1. Jesus before Pilate: I consider at me when I was misunderstood or condemned
2. Jesus carries the Cross: I recall a time when I received a cross in my life
3. Jesus falls the first time: I remember when I first experience failure, my limits
4. Mary encourages Jesus: I remember someone who encouraged me to be a good person
5. Simon helps Jesus: I consider who has been there for me in times of trouble
6. Veronica wipes Jesus' face: I thank God for those who stood by me and helped me.
7. Jesus falls a second time: I recall times when I have experienced the helplessness of failing.
8. The women comfort Jesus: I remember the faces of people who have comforted me in my pain.
9. Jesus falls a third time: I recall a time when I had fallen and could not seem to go on
10. Jesus is stripped of his clothing: I remember an experience in my life that made me feel poor and vulnerable.
11. Jesus is nailed to the Cross: I consider what am I truly attached to in this world. Is it the Lord?
12. Jesus dies on the Cross: I ponder the depths of love God has for me that He willing set His only Son to die for me.
13. Jesus is taken down: I think of loving memories of those who have gone before me.
14.Jesus is buried: I consider what it is in my life that most holds me back from living as God wants me to.
15. The Resurrection: I praise God for I am not only for the pain but for the new life emerging and deepening within me through Jesus' grace.
Introduction
The Stations of the Cross have always been a devotion that has held a special fascination for me because there was a lady in my home parish growing up named Dorothy. Dorothy would pray the Stations of the Cross each and every day. As a child this impressed so much that as a seminarian I came to see Dorothy as a person who I could trust with my prayer intentions. I knew without a doubt that when Dorothy would agree to pray for my intention she would and I do believe that part of the reason why I am a priest today is because of her prayers.
Another aspect of the Stations of the Cross that attracted me greatly was how the devotion allowed me to see myself present on the original Good Friday. Sometimes I mediate on each station and what it must have felt like for Jesus. Knowing more and more of what He went through helps me to have confidence in His love for me. There are also times when I pray the Stations of the Cross in which I try to place situations from my own life next to each station. Doing this prayer exercise helps me know that Jesus can sympathize with me during my times of sufferings for He too suffered (and always to a greater extent than I). When I feel lonely and rejected by others for example, I know Jesus understands me because He too was rejected. Finally sometimes I envision myself as a member of the crowd yelling “crucify him”. This great devotion helped me to understand in a very real sense what pain that I cause God through my sins and I use it as a call to conversion, a call to deepen my faith.
Let us spend some time reflecting on each of the Stations of the Cross in a threefold structure: what must it have been like for Jesus, when have I been treated like Jesus, and finally when have I crucified the Lord by the way I treat others. We adore You O Christ and we praise You for by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
1st Station: Jesus is Condemned to Death
What would it have been like to be there? What would it be like to see the great miracle worker from Galilee brought in and made to stand before Pilate? This man, Jesus, who was known for curing lepers, multiplying loaves and fishes, and even for brining the dead back to life, now stands before a Roman judge and He looks so weak and so helpless. Where are all His friends? Did not one of them stay by His side? Why does He remain silent? Why does He not perform some great miracle?
We have all experienced times in our life when we were condemned unjustly by others. One that sticks out in my mind in a special way was when I was doing my best to help someone and this person pretended to accept my help but then went behind my back and complained to others about me. I was devastated for in my heart I was truly trying to help this person in his or her situation. I was saddened by the fact that he or she thought that I was being motivated out of selfish reasons. Like Christ all my good works seemed to mean nothing. I found great comfort in knowing that Jesus himself had been so misjudged. Before I go any further, I want to make sure that I explain that there is a temptation in praying this way for unlike Christ we are not perfect. During this period of turmoil, I had to do a thorough examination of conscience and talk with others to make sure, that I had not distorted the situation and was unnecessarily playing the victim.
