Wednesday, March 11, 2026: Station 9: Weakened almost to the point of death, Jesus falls a third time.

Scripture: Psalm 38:4-9

I am utterly spent and crushed;

I groan because of the tumult of my heart.

Lord, all my longing is known to thee,

my sighing is not hidden from you.

My heart throbs, my strength fails me;

and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.

My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague,

and my kinsmen stand afar off.

But for you, O Lord, do I wait;

it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.

Reflection:

Jesus is exhausted and the weight of the cross overwhelms him. There are times in our lives like this too–times when we don’t know which way is up or down, left or right, back or forward. What do you do when you find yourself beat up and abandoned in one of life’s dark alleys? Walk toward the light.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, this last fall showed your utter exhaustion after hours of suffering. Many of our immigrant brothers and sisters today find themselves close to the end of their immigration journey until a sudden change in law or circumstance knocks them off their feet, setting them back years in the process and causing great hardship.  May you be with them as they take up their crosses once again and attempt to persevere.

Story:

Aurelia is a woman from Cuba who came to the United States seeking political asylum. During her immigration journey she got separated from her husband, Juan, who wound up in Bolivia. Juan was diagnosed with cancer while in Bolivia. When Aurelia won asylum several years ago, she began petitioning for Juan to join her in the United States. He went to his asylum interview at the U.S. embassy in Bolivia, and was set to be approved, but then this year the travel ban went into effect preventing Cubans from entering the United States. Juan and Aurelia remain separated, even as his suffering worsens, and it is unclear when and if they will see each other again.

- Aurelia is a pro bono client of CLINIC staff member