Stations of the Cross

The Stations ( or Way) of the Cross, consists in prayer and meditation on the suffering of Jesus. On the following pages, you will take a journey alongside the Lord, and witness His patience and perseverance in accepting death from us so that we might live to God.

The Stations ( or Way) of the Cross, consists in prayer and meditation on the suffering of Jesus. On the following pages, you will take a journey alongside the Lord, and witness His patience and perseverance in accepting death from us so that we might live to God.

Praying the Stations of the Cross

Christ, crucified To pray the way of the cross requires only that you meditate before each station.

Opening Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ,

take me along that holy way

you once took to your death,

Take my mind, my memory,

above all my reluctant heart,

and let me see what once you did

for love of me and all the world.

The First Station:

Jesus is Condemned to Death

We adore You, O Christ,

and we praise You.

Because by your holy cross

You have redeemed the world.

Behold the Lord. Arrested because of envy and falsely condemned because of fear, Jesus is accused of stirring up a revolt. Ironically, this description fits Barabbas, who is released instead of Christ.

Humbly the Son of God accepts what His Father has permitted, in order that all that had been foretold of Him would come to pass.

Friends, let us reject envy, avarice and the desire for any other gain that is not meant for us. God knows our needs and those of our neighbor.

Our Father..., Hail Mary..., Glory...

The Second Station:

Jesus Bears His Cross

We adore You, O Christ,

and we praise You.

Because by your holy cross

You have redeemed the world.

Recognizing the way set before Jesus, the way of the cross, there is no demand by the Anointed One for His rights. Instead, He picks up the cross and begins His journey.

Hidden but recognized by Jesus in all of this is God's will. He is dedicated to it. Jesus knows that human life is limited in many ways, and He accepts it from His Father with love.

Our lives are really very simple, but its meaning deep. Through the grace of God we can fulfill our everyday work and through this glorify our Creator.

Our Father..., Hail Mary..., Glory...

The Third Station:

Jesus Falls the First Time

We adore You, O Christ,

and we praise You.

Because by your holy cross

You have redeemed the world.

The road is hard and carrying a cross is not an easy thing. The Lord falls as He goes along. As difficult as it is He gets up and resolutely begins again.

Detachment is necessary to free us from all worldliness and anxiety. Self-denial frees us to follow God. The Lord Himself has given us an example.

Sisters and Brothers, we should put aside everything that does not help us to follow the call of God.

Our Father..., Hail Mary..., Glory...

The Fourth Station:

Jesus Meets His Mother

We adore You, O Christ,

and we praise You.

Because by your holy cross

You have redeemed the world.

Jesus was not the only one who suffered the cross that day. Mary, His mother was there and shared it in another way.

The most intense trial of her life must have weakened her. But now, seeing His face, she sees more than only His pain. She detects His resolve, His utter fearlessness. She is strengthened by it.

Courage is required to persevere in faithfulness to God. It is not willpower of our own. Amid trials and temptations to "take it easy" we need to cling to Him and the gift is His.

Our Father..., Hail Mary..., Glory...

The Fifth Station:

Simon Helps Jesus Carry His Cross

We adore You, O Christ,

and we praise You.

Because by your holy cross

You have redeemed the world.

The soldiers enlisted the help of a man coming along to carry the heavy wood. Mercifully there was someone to help!

We do not know the heart of Simon. We only know the heart of God who provided him.

Fellow lovers of God, let us put on the clothes of mercy, generosity, compassion and service to others. The Lord is present there.

Our Father..., Hail Mary..., Glory...

The Sixth Station:

Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus

We adore You, O Christ,

and we praise You.

Because by your holy cross

You have redeemed the world.

When Veronica wiped Jesus' face His image was left upon the cloth. That image was of the eternal God.

Single minded devotion to God lead us into the way of all truth. Then shall we see God.

Our Father..., Hail Mary..., Glory...

The Seventh Station:

Jesus Falls the Second Time

We adore You, O Christ,

and we praise You.

Because by your holy cross

You have redeemed the world.

Falling again, Jesus heard the jeering and felt the prodding of the men trying to move Him along. When He rose to go on again, it was not because these people compelled Him. Instead He was spurred on His own desire to redeem them, to bring them back into His friendship.

