Good Friday
The Thirteenth Station: Jesus Is Taken Down from the Cross
We adore you O Christ and we praise you.
Because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Remember ‘He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High’ (Luke 1:32).
In this station we remember helpers, carers and volunteers.
Meditate
One night, in 1493, the young Michelangelo,
aged only twenty-three,
broke into the Chapel of Santa Petronilla
and chiselled into his first masterpiece the words,
‘Michelangelo Buonarroti Florentine made this’.
The masterpiece was the Pietà.
A rival sculptor, Cristoforo Salari threatened to claim
it as his own work. Michelangelo later regretted his
outburst of pride and never again added a
personal signature to any of piece of his work.
The Pietá belongs to this station. It is the station of wordless tenderness.
It is the station of profound tragedy and sorrow.It speaks of the heartbreak
of mothers in every time and place.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, mothers, sons, daughters and closest friends
were not able to touch their loved ones in that final journey into death.
God is one of us who dwells among us and shares in our humanity.
Here is God who descends with us in the dereliction
and agony of death.
Jesus is the light of our darkness,
sent to illuminate our earthly night.
Hymn
‘Come back to me with all your heart.
Don’t let fear keep us apart.
Trees do bend, though straight and tall;
so must we to other’s call.’
(composed by Gregory Norbet OSB)
Pray
Blessed be God.
Blessed be His Holy Name.
Blessed be Jesus Christ, true God and true Man.
Blessed be the Name of Jesus.
Blessed be His Most Sacred Heart.
Blessed be His Most Precious Blood.
Amen
Sing
‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom …’ (Taizé Chant)
Thanks
Our Thanks go to John Cullen, P.P., author of the book ‘Calvary Covenant’ and Donal Neary, S.J. author of ‘Gospel Reflections for the Sundays of Year B’: Mark for the use of their books published by Messenger publications, c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop/
