The Twelfth Station, Jesus Dies the Cross

A Deathly Sacrifice

The sky bruises, the earth quakes,
as Love hangs suspended
between heaven and dust.

Hands that shaped galaxies,
now curled in agony,
held fast by iron and our rebellion.
Lips that called forth light
now whisper a final word,
“It is finished.”

The sun averts its gaze,
the temple veil shudders and tears,
a mother’s arms tremble,
and the soldiers do not understand
what they have done.

Yet even here,
where death laughs and darkness deepens,
Love does not flinch.
He bows His head,
in surrender, not defeat,
and the breath that leaves Him
births our salvation.

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Let us pray:

I kneel beneath Your cross,
where mercy flows and love is poured out.

Let me not turn away from Your sacrifice,
but let its truth pierce my heart.
In Your last breath, You gave me life;
in Your surrender, You conquered death.

Teach me to love as You have loved
and to lay down all that I am
at Your feet. Amen.