Fourth Sorrowful Mystery:
The Carrying of the Cross


After Christ had been condemned to death, the soldiers laid the Cross upon His shoulders so painfully injured. That heavy Cross He carried to Calvary, the place of execution, amid the jeering and insults of a mob. Our Lord was weak from loss of blood and hunger. His cruel maltreatment too had lessened His fullness of strength. He fell several times under the weight of the Cross on that last terrible journey. Our Lady followed Him along the road of sorrow. Some pious women, seeing Him suffering so much hurt, wept with compassion.

FRUIT OF THE MYSTERY: SUBMISSION TO GOD'S HOLY WILL------PATIENCE IN SUFFERING

Carrying our cross is both a duty and a source of merit. It was this that Our Lord meant when He said, "If any man wilt come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me."

Whoever, therefore, wishes to be a true disciple of Jesus must take up his cross daily: in other words, he must patiently carry on with any labour, burden, or suffering God may permit. Consider Christ atoning for our sins, by the Cross, the means of acquiring merits for us, of glorifying His Heavenly Father. If we accept the Cross as Jesus accepted it, with humility and perfect submission to God's Holy Will, it will mean the same for us.




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