A Reflection After Praying the Stations of the Cross

Sometimes after doing the round of stations of the cross, a particular station would stand out and talk to the depth of my heart, bringing me to tears and understanding. I should have recorded them more; they are precious. Here are two messages that I got from the stations of the cross this evening:

"Vernonica wiping His face" this station stood out and talk to me tonight. Jesus'face must have been so bruised, so disfigured, so ugly and dirty. He was there as the lowest type of prisoner, one who was disdained and hated by the crowd. But this one woman, what courage did she have! She dared to stand out and let others know that she cared for Jesus, although He was in the lowest possible position a human being could be at that moment. She was not scared. She did not hide out in the crowd. She risked being hurt by the soldiers when she went to Jesus to wipe his face. This is a gentle and brave act that we should follow.
How many times do we really dare to stand up for God? Do we feel uncomfortable when see a poor and dirty man on the street but doesen't dare to help, fearing that other people will be watching? Do we really dare to tell people from other religions how great and how kind Jesus is? Can we admit to others unbelievers that God has really changed our lives and the fact that becoming Christian is the most important decision we ever made? Do we dare to do anything at all "for God" when that involved being lowly in honor, being small, being unimportant, being unaccepted in other people's eyes?

I admit that I am not as brave as Veronica. I am still a coward. Many times I was a coward. But I will remember the message I receive tonight, and I will remember too, the fact, that Jesus dared to take "the lowest possible position a human being could be" although He is the greatest of us all. Honor, admiration, worldly adoration and acception from other people, He shed them all like clothes, those clothes that He let the soldiers take them away. I mean, God is the greatest, but God let himself fall to the lowest position just to save us and to teach us that....it doesn't matter, my dear. All those things you think important are not matter, Love and Truth will conquer them all.

And the resurrection proved that God was right. All those torment, pain, shame, and death could not last. They passed away like illusion or maya, and there is the new life of Truth waiting for us out there.

Please help me remember always, oh Jesus, how low you let yourself fall so that we can be lifted up. Please help me to care not for fame, honor, reputation of the world. Amen.