Way of the Cross with My Beloved AIDS-Stricken Friend
AJANews 78 - April 2009
This Way of the Cross was written by Thierry Manirambona SJ, a Burundian scholastic who uses poetry and prose to draw attention to people with HIV, and translated by Mr Robert Czerny, Ottawa. It is dedicated to Jean d'Amour, a boy whom Thierry befriended at the Noël Orphanage at Nyundo. We lived together for two months, writes Thierry. He did gymnastics with me; we went scouting together, a few days. I knew he was HIV-positive. One day, he passed away, without leaving any trace. He was young, no more than 12. Now, in the sixth line of every Station, Thierry offers his friend Jean d'Amour to Jesus on the way to Calvary.
1st Station: Jesus before Pilate
Jesus, you stand before Pilate
Innocent, silent
Justice is dead among us
But you - you know why you are there
To restore justice to society
I offer you my little friend
He is dazed by the suffering facing him
Too young to understand
And heaven is silent
Remember him, help him
Innocent, silent
Justice is dead among us
But you - you know why you are there
To restore justice to society
I offer you my little friend
He is dazed by the suffering facing him
Too young to understand
And heaven is silent
Remember him, help him
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
2nd Station: Jesus carries the Cross
All is decided: you must carry the cross
To the place of execution
You have not fled
You did not try to escape the cross
To make us stronger
I offer you the sick child
Who must bear isolation and abandonment
May he realize that it is not a curse
Rather, you are with him
Give him strength, hold his hand
To the place of execution
You have not fled
You did not try to escape the cross
To make us stronger
I offer you the sick child
Who must bear isolation and abandonment
May he realize that it is not a curse
Rather, you are with him
Give him strength, hold his hand
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
3rd Station: Jesus falls on the way
The cross is heavy, you fall on the way
You tumble to the ground
Like a great tree dying
In the silence of the night
And though falling you do not give up
I offer you my little chum
Who sometimes gets depressed
At the first fall, the first memory
Give him your arm, look at him
May he rise again: the way is very long
You tumble to the ground
Like a great tree dying
In the silence of the night
And though falling you do not give up
I offer you my little chum
Who sometimes gets depressed
At the first fall, the first memory
Give him your arm, look at him
May he rise again: the way is very long
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
4th Station: Mary the sorrowing Mother
It is too hard for your mother
Who suffered so much when fleeing
When hearing Simeon's words
And in more than one unhappy incident
And you carry her in your heart, Mary
I offer you my buddy, Jesus
May he realize that we are with him
That it is hard for us too
And may he carry us in his suffering
As we carry him and love him
Who suffered so much when fleeing
When hearing Simeon's words
And in more than one unhappy incident
And you carry her in your heart, Mary
I offer you my buddy, Jesus
May he realize that we are with him
That it is hard for us too
And may he carry us in his suffering
As we carry him and love him
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
5th Station: Simon of Cyrene
He takes part in your passion
And he will go on, later he will leave
You - you will complete the Passion
I offer you my companion, Lord Jesus
Make me his river Ferryman
So that one day I may help him to alight
Even if I must abandon him one day
Make me compassionate for one night
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
6th Station: The suffering face of Christ
Veronica steps out of the crowd, fragile
And silent, wipes your face
You allow it, you let yourself be loved
You welcome our help
You who have all, who are all
Lord, I offer you my friend
Though scarcely aware of me, allow me to love him always
At least to smile at him
To draw him a butterfly, a flower
Make me an Instrument of resilience
And silent, wipes your face
You allow it, you let yourself be loved
You welcome our help
You who have all, who are all
Lord, I offer you my friend
Though scarcely aware of me, allow me to love him always
At least to smile at him
To draw him a butterfly, a flower
Make me an Instrument of resilience
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
7th Station: Jesus falls again
The sun is hot, the way goes on
You walk with fists raining down on you
Exhausted, you fall again
On the sharp, cruel stones
And yet, you will not give up
Lord, I offer you my companion
The sorrow is immense
His hope is fading away and he collapses again
He was hopeful but has reached the end of his rope
Reach out and lift him again
You walk with fists raining down on you
Exhausted, you fall again
On the sharp, cruel stones
And yet, you will not give up
Lord, I offer you my companion
The sorrow is immense
His hope is fading away and he collapses again
