We adore you, Oh Christ, and we praise You, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the World.

Meditation
Looking at the picture from our St Joseph Artisan alumni our Lord is falling, helplessly with fear and no control. Yet, I recall Jesus saying no one is taking his life, Jesus chose to suffer and die for me and you.
I have fallen many times in my life, whether sinning and regretting the cold hard truth that I added suffering to Christ and helped knock him down a second time…And yet, Jesus got back up to carry my sins to the cross. I can’t fathom how very strong and loving our Lord is. Thank God!
Or being knocked down by circumstances I couldn’t control - being on the wrong side of a corporate merger and being laid off when our 4 children were young or being knocked down when hit by a car while on a bike ride.
Regardless of the situation the light of Jesus’ love has come through, helping me get back up again.
I can’t imagine the intense suffering Christ went through. Thank God he did, or I would never have a chance to see him in heaven.
Thank you, Jesus, for falling and for getting back up!! I am so sorry you had to suffer like that for me and I am so grateful you got back up and completed the work of the cross.

Journal Questions:

1. How do you feel about Jesus having to carry the cross and suffering as he did?
    
2. What cross have you fallen from or struggled with? What got you back up?
    
3. How do you see Jesus’ second fall, one of strength, one of weakness, one of love, one of courage, or something else?
    
4. How can we use Jesus’ second fall to shape our lives?

Meditation offered by John Kutch: “I have had the good fortune to work in our parish office for 3 1/2 years now. After some 35 years in the corporate world chasing dreams, jobs, roles or just grinding it out to provide for my family, I finally am blessed with a role I love. I love walking through the St Leonard gates each day celebrating the honor to work in God’s church.”