Terza Stazione: Gesù cade la prima volta
The First Fall
The faithful contemplate the physical agony of Jesus as he falls under the weight of the cross, acknowledging that human sin is the true burden he bears.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world. Consider this first fall of Jesus Christ under the cross. His flesh was all torn by the scourges, his head was crowned with thorns, and he had lost a great deal of blood, so he was so weak he could barely walk; he was also carrying that heavy weight on his shoulders, the soldiers shoved him, and so he fell several times on this journey.✦✦ My beloved Jesus, it isn't the weight of the cross, but the weight of my sins, that causes you such suffering. Ah!1 By the merit of this first fall, deliver me from falling into mortal sin.
A Prayer of Repentance
The devotee expresses deep sorrow for past offenses and a desire for perpetual union with Christ.
I love you, my Jesus, more than myself; with all my heart I repent of having offended you. Forgive me, and don't let me separate myself from you. Grant that I may always love you, and then do with me as you please.
Read the original Latin
Ti adoriamo, o Cristo, e ti benediciamo, perché con la tua santa Croce hai redento il mondo.
Considera questa prima caduta di Gesù Cristo sotto la croce. Aveva le carni tutte lacerate dai flagelli, la testa coronata di spine e aveva perso molto sangue, per cui era così debole che appena poteva camminare; portava poi quel gran peso sulle spalle, i soldati gli davano spinte e così più volte cadde in questo viaggio. – Amato mio Gesù, non è il peso della croce, ma quello dei miei peccati che ti fa patire tante pene. Deh! Per il merito di questa prima caduta liberami dal cadere in peccato mortale.
Io ti amo, Gesù mio, più di me stesso, mi pento con tutto il cuore di averti offeso. Perdonami e non permettere che mi separi da te. Fa’ che sempre ti ami e poi disponi di me come ti piace.
Scripture echoes
Notes
- 1 ↩Italian 'Deh!' is an archaic plea/lament interjection; rendered as a short cry of entreaty rather than expanded into 'I beg you,' to keep the one-word force of the source.
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