Garden of Gethsemane
How different this garden from the first
As hope lies face down bleeding,
The weight of all the hours to come
shroud the joy and unveil the pleading.
I hold out the cup of suffering
the one you beg pass by.
The fathers will not yours is done,
as your will is done not mine.
I am unable to stop the agony
It is not your will I ever should.
So I sit and love you from a distance
What would comfort you, if I could?
“Whisper to me of the glory,
of the day to come when I rise
Tell me of what this will mean to you
I wish to see it through your eyes”.
So I tell you of the wonder to come
How I am only able to be near
accompany you in your passion
because of what you suffer here.
I can only mirror your agony
Etched so deeply on your brow
and only know of your desire for me
for the pain you are choosing now.
But that great time of glory, Lord
is three short days away
We will extoll forever Lord
of what you do today.
For a thousand times a thousand years
we will recount this hour
How you defeated evil, and
how death was overpowered
I only know how to love you Lord
from these moments of laboured breath
what an honour to lay beside you Lord
as you love me unto death.
1st Station
How many times have I stood,
where Pilate he now stands,
Your Light and beauty before my eyes
Your blood upon my hands.
Let my silence never deny you,
But speak of strength , as did yours,
As only now I kneel with Peter
Can I share in his remorse.
Please Cleanse the silver from my palm,
Erase all sense of doubt.
If I stand among a thousand
Be it your name I cry out.
Pray, let me face my own trials
With the strength you there bore,
May God, I too remember
That you still suffer more.
2nd Station
The weight of my heart
Is but nothing
When I see the burden you bare
As you brace my sins to Calvary
Prepared to unburden me there.
Why do I let you labour
With the load that should be mine
What evil is it within me
That lets you suffer for my crime ?
Those same arms cradle me to your altar,
Though I think that I do it alone,
I may arrive full of foolish self pride
But it is you who has carried me home.
It is every day you support me, Lord
As like your flesh I am weak,
I can only carry you in my heart,
Your name on my lips as I speak
Station 3
Oh if I could only grasp you Lord,
To save you from this fall
To save you just from one more graze
Instead of causing more.
Though I strain my arms to reach you,
As ever I’m too late,
Those seconds are my sins,
My failings seal your fate.
I am the rock that caused your stumble,
Made your body hit the ground,
I am that cross upon your shoulder,
The rope with which you’re bound.
Oh to kiss those wounds the thorns have made
Across your sacred brow
If I could heal them just with Love
Then please Jesus, let me
Do it now.
Station 4
I can’t hold you blessed Mary,
And turn your away your face,
And save you from the vision
Brought from my souls disgrace.
If I could soothe your purest heart.
It is I should see his pain.
But I see the torture through your eyes
And my soul screams out its shame.
What could ease the ache for you,
Of his precious blood here spilled.
No solace can be found from knowing
This is prophecy fulfilled.
Oh, that I could hold you Mary
Take the pain I see you feel,
Say words that may bring comfort,
Though knowing they won’t heal.
Station 5
I want to walk beside you Lord
I need to ease your pain,
In some small way, give all I have
A servant who’l l remain.
I pray I will now come willingly
When you have called to me,
How often have I closed my eyes
For fear of what Ill see.
For every cry for help I’ve turned from,
There is a knot borne in that wood.
But the grain that runs right through it,
Is the knowing that I could.
Let me not toil just for my own part,
let me carry all I can.
Let me do it with a full heart,
For you the Son of Man.
Station 6
Would I have seen the Christ in you
Behind that tortured face?
Would I have shown compassion if Id seen you in that place?
Would I have tried to avoid your gaze,
Walked by with some relief?
Or taken my cloth to wipe your blood
To see what was beneath
Would I have given any time
To soothe this stranger’s hurt
Could I have seen your beauty
Or only seen the dirt ?
Would I have seen the Christ in you
See what others didn’t see ?
And as I knelt to show you love
Would they see you Christ in me?
