Stations of the Cross
Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 4:09 pm
Stations of the Cross
From the Missionaries of Charity and Lay M. C. Prayer Book
God, our heavenly Father, we raise our minds and hearts to You in praise and thanksgiving. Though weak and sinful, we wish to follow Your only Son, our Lord Jesus, on the way of the Cross. May Your Holy Spirit help us use our Saviour’s strength effectively in our place of life.
We ask the special aid of our blessed Lady, ever Virgin and Mother, in following Christ and making His way of the Cross our way of life. Amen.
1. Our Saviour Condemned with the Wicked
“And they all gave their verdict, he deserved to die.” Mk. 14:64
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Found guilty though innocent, unjustly judged, our Master accepted a perverse human verdict. He knew God has the last word. We too, must imitate Christ, pray for the wicked, and leave the rest to God.
2. Jesus Takes His Cross
“Pilate handed Him over to be crucified.” Jn 19:16
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
All of us who follow Christ will have our own Cross to bear. By imitating our Lord the cross we carry becomes a means of salvation and final victory both for ourselves and for others as well.
3. Jesus Falls Once
“I looked; there was no one to help.” Is 63:4
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Even our blessed Lord staggered and fell under the weight He was bearing. He had no one to aid. Christ is with us when we stumble; He is eager to help us. Turn to Him now and ask His aid.
4. Jesus Meets His Mother
“Woman this is your Son.” Jn 19:26
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Our Lord gave His holy Mother a part in His suffering so she might fully share His victory and glory. Our Lord, Jesus gives us this same chance to join Him in sorrow so we may share their great joy.
5. Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus
“They seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, and made him shoulder the Cross.” Lk 23:26
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Simon resisted until he learned how easy the yoke, how light the burden when carried for Christ. Never let our natural, human fear of pain keep us from the tasks we meet on our journey to eternal life.
6. Veronica Wipes Jesus’ Face
“In so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.” Mt 25:40
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Veronica’s instinctive act of pity will be recalled forever. Anything we do for anyone Christ counts as done for Him. So never hesitate to do good to others whether they deserve it or not. God will never forget.
7. Jesus Falls Again
“He was praying all the time for sinners.” Is 53
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Christ’s weakness made Him fall again, but He went on. When we weaken, when we falter and fall, our Saviour knows from His own experience how hard our way is. He will be our strength, our helper in every difficulty.
8. Jesus Speaks to the Women
“Weep rather for yourselves and for your children.” Lk 23:28
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Jesus did not think of Himself. He thought of others, of the sufferings His people would yet have to endure. When we act like Christ, and think first of others, our own trials seem somehow easier to bear.
9. Jesus Falls a Third Time
“They leave me lying in the dust of death.” Ps 22:15
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
His final fall reflects the frailty of Christ’s human nature. Yet, He went on. We often have proof of our weakness, too. Yet, we show fidelity to God by going on in spite of our infirmity.
10. Jesus Is Stripped of His Clothing
“They shared out his garments by casting lots.” Mt 26:35
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Our Lord’s clothing was taken away. So in spirit must we also separate ourselves from our material possessions. Eventually we must part with them. Be generous always with the gifts God gives you for a time.
11. Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross
“They crucified Him there and the two criminals also.” Lk 23:33
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Fastened hand and foot, moving only with pain, how humiliating to be nailed at last to your Cross! Our Lord cries out to our Father, “My God, my God, why have you deserted me.”
12. Christ Dies on the Cross
“Father into your hands I commit my spirit.” Lk 23:46
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
All of us must someday die. With God’s help we will meet death as Jesus did. Final bodily defeat is turned by God into our first moment of triumph. Having died with Christ we will rise again and reign with Him.
13. Jesus Is Taken Down from the Cross
“Now let God rescue Him if He wants Him.” Mt 27:43
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Christ’s death is ultimate proof of His humanity. Unless He was also God, His death could not save us. “Ours were the sufferings He bore.” Now we must be dead to sin.
14. Jesus Is Laid on the Tomb
“He then rolled a large stone across the entrance of the tomb.” Mt 27:60
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
We see Christ’s body laid to rest, but no grave can hold the Lord of the Universe. He rises again to new life with God living always to intercede for us, while we continue His work here on earth.
Let us pray:
You, O God, overcame death through your only begotten Son who opened for us the gates of life eternal. Help us then, to carry out in our lives the desires you inspire in us. This we ask through the risen Christ, our Lord, who now lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for all ages. Amen.
