Stations of the Cross for Teachers - The Eighth Station

Jesus speaks to the women of Jerusalem

We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Luke 23:27-28 [As Jesus walked toward Golgotha], a large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him; and he turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me...for behold, the days are coming..."

Reflection: A crush of people surrounds Jesus as he drags his cross through the streets—jeering, cheering, yelling people, and grief-stricken, too. Encountering the women, he turns to them and shares a hope-filled message: this is not the end of the story. Those who judge Christ worthy of death will, in the end, meet the judgment of God. There is hope.

Prayer: Jesus, God of both justice and mercy, thank you for the hope you embodied and shared with your heartbroken followers, even on the way to the cross. Keep us mindful and ready communicators of your promises.