Station IX Jesus Falls the Third Time
Even with Simon’s help, Jesus probably fell again. As we said earlier, Jesus was suffering not only mentally and spiritually for our sins, but by now, cursed, bloodied, and battered, every part of Jesus’ body must have been in agony. St. Bernard of Clairvaux said that Jesus had revealed to him that the wound on His left shoulder was the most painful of all. At St. Bernard’s urging, Pope Eugenius III granted a 3000 year indulgence to anyone who sincerely prayed the Lord’s Prayer and three Hail Mary’s in honor of this wound. Mother Angelica is the founder of the worldwide communications network EWTN. One of her favorite prayers is an old one entitled the
“Prayer to the Shoulder Wound of Our Lord Jesus.”
O Loving Jesus, meek Lamb of God, I, a miserable sinner, salute and worship the most Sacred Wound of Thy Shoulder on which Thou didst bear Thy heavy Cross, which so tore Thy Flesh and laid bare Thy Bones as to inflict on Thee an anguish greater than any other wound of Thy Most Blessed Body. I adore Thee, O Jesus, most sorrowful; I praise and glorify Thee and give Thee thanks for this most sacred and painful Wound, beseeching Thee by that exceeding pain, and by the crushing burden of Thy Cross, to be merciful to me a sinner, to forgive me all my mortal and venial sins, and to lead me on toward Heaven along the Way of the Cross. Amen.
Say one Our Father and three Hail Marys.