As we all have experienced times in life where we were condemned unjustly by others, we, if we are honest with ourselves, we will admit that most of the times we are the one misjudging others. One time that sticks out to me was on a CHRISTPOWER youth retreat. I walked into the auditorium of the seminary and saw the youth minister from another parish up on stage babbling and singing a song about llamas. My first thought was that she was crazy. The youth minister though went on to tie all the parts of her talk together in an amazing way and over the next few years, I would come to enjoy working with her and having her as a friend. It scares me to think that I may have missed this important friendship because of my judgmental attitude.
2nd Station: Jesus Takes Up His Cross.
What must Jesus had been thinking when He saw that piece of wood for the first time? Crucifixions were quite common during the time of Jesus life. When we execute someone in the United States, we do so behind closed doors in a prison. This was not the practice of the Romans. They used crucifixion as a way of scaring people into submission so they would sometimes crucify a person along a major highway for everyone to see. I think that it would be safe to say that Jesus saw a few crucifixions in His lifetime besides His own. He had to have some idea of the pain that was coming His way but yet He embraced His cross. Why? The answer is for LOVE of you and me. St. Paul says in Romans 5: “For Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly. Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8)
I, like Christ, have embraced sacrifices for the good of others. In my vocation, I chose to sacrifice having a family of my own, so that I could minister fully to the People of God. At time this sacrifice is painful but at other times, the joy I see when others come closer to God makes it all worthwhile. Married couples who are truly living out their marriage vows embrace sacrifices for the good of their spouse and the sacrifices that parents make for their children are also truly amazing. Sacrifice, while painful because we give up something, often leads to greater happiness. As Jesus tells us the one who loses his life will save his life.
There are times in life though when instead of embracing sacrifice, I instead put the burden on others. I often fail to embrace the demands of unconditional love and therefore I often make people jump through hoops or carry unnecessary burdens in order to earn my respect or forgiveness. Often the people I do this too are the people that I am closest too. Would are lives not be better if we forgave quicker and were among the first to help? I think so.
3rd Station Jesus Falls The First Time
Talk about a fall from grace. I do not think that it is possible to even come close to even imagining the power the Word of God possesses by the mere fact that He is God. It was the spoken Word of God that created the universe, that parted the Red Sea that led the Israelites into the promise land. Now the burden of our sins weighs Him down so much that He falls. Jesus is like the strongman hero that could easily avoid the oncoming boulder but willingly steps in the way and takes the brunt of the attack in order to save others. God did not have to suffer. Jesus did not have to become weak. He chose to suffer for us. Amazingly it is in His weakness that He shows His strength of heart.
There are times that I have been like Christ choosing to be weak in order to help others. There are times in my life when I know how to fix a situation and to make things right (or at least I think I know) but I chose not to force others to do things my way but rather I open myself to others ideas and ways of doing things and because of this sometimes we have failed. I am reminded though at those times that God desires me to love and not to be right. By not having all the answers and being open to others ideas I help build community.
There are however times in which I have not acted Christ-like and I have forced others to do things my way or when I do not get my way I have walked away. These times have often left me acting like the Roman soldiers kicking Christ when He was down. I am sure that they thought that they were the powerful ones. Little did they know? When we look down upon others it is really not a sign of strength but rather one of weakness. To love even when one is being kicked is true power.
4th Station: Jesus Meet His Mother
Over the past few years, I have become firmly convinced that one of the hardest things Jesus had to endure while hanging on the cross was the emotional trauma that comes from seeing a love one in pain and knowing that there was nothing He could do for His mother at that moment.
There have been many times in my life, where I find myself face to face with someone who is very dear to me and at the same time feel absolutely powerless to take away their pain. Like Christ, I find myself trying to console them to the best of my ability and trust that a greater good will come out of the situation because God knows what He is doing. I felt that way when a woman named Ann died. Ann was a young mother of three kids and she died of cancer. I got to know Ann very well during her battle with cancer and I felt a very close bound with her. I can remember at one point wishing that I could do anything to alleviate her pain even if that meant switching places with her but at last I was not able to. The experience left me with a greater knowledge of just how much Christ endured out of love for me.
