returned to Jerusalem overcome with fear for this most grievous sin ageist the Son of God.
The friends of Jesus stood round the Cross, many is disbelief and contemplated the Divinity of our Lord, weeping with the holy women. All walked away in silent overcome with grief
The (13th) Prayer of Forgiveness
Holy Lord before you expired on the Cross you humbly commanded your Spirit into the hands of the Holy Father by saying “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” by this precious death and supreme sacrifice I commend my sprit and my soul into your hands and turn my life over to your Sacred Heart and Divine Mercy. May the Sacred Will of our Father be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.+. Amen
The 14th Contemplation (The 13th Station of the Cross)
Contemplation - Jesus is lowered from the Cross.
Joseph and Nicodemus were in mourning attire, their cloaks were drawn over their heads, these were both wide and long to conceal everything that they were carrying. When Joseph and Nicodemus reached the gate exiting the city they found it closed and guarded with the road lined with soldiers.
Joseph showed an order signed by Pilate to let them pass freely. The soldiers explained to him that they were unable to open the gate due to the earthquake for it had been moved out of its place.
But when Joseph and Nicodemus took hold of the bolt, the gate opened as on its own power to great astonishment of all the bystanders.
When they had reached the Mount of Calvary they found the holy women on the ground weeping in front of the Cross. Cassius and several soldiers remained at a distance being converted and convicted by the Holy Spirit they had remained respectful and reserved.
Joseph and Nicodemus described to the Blessed Virgin Mary and John all they had done to save Jesus from an ignominious death, and how they had succeeded in preventing the bones of our Lord from being broken, and how the prophecy had been fulfilled as given in Psalms 34:20, “He keepeth his bones, not one of them is broken”.
No sooner had the centurion Abenadar arrived than they began to take the body of Christ from the cross with deep reverence of spirit as they went about their sacred labor in morning, with a great sorrow and in tears.
The Blessed Virgin Mary and Mary of Magdalena were at the foot of the Cross while the holy women began preparing the linen, spices, water, sponges, and vases for the adorable anointing of the Precious Body of Christ.
They preserved a solemn silence, and every movement was full of gravity and reverence and was only broken by an occasional word of lamentation, or prayer. Mary of Magdalena was so overcome by grief that she was inconsolable in her sorrow and was unaware of the events transpiring around her.
Nicodemus and Joseph placed the ladders behind the Cross and mounted them, holding in their hands a large sheet, to which three long straps were fastened. They had supported the body of Jesus below the arms and knees by tying them to the vertical post of the Cross, and secured the arms by pieces of linen placed underneath the hands. Then they drew out the nails from behind the cross and the sacred hands of Jesus. The nails fell easily out of the wounds that were made wider by the weight of the body, which was now being supported by the cloth, no longer held up by the nails.
The lower part of the Lord’s body had sunk down on the knees, now rested in a natural position, supported by the sheet that had been fastened to the arms of the cross. At the same time, Abenadar, drew out the large nail which pierced the feet of our Savior with some difficulty. Cassius devoutly had received these nails into his hands and laid them at the feet of the Blessed Virgin.
Then Joseph and Nicodemus caused the sacred body to descend gently towards the centurion who was standing on a stool to receive the body of Christ, holding it below the knees. Joseph and Nicodemus, supported the upper part of Jesus body as men bearing the body of a beloved friend who had been grievously wounded. In this way was the body of our Divine Savior removed from the cross.
It was a most touching sight, as if they had feared to cause Jesus some harm or suffering. The eyes of Mary and the holy women were fixed upon the holy body of Christ, and were lifting their hands to Heaven, shedding tears, and expressing in every possible way the excess of their grief and anguish. Yet they all remained perfectly calm during these events.
When the body was taken down it was wrapped in linen from the knees to the waist, and then placed in the arms of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was overwhelmed with grief and with sorrowful tears of love. She stretched her arms out to receive the precious body of Christ and remembrance of Simon’s prophecy came to mind in that moment.
The Holy Mothers tears flowed from her eyes as a river flowing over the Holy and Sacred Face of our Savior washing the blood stains for the disfigured and swollen face, which still showed his true Divinity and Beauty thou being horribly disfigured.
