Station XIII: The Body of Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross
Death is not an end, but a beginning. Although we mourn, we also hope in the resurrection.
The sorrow and loss experienced by those who survive the deceased are also part of the Lord's Passion. St. Paul says that in our suffering "we fill up what is lacking in the suffering of Christ." Our suffering is His suffering, and His suffering is our suffering.
Our physical self is as much a part of our Being as our soul. In the Creed we profess our belief in the "resurrection of the body" - which body deserves honor and dignity, even in death.
We mourn Jesus most truely when we embrace those who have suffered loss, not just personal loss, but loss of family, homeland, human dignity and a place in society. We also cannot forget that the Gospel describes creation itself mourned the death of Christ (the darkening of the sun, earthquake, etc). Creation continues to suffer from human abuse and neglect, which is an extension of humanity's inhumanity to humanity.