He was hopeful but has reached the end of his rope
Reach out and lift him again
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
8th Station: The women of Jerusalem
These un-named, forgotten women
Who feel assaulted in their mother-love
And who know the value of life
They pity you, these poor women
And you - you speak a word of love to them
I offer you my comrade
May he accept the friendship
Of spontaneous, unknown friends
May he experience pure unselfish giving
Open your heart to him
Who feel assaulted in their mother-love
And who know the value of life
They pity you, these poor women
And you - you speak a word of love to them
I offer you my comrade
May he accept the friendship
Of spontaneous, unknown friends
May he experience pure unselfish giving
Open your heart to him
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
9th Station: Jesus falls for a third time
What strength remained is gone
You are almost at the end of the way
The clock stops
It begins to count backwards
And you do not hide. You stay
I offer you my sick friend
When he is blocked on all sides
When the way seems barred
Call him, may he see you pinned to the ground
And may he remain brave like you
You are almost at the end of the way
The clock stops
It begins to count backwards
And you do not hide. You stay
I offer you my sick friend
When he is blocked on all sides
When the way seems barred
Call him, may he see you pinned to the ground
And may he remain brave like you
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
10th Station: The garment
There will always be thieves, scoundrels
Who snatch what belongs to others
There will always be profiteers
Who even strip an orphan
And you, you allow it
I pray to you for my sick friend
In his suffering, in his pain
May he let go of his fleeting belongings
But bind himself to you
Hope that does not betray
Who snatch what belongs to others
There will always be profiteers
Who even strip an orphan
And you, you allow it
I pray to you for my sick friend
In his suffering, in his pain
May he let go of his fleeting belongings
But bind himself to you
Hope that does not betray
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
11th Station: Jesus on the Cross
Nothing remained but this: nails
And blood spurting everywhere
The tears, the gasping cries
The sorrow that tears the sky
And the Christ who endures all
I offer you my buddy, Jesus
When AIDS appears victorious
May he lift his eyes towards you
Patiently, in his suffering, and believe
I beg you, Jesus, look at him
And blood spurting everywhere
The tears, the gasping cries
The sorrow that tears the sky
And the Christ who endures all
I offer you my buddy, Jesus
When AIDS appears victorious
May he lift his eyes towards you
Patiently, in his suffering, and believe
I beg you, Jesus, look at him
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
12th Station: Jesus dies
The skies open, the curtain is torn
Door frames crumble
And God comes closer
When we understand nothing at all
It is then that Jesus conquers death
Jesus, I offer you my buddy who is dying
Without understanding anything
Eyes bathed with tears
May he feel the tears of God
Stream over his face and wipe it clean
Door frames crumble
And God comes closer
When we understand nothing at all
It is then that Jesus conquers death
Jesus, I offer you my buddy who is dying
Without understanding anything
Eyes bathed with tears
May he feel the tears of God
Stream over his face and wipe it clean
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
13th Station: The side of Jesus is pierced
With one thrust a soldier opens his side
And a river of grace pours out
From the sacred, bleeding heart
Jesus dies while giving life
The precious blood of Jesus waters lives
Do not die, Lord Jesus
Before leaving drops of blood
Drops of life like rain
To fall on the story of the dying
To renew his life before his Leaving
And a river of grace pours out
From the sacred, bleeding heart
Jesus dies while giving life
The precious blood of Jesus waters lives
Do not die, Lord Jesus
Before leaving drops of blood
Drops of life like rain
To fall on the story of the dying
To renew his life before his Leaving
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
14th Station: The burial
The large stone would have us believe that all is finished
Believe that the curtain has fallen
And that the wind will never whistle again
And without it, believe in overwhelming silence
And yet Jesus is ALIVE
I pray to you for my friend, Jesus
When the fog seems thicker
When the night is darker
May the scent of the lily in my hand
Awaken his soul to the Adventure
Believe that the curtain has fallen
And that the wind will never whistle again
And without it, believe in overwhelming silence
And yet Jesus is ALIVE
I pray to you for my friend, Jesus
When the fog seems thicker
When the night is darker
May the scent of the lily in my hand
Awaken his soul to the Adventure
Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
Blessed Anuarite, pray for us
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