This Lent there will be meditations on the passion of Our Lord. In particular, we will draw meditations on the Holy Face. As Fr. Jambon notes, “There is nothing more sanctifying to our souls than pondering, meditating, and contemplating the Passion and Death of Christ. The graces are great and truly cause us a change of heart for holiness and encourage us on to virtue.

Saint Augustine says: a single tear shed at the remembrance of the Passion of Jesus is worth more than a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, or a year of fasting on bread and water.” St. Louis de Montfort also noted that one who thinks of or meditates on the Passion of Christ gains more merit than if he had fasted on bread and water every Friday for a whole year, or had beaten himself with his discipline until blood flowed, or had recited the whole book of psalms every day. These short meditations this Lent will surely be a simple way of grace.

 From Ignatian Meditaions by Fr. Jeffery Jambon

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Arise, O Lord, and let Thy enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee flee from before Thy Face. (Ps 68:1)

Preliminary prayer as we begin these meditations: O adorable Face of Jesus hanging so beautifully on the tree of the Cross at the time of the passion for the redemption of the world! Have mercy on us miserable sinners even at this day, look upon us with compassion and grant us the kiss of peace. O my Jesus, mercy!

First station: Jesus is condemned to death. And he is silent! He, who is innocent itself; He, whose words have power of giving life!

His adorable Face loses nothing of its dignity and sweetness. What a lesson is this for me. O my God! Forgive me all those words I have uttered contrary to charity, humility, modesty and piety. And grant that in my trials I may honor Thee by my resignation and patience. Amen.

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Arise, O Lord, and let Thy enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee flee from before Thy Face. (Ps 68:1)

Second station: Jesus carries His Cross. And He receives it with joy and love, and He holds it to His Heart. He presses His Holy Face, His brow and His lips upon it. Oh! How much He loves us! My good Master, forgive me the murmurs and complaint with which I have received the sorrows sent me in the Thy mercy, and teach me to account myself fortunate in having something to suffer for Thee.  Amen

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Arise, O Lord, and let Thy enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee flee from before Thy Face. (Ps 68:1)

Third station: Jesus falls beneath the weight of the Cross. And He bruises His Face with the violence of His fall. He rises, His Face covered with mire, dust and blood. Holy Father, I offer Thee the fall of my Savior in expiation of those faults by which I have disedified and scandalized my neighbor. Because of Jesus humiliated and suffering, have mercy on me. In reparation I purpose to strive to prevent evil, and to win hearts to Thee. Amen.

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Arise, O Lord, and let Thy enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee flee from before Thy Face. (Ps 68:1)

What a moment! What a sorrow! What looks I behold, exchanged between this Man-God and His tender Mother! What tears bathe their faces! O heavenly Father, I offer Thee these tears as expiration of all my self-indulgence and the little resignation I show to the holy will. Grant me, as Thou didst Mary, to encounter the look in the Face of Jesus in all my sorrows.

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Arise, O Lord, and let Thy enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee flee from before Thy Face. (Ps 68:1)Does a stranger help my Master to carry His Cross and I, His child, the object of His tenderness, refuse to do so by endeavoring to escape the contradictions and disappointments with which life is strewn. Oh! How ungrateful am I. Pardon, my God, forget the past and turn Thy Face towards me. Hereafter, I will share Thy sorrows at least in accepting mine with a Christian spirit.

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Arise, O Lord, and let Thy enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee flee from before Thy Face. (Ps 68:1)

Veronica wipes the Holy Face of Jesus. And should I not also, following her example, cause Thee to forget by my reparation the outrageous Thou hast received from so many sinners? Is it not for me to make amends by greater fidelity and love? Oh! This is what I wish to do, my God, to find my glory in Thy humiliations and sorrows.

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Arise, O Lord, and let Thy enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee flee from before Thy Face. (Ps 68:1)

The Seventh station: Oh! To what a state of abasement and opprobrium do I see Thee reduced, my Savior Jesus! A God prone in the dust! The executioners raise Him with blows. They do not spare even His beautiful Face. And why? to expiate my thoughts of vanity and self-esteem. Oh! With what horror should they fill me since Jesus has suffered so much to obtain their forgiveness. My God! Have mercy. Let my heart be truly humble.

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Arise, O Lord, and let Thy enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee flee from before Thy Face. (Ps 68:1)

The Eighth Station: O blessed Master! in the midst of His sufferings, He is interested in those which cause the tears of the good women to flow! He teaches them by turning towards them His adorable Face which consoles and blesses them. O my Savior, teach us how to weep for our sins, which are the true cause of those sufferings. Grant me more especially a sincere sorrow for my own sins; let my last tear be one of repentance and love.

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Arise, O Lord, and let Thy enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee flee from before Thy Face. (Ps 68:1)

The Ninth Station: He again inflicts upon His sweet Face the same pain and humiliation as before. At the site of Calvary, He rises, if one may so speak, with renewed courage and renewed love. His heart bid Him make haste to die for His children. O tender Heart of my God, what a poor return do I make to Thee! At the approach of the slightest pain, or the smallest sacrifice, I am frightened and discouraged. Pardon, my Jesus, pardon! I will rise up with Thee and as an encouragement to follow Thee, I will say to myself in every sorrow: the mercy of God calls me!

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