In the other stations, when I have focused on times in which I have been like those who crucified Christ, but for this station I want to focus on how the Blessed Virgin Mary can be a great role model for us in times of suffering. One of the first things I noticed is Mary’s personal ministry at this point does not consist of saying the right thing but rather she is truly offering a ministry of presence. Overcoming her fears she loves her Son so much that she stays by His side. Often people want to run away from those who are suffering because they do not like to be in situations that are beyond their control. Mary shows us though to truly love, we must be willing to be uncomfortable with not being in control and the only way to do that is to trust that the Father is in control.
5th Station: Simon helps Jesus with His cross
Can you imagine the burden that Jesus was carrying? Not just the wood of the Cross but our sins. The very Word of God who created the world in six days, the Word of God that split open the Red Sea, the Word of God who spoke through the prophets of ancient Israel is now reduced to such a state of weakness that the Romans now fear that He will not make it to Calvary. I still hold fast to the idea that all Jesus had to do was say the word and He would be surrounded by an army of angels. He literally chooses though to carry our burdens and not to stop. What could motivate a person to do this? I believe only unconditional divine love and this is the same love that we are invited to take part in through the Sacraments and by a life of grace.
Just who was Simon of Cyrene? I wonder sometimes if Simon had been someone that had heard Jesus speak or maybe Simon was one of the many nameless people that Jesus had cured or maybe Simon was one of those people who ate of the loaves and fishes that Jesus had multiplied. Simon may have simple been a follower of Christ who wished to stay in the background unnoticed by all but fate had a different plan. A situation out of his control forced Simon to take up the cross of Christ. I wonder if Simon did this willingly or begrudgingly. I know there are times in my life where I wish to remain simply as one of the unknown followers of Christ. When I look at these times, it is often because I am afraid of what others will say or do if they find out that I am a religious person. These are also the times that I complain about the crosses that I have to carry. There are times however when I am proud of my Catholicism and in those times, I take pride in helping our Lord with His (really our) burden. What is the difference in me? The amount of God’s unconditional divine love that I allow to take root in my life determines my attitude toward the crosses that life sends my way. When I pray and take my faith seriously then there is no burden to heavy.
There have been times in my life though that I have been like the Roman soldiers forcing burdens onto other people. Why did not one of them help our Lord with His cross? They probably had many reasons for not wanting to be the one to help the Lord with His cross and sadly they are all probably very similar to the reasons that run through my head as I refuse to help others with their burdens in life.
6th Station: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
As I wonder who Simon was, I also wonder who Veronica was. Was she the woman caught in adultery instead of Mary Magdalene or was she one of the women who traveled with Jesus during His ministry or was the first time she saw Jesus that day? We as Catholics believe that Jesus left an imprint of his face on her cloth and I can remember being a small child and the Stations of the Cross booklet refereeing to this image on her cloth as a gift from Jesus back to her – a small simple way for Jesus to say thank you. I was always taken back by this and amazed that our Lord could continue to think of others even in the midst of all his pain and suffering.
The thing that amazes me the most about Veronica was that she took initiative. Often when we come across a problem or someone suffering we give up because it seems like the problem is just too big. Veronica however takes initiative and does what she can and her small deed done with great love is rewarded. I also like the fact that Veronica though is not mentioned in the Bible for in a way she is a symbol for all of us who assist Christ by our small loving deeds.
7th Station: Jesus falls the Second Time
I wonder what was going through Jesus’ head at this point. Here He is now laying flat on his back or face down on the gravel road. I wonder, do you think that maybe He was thinking back to His temptation in the desert and that the devil had the right idea. I do not think that it is unreasonable to think that this thought may have occurred to Him at this point. After all He was still human and still susceptible to temptation.
I know that there have been times in my life where I have found myself flat on my back or face down in the gravel road mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually and at these times I find that I give into temptation much easier than when I am feeling healthy and happy. I know too that I can become very frustrated with God’s way of doing things when the going gets tough. There seems to be a part of our human psyche that says to us “now that we are following God then only good things will happen to us.” We seem to forget that nowhere in Scripture does God promise this. In fact Jesus tells us that if we follow Him we will necessarily have times in which we are persecuted. The Good News of the Gospel though is that if we are faithful during these times we will experience a heavenly joy here on earth and everlasting joy in the next.
