SEVENTH STATION
Jesus falls the second time
Lam 3: 1-2, 9, 16

I am a man who knows affliction from the rod of his anger, one whom he has led and forced to walk in darkness, not in the light.... He has blocked my ways with fitted stones, and turned my paths aside.... He has broken my teeth with gravel, pressed my face in the dust.
* * *
Satan had a second fall, when our Lord came upon earth. By that time he had usurped the dominion of the whole world - and he called himself its king. And he dared to take up the Holy Saviour in his arms, and show Him all kingdoms, and blasphemously promise to give them to Him, His Maker, if He would adore him. Jesus answered, "Begone, Satan!" - and Satan fell down from the high mountain. And Jesus bare witness to it when He said, "I saw Satan, as lightning, falling from heaven". The Evil One remembered this second defeat, and so now he smote down the Innocent Lord a second time, now that he had Him in his power.
* * *
O dear Lord,
teach us to suffer with Thee,
and not be afraid of Satan's buffetings,
when they come on us
from resisting him.

EIGHTH STATION
The women of Jerusalem mourn for our Lord
Lk 23: 28-31

Jesus turned to them and said: "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me. Weep for yourselves and for your children. The days are coming when they will say, "Happy are the sterile, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed'. Then they will begin saying to the mountains, "Fall on us', and to the hills, "Cover us'. If they do these things in the green wood, what will happen in the dry?".
* * *
Ever since the prophecy of old time, that the Saviour of man was to be born of a woman of the stock of Abraham, the Jewish women had desired to bear Him. Yet, now that He was really come, how different, as the Gospel tells us, was the event from what they had expected. He said to them "that the days were coming when they should say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the breasts which have not given suck".
* * *
Ah, Lord,
we know not what is good for us,
and what is bad.
We cannot foretell the future, nor do we know,
when Thou comest to visit us,
in what form Thou wilt come.
And therefore we leave it all to Thee.
Do Thou Thy good pleasure to us and in us.
Let us ever look at Thee,
and do Thou look upon us,
and give us the grace of Thy bitter Cross
and Passion,
and console us in Thy own way
and at Thy own time.

NINTH STATION
Jesus falls the third time
Lam 3: 27-32

It is good for a man to bear the yoke from his youth. Let him sit alone and in silence, when it is laid upon him. Let him put his mouth to the dust; there may yet be hope. Let him offer his cheek to be struck, let him be filled with disgrace. For the Lord's rejection does not last forever; Though he punishes, he takes pity, in the abundance of his mercies.
* * *
Satan will have a third and final fall at the end of the world, when he will be shut up for good in the everlasting fiery prison. He knew this was to be his end - he has no hope, but despair only. He knew that no suffering which he could at that moment inflict upon the Saviour of men would avail to rescue himself from that inevitable doom. But, in horrible rage and hatred, he determined to insult and torture while he could the great King whose throne is everlasting. Therefore a third time he smote Him down fiercely to the earth.
* * *
O Jesus, Only-begotten Son of God,
the Word Incarnate,
we adore with fear and trembling
and deep thankfulness
Thy awful humiliation,
that Thou who art the Highest,
should have permitted Thyself,
even for one hour,
to be the sport and prey of the Evil One