Monday, March 2, 2026: Stations of the Cross: 

Jesus falls for the first time

Station of the Cross: III  Jesus Falls the First Time: 

Weakened by torture and pain, Jesus falls beneath his cross.

Prayer: 

Lord Jesus, your falls under the weight of the cross further weakened your aching body and spirit. So many of our immigrant brothers and sisters make it to the United States where they think they will be safe, only to find repeated torture within our systems that oppress, detain, and abandon them. May we recognize your suffering face in their pleas for help and mercy.

Scripture:

John 19:1-3 And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and arrayed him in a purple robe; they came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands.

Reflection:

The enormous weight on his shoulders–we did that and we still do. With our thoughts, words, actions or inaction, we put more weight upon his shoulders. But even with all of this weight, Jesus gets back up. And he invites us to radical transformation, to forgiveness, and to unconditional love.

Story:

My client Miguel came to the United States when he was a minor fleeing severe child abuse in his home country. He was reunited with a sibling and filed an asylum application as an unaccompanied minor. After several years of waiting for an interview, he was detained this past October after being arrested. He was not charged for any crime but was sent to an ICE detention center. However, a month or so into detention, the pause on all affirmative asylum applications was put in place. 

We requested a bond, but the judge denied it because his arrest fell under the Laken Riley Act; therefore, he cannot be released, but no decision can be made on his case. Over the last four months, he has often complained about not sleeping because the lights are always on or there is too much noise in his cell. The food is nothing he is used to, and when one day he woke up with swollen eyes, he could not see the nurse for several days. 

After another inmate harmed him, he was put in solitary for more than a week and lost his “privilege” to communicate with his family during that time. 

Recently, he was transferred to another jail further away from his family. It is unclear how long he will have to be detained if he wants the chance to win asylum or whether he will decide to give up and be sent home.   

- An attorney at a CLINIC Affiliate organization in Missouri