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Jesus falls the third time
Lam 3: 27-32

It is good for a man to bear the yoke
from his youth.
Let him sit alone and in silence, when it
is laid upon him.
Let him put his mouth to the dust;
there may yet be hope.
Let him offer his cheek to be struck,
let him be filled with disgrace.
For the Lord's rejection does not last forever;
Though he punishes, he takes pity,
in the abundance of his mercies.

Satan will have a third and final fall at the end of the world, when he will be shut up for good in the everlasting fiery prison. He knew this was to be his end - he has no hope, but despair only. He knew that no suffering which he could at that moment inflict upon the Saviour of men would avail to rescue himself from that inevitable doom. But, in horrible rage and hatred, he determined to insult and torture while he could the great King whose throne is everlasting. Therefore a third time he smote Him down fiercely to the earth.

O Jesus, Only-begotten Son of God,
the Word Incarnate,
we adore with fear and trembling
and deep thankfulness
Thy awful humiliation,
that Thou who art the Highest,
should have permitted Thyself,
even for one hour,
to be the sport and prey of the Evil One.

Jesus is stripped of His garments
Mt 27: 33-36

Upon arriving at a site called Golgotha,
a name which means Skull Place,
they gave him a drink of wine
flavoured with gall,
which he tasted but refused to drink.
When they had crucified him,
they divided his clothes among them
by casting lots;
then they sat down there
and kept watch over him.

Jesus would give up everything of this world, before He left it. He exercised the most perfect poverty. When He left the Holy House of Nazareth, and went out to preach, He had not where to lay His head. He lived on the poorest food, and on what was given to Him by those who loved and served Him. And therefore He chose a death in which not even His clothes were left to Him. He parted with what seemed most necessary, and even a part of Him, by the law of human nature since the fall.

Grant us in like manner, O dear Lord,
to care nothing
for anything on earth,
and to bear the loss of all things,
and to endure even shame,
reproach, contempt, and mockery,
rather than that Thou shalt be ashamed
of us at the last day.

Jesus is nailed to the Cross
Mk 15: 25-27

It was about nine in the morning
when they crucified him.
The inscription proclaiming his offence read: 
"The King of the Jews".
With him they crucified two insurgents,
one at his right and one at his left.

Jesus is pierced through each hand and each foot with a sharp nail. His eyes are dimmed with blood, and are closed by the swollen lids and livid brows which the blows of His executioners have caused. His mouth is filled with vinegar and gall. His head is encircled by the sharp thorns. His heart is pierced with the spear. Thus, all His senses are mortified and crucified, that He may make atonement for every kind of human sin.

O Jesus,
mortify and crucify us with Thee.
Let us never sin by hand or foot,
by eyes or mouth, or by head or heart.
Let all our senses be a sacrifice to Thee;
let every member sing Thy praise.
Let the sacred blood
which flowed from Thy five wounds
anoint us with such sanctifying grace
that we may die to the world,
and live only to Thee.

Jesus dies upon the Cross
Mt 27: 45-47, 50

From noon onward, there was darkness
over the whole land until midafternoon.
Then toward midafternoon
Jesus cried out in a loud tone,
"Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?",
that is, "My God, my God,
why have you forsaken me?".
This made some of the bystanders
who heard it remark, "He is invoking Elijah!".
Once again Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
and then gave up his spirit.

"Consummatum est". It is completed - it has come to a full end. The mystery of God's love towards us is accomplished. The price is paid, and we are redeemed. The Eternal Father determined not to pardon us without a price, in order to show us especial favour. He condescended to make us valuable to Him. What we buy we put a value on. He might have saved us without a price - by the mere fiat of His will. But to show His love for us He took a price, which, if there was to be a price set upon us at all, if there was any ransom at all to be taken for the guilt of our sins, could be nothing short of the death of His Son in our nature.

O my God and Father,
Thou hast valued us so much
as to pay the highest of all possible prices
for our sinful souls;
and shall we not love
and choose Thee above all things
as the one necessary and one only good?

Gossops Green