Station 7
Again I stand and watch you fall
The gravel scar your face
How many times through my own free will
have I fallen from your grace?
My tasteless salt rubbed to your wounds
My sin the stones you fall to,
My heart to hard to soften your blow,
My desires the dust that chokes you.
Your blood spills to undeserving earth,
I cry out in my grief,
But you, with all your own pain
Still take pity and bring to me relief.
As you are lifted up to your feet once more,
Steer again to face your goal,
Through your loving and forgiveness,
You then lift and steer my soul.
Station 8
Oh women of Jerusalem
I stand with you and weep,
But tears alone won’t wash away
The sins that I repeat.
I could fill the rivers full for you
And fill a million seas,
But do they fall for Jesus Christ
Or do they fall for me?
We are those children of whom He spoke
Your woes he gave to us,
For centuries, we’ve mourned and cried
But never given trust.
He walked that journey full of pain,
In hope that we could learn,
That it’s not into our own cold hands,
But to him that we should turn.
Station 9
As you fall my Jesus,
for the final time.
The hands that have pushed you,
Could just as well been mine.
For every time I have refused to hear,
Your still, small, guiding voice
For every time I have turned from you,
And made another choice.
Time and again I have pushed you
As if to prove I’m unworthy,
But time again you upright me,
Amaze me with your mercy.
Please forgive me, Lord Is all I ask,
For every single trespass made,
As from this fall my Jesus,
By me, you could have been saved.
Station 10
They tear the garments from your flesh,
Your wounds are deepened still.
Your naked tortured body,
Laid bare for every ill.
How I wish to shed my sinful self,
Show scars, my choice has made,
For only then can you clothe me with love
And that love to you be repaid.
Do I lift water to your lips
Or vinegar and gall ?
Do I pull my cup away from you
Or do I give you more ?
We cry forgive us father,
For we are knowing not,
Yet still I’m casting Judgements
Whilst they are casting lots.
Only when I stand exposed,
Own nothing but my faith
Can I turn to you in humility
And truly see your grace.
Station 11
For every rise of that hammer,
I can only raise you my heart,
Live every moment for you
To you every breath impart.
I know, my King as the hammer descends,
I can only descend to my knees.
What gifts of worth do I have to give
To you my God but these.
For without you I am but nothing,
But to you this nothing I bring,
Though I know it will not end your torture,
Will not be an end to your suffering.
For every nail that pierces you
Is proof of a love that will last
A forgiveness, a chance to make amends
For the sinfulness of my past.
Station 12
My head, now bowed as yours,
Let me stay awhile at your feet,
Let me weep for you and for myself,
As you fall to breathless sleep.
For it is I who now thirsts, sweet saviour,
As my soul it is parched and dry,
My Jesus, ever loving God made man
Left on this cross to die,
And as the sky is darkened,
So darkens all my heart,
And as the temple curtain,
It too is torn apart.
Yet still we do not see it
The light shone on our shame,
That from these hands,
And for our sins,
The Lamb of God is slain.
Station 13
His Lifeless corpse now taken down,
Into Mary’s care to rest,
If only your pain had ended there,
As you held him to your breast.
I am not worthy Mary,
To shed those tears you cry,
Though my heart it needs to share your cross,
As in your arms he lies.
Please may I sit beside you,
I want no more than this,
Please let me hold your gentle hand,
As you are holding his.
So pure of heart are you Mary,
As you cradle your only son,
That as I dare to look to your eyes,
I see no malice for what I’ve done.
Station 14
I will walk behind you, Mary,
Follow, not just to this cave,
I have but love not linen,
To warm him in his grave.
Let me help to push the stone in place,
That seals this holy tomb,
Let him lie in peace and safety,
Return him to your womb.
I will sit with you forever, Lord
Though a sinner and a doubter,
Let me watch with you a lifetime, Lord
Not just a single Hour.
I will not wait here mourning,
For all the things I’ve done,
Let me spread your love,
Your light, your word,
Wait with joy for you to come.
