THIRD STATION
Jesus falls the first time

V. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.

R. Because by your holy cross,
you have
redeemed the world.

Robert walks into his apartment alone. At one time he lived there with another young man around his same age, named Mark. Mark left two years ago for Europe, and now Robert is alone. He opens the newspaper. There is a brief article on AIDS at the bottom of the third page. It states bluntly that medical professionals used to think that only 30 to 40 percent of those infected by the AIDS virus ever come down with the actual disease. Then they began to say 50 percent. Now they fear it is higher... much higher. Robert thinks his heart will stop. Fear begins once more to seep into his whole being. He feels cold and dark. For awhile he cannot move. He cannot call his family. Though they live not far away, they do not really know him. He cannot go to church; he knows they have negative feelings toward Persons with AIDS. And he absolutely cannot tell anyone at work; it could mean the loss of his job. He is afraid to tell his friends; there would be too much unwanted attention, and he couldn't bear being smothered right now. He must come to grips with this alone. The icy fear covers him again, and he thinks he may vomit. He lies down on the floor to try to relax. His heart is pounding so loud he thinks he can hear it. Robert calls in sick the next day, and in fact stays home from work the next three days and drinks himself into a stupor.

Prayer

Jesus,
I am falling, falling, falling.
Help me now in this up-hill climb.
Send me living angels to help me
find my way and lift this cross.

Amen.

The Fourth Station