Salvific love is the gift and privilege we enjoy as Christians. The sincere love of enemies is what Christ's mission is about.

Our Father..., Hail Mary..., Glory...

The Eighth Station:

Jesus Consoles the Women of Jerusalem

We adore You, O Christ,

and we praise You.

Because by your holy cross

You have redeemed the world.

Seeing some women on the way who were in great sorrow because of Him, the Lord said, "Do not weep for me . . . but for your children."

Though Jesus' work was just ending, these women's was beginning. Great diligence is required for those who wish to share in God's saving work. The mind must keep to the task. But these poor in spirit will be blessed if they persevere. And the reward for them and those for whom they pray is no less than the kingdom of God!

Our Father..., Hail Mary..., Glory...

The Ninth Station:

Jesus Falls the Third Time

We adore You, O Christ,

and we praise You.

Because by your holy cross

You have redeemed the world.

Jesus, nearing the place of His execution fell yet again. Now He was at His weakest and at the threshold of Calvary. Beneath the dirt and sweat and blood that covered Him was the most incredible meekness, a meekness that could not find fault with God's plan. He arose again to gain the promise of the covenant.

We are members of Christ's Body - the Church. Like Abraham who was promised the land, Jesus promises us: "And whoever perseveres to the end shall be saved."

Our Father..., Hail Mary..., Glory...

The Tenth Station:

Jesus is Stripped of His Garments

We adore You, O Christ,

and we praise You.

Because by your holy cross

You have redeemed the world.

Now the Lord's clothes are wrenched off of him. All that remains is the flesh which He took on in order to be one of us.

All earthly things have been deprived Him, even clothes, food or emotional support.

Jesus told us that worldly are fools: ". . . to whom will all these things go? (Lk 12:16-21)". "Comfort belongs to those who take nothing with them in spirit. (1 Cor 7:31-32)"

Our Father..., Hail Mary..., Glory...

The Eleventh Station:

Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

We adore You, O Christ,

and we praise You.

Because by your holy cross

You have redeemed the world.

Blood flowed profusely as Jesus was fastened to the wood that He had carried. Nails were driven completely through Him. It was even more acute because of His highly sensitive nature. The perfection of God's mercy to us here cannot be articulated or imagined

Brothers and sisters in Christ. Mercy is something that we are called to. We have received it from the Lord but it is perfected in us by our own willingness to "pour ourselves out for others." Remember Mary Magdalene as she washed the feet of Jesus with her tears. The Lord said: "I tell you, her sins, many as they are will be forgiven her because she has loved much."

Our Father..., Hail Mary..., Glory...

The Twelfth Station:

Jesus Dies on the Cross

We adore You, O Christ,

and we praise You.

Because by your holy cross

You have redeemed the world.

Pure in heart, the Lord Jesus persevered in showing all the goodness of God till His death. Then His side was pierced, and out flowed blood and water.

In life, charity leads to continuing conversion. The purity of a person is interior. Grace and mercy flow from there. And God becomes known.

Our Father..., Hail Mary..., Glory...

The Thirteenth Station:

Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross

We adore You, O Christ,

and we praise You.

Because by your holy cross

You have redeemed the world.

Consider how Jesus' body, after merciless treatment and final piercing was removed from the instrument of His death. Only the holy relic that once held the person of the Son of God remained. St. Paul was to tell us that our bodies, like His, are holy, - temples of the Holy Spirit - and that we must not use them for any kind of banal purpose.

Let us then resolve to renounce all selfishness, which makes us unhealthy, hurts our relationships with others and keeps us from knowing the God for whom we are made. Then we will be called peacemakers and the Children of God (Mt. 5:9).

Our Father..., Hail Mary..., Glory...

The Fourteenth Station:

Jesus is Laid in the Tomb

We adore You, O Christ,

and we praise You.

Because by your holy cross

You have redeemed the world.

His body now laid in a tomb. Jesus looked defeated. What had been gained? Even His closest friends had had their doubts.

But since His life was the gift He gave, the reverse of all appearances turned out to be true.

Christ continues His work through others, till the Good News reaches the very ends of the earth. He rose from His own death. We are witnesses of this. And all heaven now awaits the glorious revealing of the children of God!

Our Father..., Hail Mary..., Glory...