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The Bridegroom’s Aisle: Cross, Resurrection, Eucharist

The Bridegroom’s Aisle: Cross, Resurrection, Eucharist

Last updated on: April 2, 2021 at 7:26 am by Fr. Stephanos Pedrano, O.S.B.

The Bridegroom’s Aisle: Cross, Resurrection, Eucharist 2021-04-02T07:26:31-08:00 Fr. Stephanos Pedrano, O.S.B.

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Bridegroom of the Church

These “Stations of the Cross” have Christ speaking as Bridegroom to his Bride the Church. Their form imitates Japanese haiku: seventeen syllables in three lines of five, seven and five syllables.

From the Bridegroom of the Church

I. Jesus is condemned to death.

I want it this way.

How else can I give my all?

Love condemns itself

II. He takes up the cross.

Bride of sin and death,

with this cross I do thee wed.

Mine now what was yours.

III. He falls down.

Grace now ungraceful,

God now man, heaven fallen,

love unloved by choice.

IV. His mother Mary joins him along the way.

She gave birth to this:

my life, joys, sorrows, glory.

Mother of my all.

V. Simon of Cyrene is forced to help him.

Unwilling helper,

unknowing co-redeemer.

I love you the same.

VI. Veronica wipes his face.

You are my image.

You I imprint, not your veils.

Suffer! Love with me!

VII. He falls again.

Cross-laden, I fall–

the priest crushed by the altar,

love crushed by its bed.

VIII. Women weep for him.

You do not know me.

You weep for my innocence

whose depth you don’t know.

IX. He falls for the third time.

It rode me here, bride,

our altar, our board, our bed.

Arrived, I fall. Come!

X. He is stripped of his clothes.

Strip away my all!

Father, even you are gone.

Friend, bride, where are you?

XI. He is nailed to the cross.

Nail me to your sins!

Yes– come nail your death to me!

Wed me– take my life!

XII. He dies.

I give me all up

for Father’s glory, my source,

and you, image, bride.

XIII. His body is removed from the cross.

See, bride, I come down.

Stay still! Though gone, I approach–

down … to you … like you.

XIV. He is buried.

Dead with all in death!

Even you, Father … absent?

I-Am-Who-Here-Am.

XV. He rises in glory from the dead.

Father! Your Spirit

whom I live, have, breathe, bestow

on my bride, my flesh!

XVI. His bride greets him in his Eucharist, the Presence of His All.

Cross! Resurrection!

Eucharist! Christ, Lord and God!

Christ our salvation!

Turn. Love. Repeat.

stations of the cross

way of the cross

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