We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. - Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

A reading from the gospel according to John. Pilate said to him: “Do you not know that I have power to release you and power to crucify you?” Jesus answered: “You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above.” (Jn 19:10)

Then said our good Lord Jesus Christ to me: "Are you well satisfied with my suffering for you?" And I said: "Yes, good Lord, in your mercy. Yes, good Lord, may you be blessed forever!" Then said Jesus, our kind Lord: "If you are satisfied, I am satisfied. It is a joy, a bliss and an endless delight to me that I suffered my passion for you. And if it were needful or possible that I should suffer more, I would suffer more." (Julian of Norwich, IX Revelation, Ch. 22) Our Father…

We adore you, O Christ…

A reading from the gospel according to John. So they took Jesus and he went out, bearing his own cross to the place called the place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha. (John 19: 17)

And I saw that the love which made him suffer passes as far all his pains as heaven is above the earth. For his passion was a noble, precious and worshipful deed done in time by the working of love. And that love was without beginning, is now, and shall be forever. (Julian of Norwich, IX Revelation, Ch. 22) Our Father…

We adore you, O Christ…

A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews. Although he was Son, he learned to obey through suffering, that being made perfect he might become the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him. (Hebrews 5: 8-9)

When Adam fell, God's Son fell, as God's Son chose not to be parted from Adam. For Adam signifies to my understanding Everyman. Adam fell from life to death, into the vale of this wretched world and after that into hell; God's Son fell, with Adam, into the vale of the Maiden's womb, who was the fairest daughter of Adam; and for this end: to excuse Adam from blame in heaven and on earth. (Julian of Norwich, XIV Revelation, Ch. 51) Our Father…

We adore you, O Christ….

A reading from the Second Book of Maccabees. My son, have pity on me, I carried you nine months in my womb, and nursed you for three years, and have reared you and brought you up. I beseech you, my Child, look at the heavens and the earth and see everything that is in them and know that it was God who made them all out of nothing. Accept death now so that in God’s mercy I may receive you back with your brothers. (2 Mc 7:27-29)

Here I saw a part of the compassion of Our Lady Saint Mary: for Christ and she were so made one in love, that the greatness of her loving was the cause of the greatness of her pain. In this, I saw an example of natural love, strengthened by grace, that creatures have for him; which kind love was most fully and over passingly shown in his sweet Mother. Forever the higher, the mightier, the sweeter that love be, the more sorrow it is to the lover to see that body in pain that is loved. (Julian of Norwich, VIII Revelation, Ch. 18) Our Father…

We adore you, O Christ…

A reading from the gospel according to Luke. And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. (Luke 23: 26)

And all his disciples and all his true lovers then suffered anguish more than in their own bodily dying. For I am sure by my own feelings that the least of them loved him so far above himself, that it passes beyond the power of my telling. …Here I saw a great oneness between Christ and us, to my understanding, for when he is in pain we are in pain. (Julian of Norwich, VIII Revelation, Ch. 18) Our Father…

We adore you, O Christ…

A reading from the book of Isaiah. He had no form or comeliness that we should look at him, no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and neglected, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces. (Is 53:2-3)

And I saw in the face of the crucifix that hung before me a part of his passion, and it made me think of the holy veil of Veronica which is at Rome, which he portrayed with his own blessed face when he bore his hard passion. Of the brownness and blackness and ruefulness of this image many have marveled how it may be, since he portrayed it with his own blessed face, who is the fairness of heaven and the flower of earth and the fruit of the Maiden's womb. But it was shown me that it is the image and likeness of our foul black deeds' shame in which our fair bright blessed Lord God was hid. Blessed may he be. (Julian of Norwich, II Revelation, Ch. 10) Our Father…