The 14th Prayer of Forgiveness
Holy Lord, as your disciples laid you in the Loving Arm of our Blessed Mother, her Tears of Sorrow and anguish washed over your Holy Face. I ask you Lord to take me from this cross and may the Tears of my Pennants and prayers become my bread day and night. May the sacred tears of the Holy Mothers wash over me and cleans me of all my inequities before the Holy Throne of God. Amen
The 15th Contemplation (The 14th Station of the Cross)
Contemplation - The Anointing of the Body of Christ and Burial
Location of the Sepulcher
The garden of Joseph of Arimathea was situated near the gate of Bethlehem, about a seven minutes’ walk from Calvary: it was a beautiful garden, with tall trees, banks, thickets and shaded throughout.
The sepulcher was large and had been cut into the rock with a platform like an altar with room for two persons, one at the head and one at the foot, and a place for a third person to stand to the side of this. There was a metal door to this tomb in which a rock could be rolled ageist to seal the tomb.
The Anointing of the Body of Jesus
The Holy Mother was at this point morning the loss of our Savior and afflicted deep in her soul, knowing the sacred duty she was about to fulfill in anointing and blessing the Holy Body of Christ. The head of Jesus rested upon Mary’s knees, this was the last time she held Jesus in her arms. The Holy Mother gazed upon our Saviors wounds and embraced his blood-stained face, while Mary of Magdalena pressed her face down upon the feet of Christ.
The men were busy at this time preparing the spices and herbs for the anointing of the Body of Christ. All but a few guards remained on the mount to prevent any interruption in the preparation for the burial of Jesus. The holy women held the vases, sponges, linen, and spices according to the religious practices of unction. The Blessed Virgin proceeded to wash the blood stained and torn body of Christ as Mary of Magdalena would not leave the body of Jesus.
John gave assistance to the Blessed Virgin while the holy women assisted both Mary’s as they washed the body of Christ giving them clean water and sponges as they were needed. The holy women were squeezing the blood soaked sponges into leather bottles to preserve every drop the Lord Precious Blood.
The Blessed Virgin remained calm and unshakable during the preparation of the Body of Christ. It was impossible for her to leave her beloved son in the awful state in which it had been reduced. The Holy Mother was ritually washing and purifying the body of Jesus from the outrages it had endured.
With the utmost care Mary had removed the crown of thorns, and one by one cut the thorns that were imbedded into the head of Jesus. The crown was placed with the nails, and then Mary removed the thorns that remained in the skin, her sorrow could be felt by all that were present.
The Holy Face of our Savior was scarcely recognizable, and disfigured from the horrendous beating he suffered at the hands of his executors. His beard and hair were matted together with blood and Mary soaked them with water to remove the congealed blood. As the Holy Mother preceded in her most pious and adoring task, she considered the extent of cruelty exercised upon Jesus, which became more and more apparent as she passed from one wound to another with great care and tenderness.
She washed the wounds on Jesus head, his eyes were filled with blood, the nostrils, the ears, the half-opened mouth, tongue, teeth, and the lips were purified with loving adoration and tenderness. When the Holy Mother had finished she place a veil over the Face of our Holy Redeemer after kissing the Lord.
Mary then turned her attention to the neck, shoulders, chest, back, arms, and pierced hands. All the bones of Jesus breast and joints were dislocated, and stiff at this time.
There was a terrible wound on the Lords shoulder which had borne the weight of humanity, and the body of Jesus was covered with bruises and deep tears in his flesh from the scourging. There was a large wound on the right side on Jesus breast where the lance was trusted through the heart of Jesus and a smaller exit wound on his left side from the tip of the spear.
The Blessed Mother had finished washing the wounds of Jesus. Mary of Magdalena was still on her knees at the sacred feet of Christ which she bathed with her tears and wiping them with her hair. Mary then proceeded to embalm all the wounds with a precious mixture of ointment, and filled and covered the wounds, kissing each one. Meanwhile Mary of Magdalena wiped and embalmed our Lord’s feet, and then again washed them with her tears, and pressed her face upon them.
The Blessed Virgin then wrapped the head of Jesus in linen cloth, but she did not as yet cover the Lords face. She closed the half-open eyes of Jesus, and kept her hand upon them for some time. She then embraced the sacred body of our beloved Lord, pressing her face fondly and reverently upon his.
Joseph and Nicodemus had been waiting for some time as the Holy Mother with love and adoration washed, anointed and blessed the Body of Christ when John asked her to permit the body of Christ to be taken from her for burial.
Mary embraced the sacred body of Jesus once more and in the most touching language prayed over Jesus and was flood with love and reverence for her sacred task was now completed.