Unfortunately there are times; in life when I have seen others down and instead of offering them assistance. I simple walk pass them or even worse I become the one who tempts them into things like gossip and revenge. I know that I do this because I see in some sick and sinful way the other person’s success or holiness as a threat to me so instead of lifting them up, I try to keep them down.
8th Station: Jesus Meets the Weeping Women
Jesus gets up and begins walking again. His sure determination should be an inspiration to us all. Now he pauses for a moment to offer comfort to others. Even in the midst of His pain and suffering He can care for others. I have always been amazed at funeral homes that often the people who have lost a love one, especially if it has been a tragic death, find themselves naturally ministering to those who come to offer their sympathy. What was going on in Jesus’ mind at this point? The only word that comes to mind is compassion.
I think there is a fine line between compassion and pity. Compassion is based on trying to understand how the other person is feeling. Pity is when you look down upon the other person and are grateful that you are not them. We know that Christ felt compassion on them because He emptied Himself and took the form of a slave. It was for their sins that He was dying.
There are times where I have offered compassion to others but sadly there have been times where I have pitied others. Only through prayer can one move from pitying someone to having compassion on them. For prayers remind us that we to are sinners and we to need God’s grace.
9th Station: Jesus falls a Third Time.
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10th Station: Jesus is Stripped
The Tenth Station is where the man who had no home, loses what little he had. The object poverty of the Son of Man should shock each one of us. The Almighty God who created the universe now has nothing. If God can survive with nothing why is it that we have such a hard time surviving with what we have?
One of the most important things in life for us to discover is the difference between needs and wants. As a child there were many things that I wanted that I never got and yet I survived. As an adult I try to allow myself to be stripped of my wants for the latest gadget, for the best clothes, for (fill in the blank) so that my happiness depends a lot less on material things then it used to. This is a continual process I believe for every good Christian. There are times when my actions and sometimes my lack thereof have resulted in others poverty. I know that I should be become a better consumer by developing a better social justice minded consciousness. I ask God now for the grace to work on this weakness of mine.
11th Station Jesus is Nailed to the Cross
I will not even try to imagine what it must have felt like to be nailed to a piece of wood and left there to die. I do think that it is important for us to try to meditate on the pain Christ felt because I think it helps us take our faith more seriously. In addition to meditating on the pain of Christ it is important to make the connection of Christ’s crucifixion with the Eucharist. I use to think that I had to defend the Mass when I heard people say “the Mass is boring”. Now I don’t feel that way anymore because I don’t come to the Mass to be entertained. The change in my life really happened with me as I began to see my grandma deteriorate. It was painful for me to watch her lose her mind to dementia. I would try to spend at least an hour a week with her (normally on my day off). I did it not because it was easy or because I had nothing better to do. I did it because I wanted to show her my love. In the same way with all that God has done for us one day a week is not too much to ask. In fact I think it is way too little.
There have been times that I have been crucified for the sake of greater good. This has often happened as I stood up for something that was truer than I could imagine. I have to admit though that in my mind I am more like St. Dismas (the good thief) then Christ. I realize that what I am doing pails in comparison to the holy innocent man who suffers besides me.
There have been times though that I have been like the other thief too ridiculing my faith in Christ. I have often done this by misjudging others spirituality. I can find myself easily falling into the trap of making fun of or looking down at others who do not pray the way that I pray. Grace has taught me though that because someone’s prayers may differ from mine it does not mean that it is better or worse. It is just different
12th Station: Jesus Died
I have no idea what death is like!!! I have never died and came back. Fr. Bob Barron, a priest from Chicago, talks about Jesus going into God-forsakenness in order to find the lost sheep (the sinner) and bring the lost sheep home. When I think about it in this light, I can see that there was probably a sense of eagerness in Christ to accomplish His mission not to get the pain over with but rather an eagerness that would be more similar to a parent embracing a lost child.
