The Veronica wiping the Face of Jesus is the expression of our innate goodness that brings out again and again the man created to "His image and likeness." It really makes sense that on this journey we rediscover the "Veronica" in ourselves and find again the "true image of God" in our human nature. Jesus accepted this act of kindness. It brought on His lips words of encouragement, it made Him alive again, it made Him feel that all was not to no avail, it was worthwhile to die for this ungrateful creature. So Jesus turns to the small band of women and said: "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep rather for yourselves and your children. For the days will surely come when the people will say, 'Happy are those who are barren, the wombs that have never borne, the breasts that have never suckled!' Then they will say to the mountains, 'Fall on us',. to the hills: 'Cover us!' For if man use the green wood like this, what will happen when it is dry?" (Luke 23:29-32) Jesus is true to Himself. He had come not for Himself but for us. In the midst of the most excruciating sufferings He can turn to us and, rather than be consoled, console us.

The macabre cortege has arrived at Calvary at the place of execution. Jesus has made His journey but at what a price. Even though the Gospels do not make any references to the physical happenings to the body of Jesus, the Shroud tells us the story.

Dr. Pierre Barbet, MD, in his book "Doctor at Calvary," gives us the following description: "There are on the Shroud clear traces of excoriations at the level of the back and the knees. Let us first of all remember that there is a venerable tradition, which has been given sensible expression in the Stations of the Cross, that Jesus fell three times beneath His burden, before reaching Calvary. This would have decided the soldiers to make Simon of Cyrene carry the patibulum instead of Him, walking behind Him. On a rough uneven road, with many scattered stones, such falls would not take place without excoriations, especially at the level of the knees. There is a clear evidence of images of wounds on the front of the knees, especially the right. The right knee seems to be more contused, and shows in the region of the kneecap a number of excoriations which vary in size and shape, and have jagged edges. A little above and on the outer side, there are two round wounds, about a centimeter in diameter. The left knee also shows various contused wounds, but they are less evident and less numerous."

During these falls Jesus not only scraped the knees, but there are evidences that even His Face was not spared from contusions and abrasions. The tip of His nose shows signs of falling, even His right eye shows so much damage that it leads to the conclusion that during one or more of the falls He may have hit His eye on the ground and caused extensive damage.