At this time Nicodemus had spread a sweet smelling powder over the body of Christ as the other holy women placed bundles of sweet smelling herbs, spices and powered on and around the body of Christ before they began to conducted the Lord away to the sepulcher.
The body of Christ was then carefully wrapped in a piece of cloth about 18 feet in length that Joseph of Arimathea had purchased. The Blessed Virgin with the holy women and men knelt around the body of Jesus when a most touching miracle took place before them.
The Sacred Body of Jesus, with all his wounds appeared imprinted upon the cloth leaving a portrait through all the veils. Everyone was astonished when they lifting up the sheet and saw that all the linens placed on the body had remained white as before, while the outer most cloth alone had been marked with a supernatural portrait bearing testimony to the Divine Creative Power abiding in Jesus.
The Body of Our Lord is Placed in the Sepulcher
The men placed the body of Christ on a stretcher they had fastened together as Nicodemus, Joseph, John and Abenadar carried the body of Christ to the sepulcher. They were lead by two guards carrying torches while both Mary’s and the group of holy women and men followed close behind singing psalms in sweet but melancholy tones.
The procession stopped at the entrance of Joseph’s garden, which was pleasing to the eye. The holy women sat down in front of the grotto, while the four men carried in the body of our Lord and placed it on the alter prepared for the body of Christ.
The Blessed Virgin then entered the tomb and positioned herself close to the head of Jesus and bent over his body crying many tears. Mary of Magdalena had placed flowers over the body of our Lord that she had gathered in the garden. Mary of Magdalena was sobbing as she did so and then placed her hands together and kissed the feet of Jesus when the men informed her that they must close the sepulcher.
Mary exited the tomb and Nicodemus closed the folding doors, which were made of a bronze-colored metal. The stone was then placed over the door of the tomb. The stone was slightly larger than the height of a man and required two men using staffs for leverage to roll the stone over the entrance. Everything that was done within the grotto had to be accomplished by torchlight for being heavily shaded. In this way was the body of our Holy Redeemer was anointed and blessed before burial.
The 15th Payer of Forgiveness
Holy Lord as your Holy Mother anointed your Sacred Body with loving adoration and reverence for that which is sacred and holy onto our Father. May my love and adoration grow each day for you until I see thee in eternity, who is the treasure of every real joy and happiness, and with the Angels and Saints praise and glorify thee forever and ever.
Help me Lord to have reverence for the Sacred Temple of the Body and Mind that I may become an instrument of the Lords Sacred Will. Amen
The 16th Contemplation (There is no devotional station for this Mystery of Faith)
Contemplation –Resurrection of Our Lord
And I beheld the soul of our Lord between two Angels who appeared as Warriors of God when a bright luminous light from Heaven was seen, as if it was the hand of the Almighty that was brighter than the sun. This appeared as a steam of crystallized light from above that had penetrated through the rock of the tomb and illuminating the body of Christ.
In a moment when this Light of Spirit, of our Divine Savior entered the body that it was healed of its wounds, expect for the wounds of the cross. Then I saw the soul of Christ rise from the earth and entered the body and become animated. Christ, the Holy Redeemer rose to his feet shaking off his bindings and burial cloth.
The whole cave was illuminated such that this Light of Divine Spirit radiated through the outer doors and around the stone which sealed the tomb as shards of light emanating outward in all directions. This Holy Light of Spirit illuminated the whole grotto in which he was buried.
At that moment when Christ stood within the tomb, a hideous spirit had appeared from the bowls of the earth. This beast had manifested as a dark dragon with the face of a man and a tail of a serpent that attempted to attack Jesus.
The Lord was seen holding a white staff with a large banner attached, Jesus placed his foot on the head of this dragon with Power and Authority, and struck its tail three times with his staff after which the evil vanished. This was the Victory Christ had taken over death and hell.
Then the glorified body of Christ passed through the rock as if it was water. The earth shook, and then Angels appearing again as Warriors descended from Heaven, and in a flash of light entered the tomb. They lifted the stone and placed it on the right side of the sepulcher and sat upon it. At this tremendous sight the soldiers fell to the ground, and remained there as being lifeless and unable to move with their faces to the ground.
Before Mary of Magdalena had seen Jesus, the Lord first appeared to his Holy Mother, Mary on Calvary. His body was beautiful and radiating in the light of his own divinity, in his transfigured human form and as his celestial body united in presence, as one dressed in white and appeared as if he was float through the air.