While I have not died yet, I have gone to places where I would rather not go out of love. These have not been physical spaces but rather more mental and spiritual places. I have had to wrestle with my own weaknesses and fear of death while ministering to those who were sick in order to show them God’s love. I have had to sit in hospital waiting rooms with families feeling absolutely powerless and out of control. It is at times like that I have experienced God working through me the most and during this time he was not using my mind, my knowledge, etc but rather my heart, my concern, my caring, my presence. It was almost like I had to die to my need for control or to be right and to simply “be” trusting in God’s love and mercy. There have been times when I have refused to die to my need to be in control and unfortunately those are probably the time that I have hurt others the most. For those times, I am truly sorry.
13th Station: Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross
Silence!!! It is hard to imagine what it must have been like to simply be dead. Was Jesus busy gathering the poor souls to enter into heaven? Was He sitting around playing solitaire with himself waiting for the time of His resurrection? Was He simply is some state of doing nothingness”? I don’t know.
As I was reflecting on this station, I could not help but think about the nights in between my priestly assignments. All the goodbyes have been said and all my stuff had been moved. The old parish was no longer home and the new parish was just a place filled with strangers and possibilities. Change can be a difficult time or a time of new excitement or both. The key to these times of change is to realize that our identity comes not from what we do or say but from who we are—the person God created me to be.
There have been times where I have tried to get my identity from my work or from my friends and these times have always resulted in times of great sorrow because those things are always fluctuating. I may be a success one day and a failure the next and as one priest that I live with use to say “30% of the people will love you, 30% of the people will hate you, and 30% of the people will not care about you, which means we can only really affect 10% of the people.” God though is unchanging. He has loved me from the beginning of the world.
Jesus’ message on earth was “Repent” or a better translation I am told “change the way you are thinking.” Change though can be scary because it often only comes after we have honestly examine ourselves and see our need for change and come to know that we can change with God’s grace.
14th Station: Jesus is buried.
What seems to be an end is only the beginning. When Easter comes the tomb will be empty. It is interesting that no one witnesses the resurrection. It is as if the authors want us to know that to experience the resurrection we must first wrestle with the mystery of the empty tomb? I find that one of the great things about being Catholic is that faith often only comes after wrestling with the impossible. Catholicism is one of those things that must be experienced. It is more than just getting the correct answer to some religion test. We must wrestle with all the Church teaches us.
PREPARATORY PRAYER
ALL: Gracious God, Each of us is called to discipleship with Your Son Jesus through the sacrament of Baptism. We are sent to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus, to share the good News of God’s saving love. Hear our prayer as we ponder the redemptive vocation of Jesus who continues to call men and women to walk in His way, renewing His Church and caring for His people. We give You thanks for the mystery of every vocation and we pray for all who have answered Your call. Send forth Your Holy Spirit upon the faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Your love, drawing many young men and women to dedicate themselves with an undivided heart to the love of Christ and His Kingdom. Amen.
THE FIRST STATION: PILATE CONDEMNS JESUS TO DIE
V: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R: Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)
V: Consider how Jesus Christ, after being scourged and crowned with thorns, was unjustly condemned by Pilate to die on the cross. (Kneel)
R: Jesus, we ask that You call young men and women today to publicly accept Your invitation to follow You in spite of what others may think or say. Give to them a passion for reaching out through Your love to the needs of Your brothers and sisters. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be…)
Through her heart, His sorrow sharing / All His bitter anguish bearing / Now at length the sword has passed
THE SECOND STATION: JESUS ACCEPTS HIS CROSS
V: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R: Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)
V: Consider Jesus as He walked this road with the cross on His shoulders, thinking of us, and offering to His Father in our behalf, the death He was about to suffer. (Kneel)
R: Jesus, help those You call to see in the cross the symbol of union with You. Give to them the zeal and talent to minister to those who are burdened with pain, sorrow, confusion and alienation. Let them see that in the cross is life. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
O, how sad and sore depressed / Was that Mother highly blessed / of the sole Begotten One
THE THIRD STATION: JESUS FALLS THE FIRST TIME
V: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R: Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)
V: Consider the first fall of Jesus. Loss of blood from the scourging and crowing with thorns had so weakened Him that He could hardly walk; and yet He had to carry that great load upon His shoulders. As the soldiers struck Him cruelly, He fell several times under the heavy cross. (Kneel)
R: Jesus, let those You call know that they do not have to be perfect. Let them be open to Your transforming grace that can accomplish more than anyone could imagine. Give to those who respond to Your call to the priesthood and consecrated life, a deep trust that You will complete what You have begun in them. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
Christ above in torment hangs / She beneath beholds the pangs / of her dying, glorious Son
THE FOURTH STATION: JESUS MEETS HIS AFFLICTED MOTHER
V: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R: Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)
V: Consider how the Son met His Mother on His way to Calvary. Jesus and Mary gazed at each other and their looks became as so many arrows to wound those hearts which loved each other so tenderly (Kneel)
R: Jesus, instill in young men and women the desire to come to know Your Mother and find in their prayerful reflection of the scriptures, a woman of faith, hope and love whose vocation is an example for all. Help parents to promote and support vocations among their children, families and church communities. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
Is there one who would not weep / 'whelmed in miseries so deep / Christ's dear Mother to behold.
