Jesus Is Taken Down From the Cross  

~ STAND ~

LEADER:   WE ADORE THEE O CHRIST AND WE PRAISE THEE;      

 ~ GENUFLECT ~ 

ALL:   BECAUSE BY THY HOLY CROSS, THOU HAST REDEEMED THE WORLD.

~ STAND ~

LEADER:  WITH LOVE AND REVERENCE, JESUS IS GENTLY TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS BY TWO OF HIS DISCIPLES, JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA AND NICODEMUS. HIS MOTHER MARY WAITS AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS TO RECEIVE HIS PRECIOUS BODY. THERE, JESUS IS PLACED IN HER ARMS. SHE RECEIVES HIM WITH UNSPEAKABLE LOVE AND TENDERNESS, PRESSING HIM CLOSE TO HER BROKEN HEART. MARY IS COMPLETELY DEVASTATED HAVING WITNESSED HER SON'S EXECUTION. SHE WEEPS UNCONTROLLABLY, AS SHE REFLECTS ON HOW PRECIOUS AND ADORABLE JESUS WAS AS A SMALL CHILD, WHEN SHE HELD HIM IN HER ARMS, THE WAY SHE HOLDS HIM NOW. SHE CAN NO LONGER SEE THE RADIANT BEAUTY HIS SACRED FACE AND BODY ONCE REFLECTED. SHE CAN ONLY SEE THE MANY HORRIBLE WOUNDS THAT CONCEAL HIS BRILLIANCE. STILL ECHOING IN HER MIND ARE THE SCREAMS OF THE CROWD: IF YOU ARE THE KING OF THE JEWS, SAVE YOURSELF. . . HE'S QUITE CLEVER AT SAVING OTHERS, BUT HE CANNOT SAVE HIMSELF. . . SURELY THIS MAN WAS INNOCENT.

~ KNEEL ~

ALL: ALMIGHTY GOD AND FATHER, THROUGH MARY IMMACULATE, I OFFER THEE THE WOUNDED AND BLOODY CORPUS OF THY DIVINE SON JESUS. I UNITE THIS OFFERING WITH THE BITTER SORROW HIS BELOVED MOTHER MARY ENDURED AS SHE HELD HIS BODY IN HER LOVING ARMS. BY THE MERITS OF THIS SORROWFUL MOMENT, I BESEECH THEE TO DELIVER THE SOULS IN PURGATORY FROM THEIR SUFFERINGS, AND HAVE MERCY ON THE SOULS THAT ARE MOST FORSAKEN OF ALL.

OUR FATHER¼HAIL MARY¼GLORY BE¼

LORD JESUS CRUCIFIED, HAVE MERCY ON ME, A WRETCHED SINNER.

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