The sun was in its early morning light and rays passed through the radiant aura of the Risen Christ and appeared as light passing through a prism with a thousand brilliant colors. The sunbeams passed through the open wounds in the Lords hands and a light could be seen emanating from the wound on the right side of his chest where the spear was thrusted through his body. At the time of these events a large luminous light could be seen in the sky immediately over Jerusalem.
Cassius had witnessed the stone being rolled away and the guards prostrated on the ground not being able to move and did see the angles sitting on the stone. The tomb had been opened and was empty. Cassius was not able to see the Divine Presence of the Lord which he had desired to see.
Being amazed in consideration of these things, he left the Garden and went to where the holy women had gathered that he might urge them to go immediately to the Garden, Mary of Magdalena being with them.
In following his advice, they all went at once and Mary of Magdalena went before them. No sooner had Mary reached the door of the sepulcher that she saw a celestial light that filled the cave and the Angels there in. When the other women arrived they too saw the Angels of the Lord clothed in Angelic Vestments of the most dazzling white. The women covered their faces with their hands, and fell prostrated on their knees in both fear and reverence as to not look upon the Angels.
One of the Angels addressed them and said; “Do not fear, and seek not the crucified Lord, for he is alive, and has risen”. The Angel spoke to them, “Go and relate to the disciples all that you have seen and heard, Jesus goes before thee into Galilee”.
The Angels then placed in their minds the words of our Savior; ‘The Son of Man will be delivered into the hands of sinners, he will be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ In that moment the angels had disappeared, and left the holy women filled with joy and wondrous expectations as they wept gazing into the tomb at the burial linens.
Immediately they to return to Jerusalem but were overcome with astonishment at the events that had taken place, and had walked slowly stopping often to look back in hopes of seeing our Lord.
Magdalena on the other hand was beside herself and alarm that her Lord was missing. She left the garden as quickly as possible, ahead of the other women and ran to inform Apostles of what had taken place, who were assembled together.
Mary was so excited she knocked hastily at the door where the disciples had been, some were still sleeping. Peter and John opened the door, when she exclaimed without entering the house, ‘They have taken away the body of my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him,’ and she immediately returned to the garden ahead of the disciples.
Peter and John after saying a few words to the other disciples followed her as quickly as possible, but John being younger out ran Peter. Mary of Magdalena entered the garden ahead of the disciplines and went directly to the sepulcher.
She was afraid of entering the cave, and had stopped for a moment on the outside, and knelt down in order to see better into the tomb when she perceived again the two Angels who were seated in the tomb.
One of the Angels said; ‘Woman, why weepiest thou?’ Being choked with tears she was overwhelmed with grief at finding that the body of Jesus was really gone.
Mary replied ‘Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.’ At that moment she felt a great urgency to find Jesus, sensing that he was near to her. She then raised her head, looked around, and perceived a tall figure clothed in white, standing at about ten paces from the sepulcher on the east side of the garden.
This figure was partly hidden from her sight by a palm-tree, and was startled when Jesus addressed her in these words, not seeing his face: ‘Woman, why weepiest thou? Whom seekest thou?’
Mary had perceived this to be the gardener who had a garden spade in his hand, and was dressed similar to that of the gardener described in a parable Jesus had related to her at Bethany a short time before his Passion.
The Lord did not appear luminous as he did in his celestial body as he did when appearing to the Blessed Virgin Mary, but as a man dressed in white and seen by twilight. At the words, ‘Whom seekest thou?’ she looked at him, and answered quickly, ‘Sir, if thou hast taken him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him; and I will take him away.’
Mary anxiously looked around, Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She then instantly recognized his voice, and turning quickly, replied, ‘Rabboni (Master)!’ She threw herself on her knees before him, and stretched out her hands to touch his feet. Jesus motioned her to be still, raising his hand and said,
‘Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren and say to them: I ascend to my Father and to your Father, to my God and your God. He then disappeared.
The 16th Prayer of Forgiveness
Holy Lord by your Glorious and Splendid Resurrection, raise me from the dead as you called forth Lazarus from death, for I sit in the darkness of my sins. Place within me a new heart of lively sentiment, a new mind of prefect contemplation, and a new spirit of Holiness that I may be sanctified through you to Honor and Glorify your most Holy and Sorrowful Passion. Amen
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