Down again - Station 9

One of my favorite commercials as a teenager was for LifeCall.  In this commercial, Mrs. Fletcher, an elderly lady falls in her home and can't get up.  The memorable line from this commercial is "Help, I've fallen and I can't get up!"  The journey to Calvary continues.  Jesus is in a state of mental anguish, extreme fatigue, and hunger as he has been abused, cursed at, spat upon and condemned.  There were some people that helped him out along the way, Mary, his mother, Simon, Veronica and women of Jerusalem.

In the mid-day heat, Jesus falls yet again for the third time.  In the LifeCall commercial, Mrs. Fletcher could not get up.  Jesus however, had no choice but to get up.  He could have easily laid on the dusty ground, and just given up.  He could have easily called for a legion of angels to come wipe out the city of Jerusalem and all the spectators.  Jesus arose from his final fall knowing what  needed to be done.  Instead of doing what would be easy for himself, he became the ultimate sacrifice and model of selfless love.  Because Jesus got up, we too can get up and walk into new mercies, each and every morning.  We can walk with love and charity in our hearts.  When we fall, let us be ever mindful that we have to get back up, although it may be easier to lie in our dust of self-loathing, bitterness, contrariness and melancholy.  Jesus got up, so that you could get up and face your cross at this very hour.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus crucified, help us to remember that when the weights of life become too burdensome for us to bear, help us to remember that you are always there.  Make us ever mindful that because you got up, we too may get up and arise in your glory.  Equip us to help those around us that may have fallen and feel as if they have no hope.  Amen.

Faithfully,
Karr