Take the Cross, Look at Jesus
April 4, 2023
Tuesday of Holy Week
Dear Family of Mary!
The Gospels for Holy Week are not easy to hear. They tell of distrust, envy, and betrayal. Jesus was surrounded by these terrible attitudes which darkened the hearts of his enemies, and even his Apostles. We see Judas, unable to empathize with his Master. Lost in greed and denial, he chooses to betray and hand over Jesus to the Sanhedrin. But Peter, the one chosen to be head of the Church, is told by Jesus that he would deny Him three times that very night. We must reflect on these two men and their failures. Are we ready to die with Jesus? Do we deny Him when it is uncomfortable?
Our Lady alone stood with Jesus throughout His ordeal. She alone did not fail Him. We can rely on her to guide us in our lives of faith and courage.
Our Lady said to us:
February 25, 2016 “Dear children! In this time of grace, I am calling all of you to conversion. Little children, you love little and pray even less. You are lost and do not know what your goal is. Take the cross, look at Jesus and follow Him. He gives Himself to you to the death on the cross, because He loves you. Little children, I am calling you: return to prayer with the heart so as to find hope and the meaning of your existence, in prayer. I am with you and am praying for you. Thank you for having responded to my call.”
Our Lady watched Judas and Peter fail. She knows we are all capable of failing her son. She teaches us the remedy. “Take the cross, look at Jesus and follow Him. He gives Himself to you to the death on the cross, because He loves you.” The cross is our guide in all things. Jesus, laying down His life for us, is our only hope. Follow Him. Love Him. Trust Him. Die with Him. That is our way.
Here is one prayer that we can pray each day to prepare for Good Friday. In it we stay near Our Lady at the foot of the Cross:
At The Cross Her Station Keeping
At the cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.
Through her heart, his sorrow sharing,
All his bitter anguish bearing,
Now at length the sword has passed.
Oh, how sad and sore distressed
Was that Mother highly blest
Of the sole begotten One!
Christ above in torment hangs;
She beneath beholds the pangs
Of her dying, glorious Son.
Is there one who would not weep,
‘Whelmed in miseries so deep,
Christ’s dear Mother to behold?
Can the human heart refrain
From partaking in her pain,
In that Mother’s pain untold?
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
She beheld her tender Child,
All with bloody scourges rent.
For the sins of his own nation,
Saw him hang in desolation
Till his spirit forth he sent.
O sweet Mother! fount of love,
Touch my spirit from above,
Make my heart with yours accord.
Make me feel as you have felt;
Make my soul to glow and melt
With the love of Christ, my Lord.
Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified.
Let me share with you his pain,
Who for all our sins was slain,
Who for me in torments died.
Let me mingle tears with thee,
Mourning him who mourned for me,
All the days that I may live:
By the cross with you to stay,
There with you to weep and pray,
This I ask of you to give.
Virgin of all Virgins best!
Listen to my fond request:
Let me share thy grief divine.
Mother may we pray with you all week long!
God bless you and keep you!!
Cathy Nolan
Mary TV
P.S. The “800 Club” campaign continues! The response has been electric! So many shipmates have already donated, joyfully!! It is very moving. Here is the response of one of our shipmates to our call for help:
From a California shipmate:
Hi Denis! This is a GREAT IDEA!! I love how the Holy Spirit works and this time through Tracy in Medjugorje! I am not able to donate $1,000 however, I have given a little bit… so what I have done is to send out emails to 27 people I know who I believe can donate and also, I have asked them to forward my email out to others!! I explained the situation and gave them your website (which many already have) and explained how to donate! This is a movement of the Holy Spirit, Praise God!!
Thank you to all of you, our dear shipmates!!