From the Missionaries of Charity and Lay M. C. Prayer Book
God, our heavenly Father, we raise our minds and hearts to You in praise and thanksgiving. Though weak and sinful, we wish to follow Your only Son, our Lord Jesus, on the way of the Cross. May Your Holy Spirit help us use our Saviour’s strength effectively in our place of life.
We ask the special aid of our blessed Lady, ever Virgin and Mother, in following Christ and making His way of the Cross our way of life. Amen.
1. Our Saviour Condemned with the Wicked
“And they all gave their verdict, he deserved to die.” Mk. 14:64
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Found guilty though innocent, unjustly judged, our Master accepted a perverse human verdict. He knew God has the last word. We too, must imitate Christ, pray for the wicked, and leave the rest to God.
2. Jesus Takes His Cross
“Pilate handed Him over to be crucified.” Jn 19:16
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
All of us who follow Christ will have our own Cross to bear. By imitating our Lord the cross we carry becomes a means of salvation and final victory both for ourselves and for others as well.
3. Jesus Falls Once
“I looked; there was no one to help.” Is 63:4
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Even our blessed Lord staggered and fell under the weight He was bearing. He had no one to aid. Christ is with us when we stumble; He is eager to help us. Turn to Him now and ask His aid.
4. Jesus Meets His Mother
“Woman this is your Son.” Jn 19:26
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Our Lord gave His holy Mother a part in His suffering so she might fully share His victory and glory. Our Lord, Jesus gives us this same chance to join Him in sorrow so we may share their great joy.
5. Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus
“They seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, and made him shoulder the Cross.” Lk 23:26
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Simon resisted until he learned how easy the yoke, how light the burden when carried for Christ. Never let our natural, human fear of pain keep us from the tasks we meet on our journey to eternal life.
6. Veronica Wipes Jesus’ Face
“In so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.” Mt 25:40
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Veronica’s instinctive act of pity will be recalled forever. Anything we do for anyone Christ counts as done for Him. So never hesitate to do good to others whether they deserve it or not. God will never forget.
7. Jesus Falls Again
“He was praying all the time for sinners.” Is 53
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Christ’s weakness made Him fall again, but He went on. When we weaken, when we falter and fall, our Saviour knows from His own experience how hard our way is. He will be our strength, our helper in every difficulty.
8. Jesus Speaks to the Women
“Weep rather for yourselves and for your children.” Lk 23:28
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Jesus did not think of Himself. He thought of others, of the sufferings His people would yet have to endure. When we act like Christ, and think first of others, our own trials seem somehow easier to bear.
9. Jesus Falls a Third Time
“They leave me lying in the dust of death.” Ps 22:15
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
His final fall reflects the frailty of Christ’s human nature. Yet, He went on. We often have proof of our weakness, too. Yet, we show fidelity to God by going on in spite of our infirmity.
10. Jesus Is Stripped of His Clothing
“They shared out his garments by casting lots.” Mt 26:35
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Our Lord’s clothing was taken away. So in spirit must we also separate ourselves from our material possessions. Eventually we must part with them. Be generous always with the gifts God gives you for a time.
11. Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross
“They crucified Him there and the two criminals also.” Lk 23:33
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Fastened hand and foot, moving only with pain, how humiliating to be nailed at last to your Cross! Our Lord cries out to our Father, “My God, my God, why have you deserted me.”
12. Christ Dies on the Cross
“Father into your hands I commit my spirit.” Lk 23:46
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
All of us must someday die. With God’s help we will meet death as Jesus did. Final bodily defeat is turned by God into our first moment of triumph. Having died with Christ we will rise again and reign with Him.
13. Jesus Is Taken Down from the Cross
“Now let God rescue Him if He wants Him.” Mt 27:43
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Christ’s death is ultimate proof of His humanity. Unless He was also God, His death could not save us. “Ours were the sufferings He bore.” Now we must be dead to sin.
14. Jesus Is Laid on the Tomb
“He then rolled a large stone across the entrance of the tomb.” Mt 27:60
V: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you;
R: Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
We see Christ’s body laid to rest, but no grave can hold the Lord of the Universe. He rises again to new life with God living always to intercede for us, while we continue His work here on earth.
Let us pray:
You, O God, overcame death through your only begotten Son who opened for us the gates of life eternal. Help us then, to carry out in our lives the desires you inspire in us. This we ask through the risen Christ, our Lord, who now lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for all ages. Amen.