Seen from the Confessional seconds after entering to hear Confessions during early Sunday Adoration (6:00-7:00 AM) at Holy Redeemer Church in Andrews, NC. Between the stained glass windows we have pictures of the Stations of the Cross (which fit in our tiny church building). You’ll see Saint Joseph and baby Jesus being reflected in the 9th Station. That statue is up in the sanctuary of the church near the tabernacle. I guess this is my situational awareness coming into play. :-)
The 9th Station is Jesus falling under the weight of the cross for the third time. We put that burden on Jesus. Did we also trip Him up so that the cross would smash down upon Him on His way to Calvary for us? Did we do that? Yes, each one of us.
Here’s Station 9 on Mount Carmel, Israel, acid-damaged by vandals:
In the reflection of Station 9 in the picture up top, baby Jesus has a face. Later, in Station 9 on Mount Carmel, Jesus’ face was removed… by our sin. His appearance was not that of a man…
We recall Saint Therese of Lisieux who took the religious name Therese of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face…
At the judgment, I imagine that Saint Joseph will be with Jesus, and it is Saint Joseph who will ask us about Jesus falling the third time, about where the weight of that cross came from, and whether we had tripped Jesus.
Confession does wonders for the soul!
