Pilate, though he finds no fault in Jesus, yields to the crowd and condemns Him to death. The Innocent One is condemned so that the guilty might go free.

Consider how Jesus, after being scourged and crowned with thorns, was unjustly condemned by Pilate to die on the cross. My adorable Jesus, it was not Pilate — no, it was my sins that condemned Thee to die. By the merits of this humiliation, grant me a deep sorrow for my sins and a firm resolve to offend Thee no more.

The heavy wooden cross is laid upon the shoulders of Jesus. He receives it willingly — for love of you — and sets His face toward Calvary.

Consider how Jesus, in making this journey with the cross upon His shoulders, thought of us and offered for us to His Father the pain He suffered. My beloved Jesus, I embrace all the tribulations Thou hast destined for me until death. By the merit of the pain Thou suffered in carrying Thy cross, give me the strength to carry mine with perfect patience and resignation.

Weakened by the scourging and the weight of the cross, Jesus falls to the ground for the first time. He rises again — for love of us.

Consider the first fall of Jesus. Loss of blood from the scourging and the crowning with thorns had so weakened Him that He could scarcely walk. My beloved Jesus, it is not the weight of the cross but the weight of my sins which has made Thee fall. By the merits of this first fall, deliver me from the misfortune of falling into mortal sin.

On the road to Calvary, Jesus encounters His Mother Mary. Their eyes meet in a moment of unutterable grief and love — two hearts, one sword.

Consider the meeting of the Son and the Mother, which took place on this journey. Jesus and Mary looked at each other, and their looks became as so many arrows to wound those hearts which loved each other so tenderly. My most loving Jesus, by the sorrow Thou didst experience in this meeting, grant me the grace of a truly devoted love for Thy most holy Mother.

The soldiers compel Simon of Cyrene to help carry the cross. He does so reluctantly at first — yet in doing so receives a grace beyond measure.

Consider how the Jews, fearing Jesus would die on the way, constrained Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross behind Him. My most sweet Jesus, I will not refuse the cross as Simon did at first. I accept it; I embrace it; I embrace all the sufferings which it shall please Thee to send me. I deserve much worse. With Thy help I will carry this cross.

A courageous woman steps forward from the jeering crowd and wipes the bloodied face of Jesus with her veil. He leaves her the imprint of His holy face as a reward.

Consider how the holy woman Veronica, seeing Jesus so afflicted and His face bathed in sweat and blood, presented Him with a towel, with which He wiped His adorable face, leaving on it the impression of His holy countenance. My most beloved Jesus, Thy face was beautiful before, but in this journey it has lost all its beauty. Alas, my soul was once beautiful when it received Thy grace in Baptism, but I have disfigured it by my sins.

The road grows harder. Jesus falls a second time beneath the weight of the cross. Still He rises — because of His love for you.

Consider the second fall of Jesus under His cross — a fall which renews the pain of all the wounds in His head, His hands, and His feet. My most gentle Jesus, how many times Thou hast forgiven me, and how many times I have fallen again into the same sins. By the merits of this second fall, give me the grace to persevere in Thy love until death.

A group of women weep for Jesus on the road. He turns and says: "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children."

Consider how those women wept with compassion at seeing Jesus so pitiable, streaming with blood as He walked along. Jesus said to them: Weep not for me, but for your children. My Jesus, laden with sorrows, I weep for the offenses I have committed against Thee, because Thou art infinitely good and so deserving of my love.

For the third time, Jesus falls to the earth. He is very near Calvary now. With the last of His strength, He rises once more.

Consider the third fall of Jesus Christ. His weakness was extreme, and the cruelty of His executioners excessive, as they tried to hasten His steps when He had scarcely strength to move. My outraged Jesus, by the merits of the weakness Thou didst suffer in going to Calvary, give me strength sufficient to conquer all human respect and all my wicked passions, which have led me to despise Thy friendship.

At Calvary, the soldiers strip Jesus of His garments. He is left exposed and humiliated, with no covering but His wounds.

Consider the violence with which the executioners stripped Jesus. His inner garments adhered to His lacerated flesh, and they dragged them off so roughly that the skin came with them. My compassionate Jesus, by the merits of the torment Thou didst feel, help me to strip from my heart all attachment to the things of this earth, that I may place all my love in Thee who art the only good worthy of it.

They lay Jesus upon the cross. The nails are driven through His hands and feet. He is lifted up before all the world — and He does not resist.

Consider how Jesus, having been placed upon the cross, extended His hands and offered to His Eternal Father the sacrifice of His life for our salvation. They nailed His hands and His feet, and then raised Him upon the cross. My Jesus, loaded with contempt, nail my heart to Thy cross, that it may ever remain there to love Thee and never quit Thee again.

After three hours of agony, Jesus bows His head and gives up His spirit. "It is consummated." The Lamb of God is slain for the sins of the world.

Consider how thy Jesus, after three hours' agony on the cross, consumed at length with anguish, abandons Himself to the weight of His body, bows His head and dies. My dying Jesus, I kiss devoutly the cross on which Thou didst die for love of me. I have merited by my sins to die a miserable death; but Thy death is my hope. By the merits of Thy death, give me grace to die embracing Thy feet and burning with love of Thee.

After His death, the body of Jesus is taken down from the cross and laid in the arms of His grieving Mother. The Pietà — all sorrow made visible.

Consider how, after the death of our Lord, two of His disciples took Him down from the cross and placed Him in the arms of His afflicted Mother, who received Him with unutterable tenderness and pressed Him to her bosom. My afflicted Mother, sweet consoler of the afflicted, now that thy beloved Son is dead, turn thine eyes of pity upon me, a poor sinner.

The body of Jesus is wrapped in burial cloths and laid in a new tomb. The stone is rolled across the entrance. The disciples watch — and wait.

Consider how the disciples carried the body of Jesus to bury it, accompanied by His holy Mother, who arranged it in the sepulchre with her own hands. They then closed the tomb and all withdrew. My buried Jesus, I kiss the stone that encloses Thee. But I know that Thou shalt rise again on the third day. I too hope to rise on the last day, to be always united with Thee in heaven. Let not my soul ever be buried in sin.