VII. Jesus falls the second time

Let us consider our Divine Saviour again sinking under the weight of the Cross. God has laid all the sins of the world upon His shoulders. Poswit Dominus in eo iniquitatem omnium nostrum. They are our sins that crush Him. He beholds them all in their multitude and in their every detail. He accepts them as His own to the extent that He no longer appears, according to St Paul’s own words, anything but a living sin: Pro nobis peccatum fecit. As the Eternal Word, Jesus is all powerful; but He chooses to feel all the weakness of a burdened humanity: this wholly voluntary weakness honours the justice of His Heavenly Father, and merits strength for us.

Never let us forget our infirmities ; never let us give way to pride. However great may be the progress we believe we have made, we always remain too weak of ourselves to carry our cross after Jesus: Sime me nihil potestis facere. The Divine virtue that goes out from Him alone becomes our strength: omma possum in eo qui me confortat ; but it is only given to us if we often ask for it.

O Jesus, weak for love of us, crushed under the weight of my sins, give me the strength that is in You, so that You alone may be glorified by my works !