THE FIFTH STATION: SIMON HELPS JESUS CARRY THE CROSS
V: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R: Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)
V: Consider how weak and weary Jesus was. At each step He was at the point of expiring. Fearing that He would die on the way when they wished Him to die the infamous death of the cross, they forced Simon of Cyrene to help carry the cross after Our Lord. (Kneel)
R: Jesus, send forth your grace upon those you call to church leadership. Help them to accept and affirm others’ gifts in the building of community, in proclaiming the message and in reaching out in service. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
Can the human heart refrain / From partaking in her pain / In that Mother's pain untold?
THE SIXTH STATION: VERONICA OFFERS HER VEIL TO JESUS
V: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R: Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)
V: Consider the compassion of the holy woman, Veronica. Seeing Jesus in such distress, His face bathed in sweat and blood, she presented Him with her veil. Jesus wiped His face, and left upon the cloth the image of His sacred countenance. (Kneel)
R: Jesus, call forth numerous men and women to see Your face on all whom they meet. Help Your servants to truly understand that whatever good is done to the least of Your brothers and sisters is done to You. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled / She beheld her tender Child / All with bloody scourges rent.
THE SEVENTH STATION: JESUS FALLS THE SECOND TIME
V: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R: Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)
V: Consider how the second fall of Jesus under His cross renews the pain in all the wounds of the head and members of our afflicted Lord. (Kneel)
R: Jesus, teach those You call to the priesthood and consecrated life to accept their own and others’ limitations, relying on God’s merciful grace. Help them in these times of darkness to reach out especially to those whom the world calls “fallen”—persons who are addicted, imprisoned, poor, aged, of ill health. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
For the sins of His own nation / Saw Him hang in desolation / Till His spirit forth He sent.
THE EIGHTH STATION: JESUS SPEAKS TO THE WOMEN
V: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R: Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)
V: Consider how the women wept with compassion seeing Jesus so distressed and dripping with blood as He walked along. Jesus said to them, ``Weep not so much for Me, but rather for Your children.'' (Kneel)
R: Jesus, remove any prejudices or biases from all whom You call to walk with You as priests or in the consecrated life. Let those who follow You see that all God’s people are created equal, male and female, regardless of race or culture, and that our heavenly Father has no favorites. Let their words and example speak of Christ’s justice, peace and joy. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
O sweet Mother! Fount of Love / Touch my spirit from above / Make my heart with yours accord.
THE NINTH STATION: JESUS FALLS THE THIRD TIME
V: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R: Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)
V: Consider how Jesus Christ fell for the third time. He was extremely weak and the cruelty of His executioners was excessive; they tried to hasten His steps though He hardly had strength to move. (Kneel)
R: Jesus, help those You call to know that all vocations are grace-filled; that priests, sisters, brothers, deacons, consecrated men and women, married and single are all favored by God. Instill in them the understanding that nothing can separate them from the love of God who is actively present in good times and in bad. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
Make me feel as You have felt / Make my soul to glow and melt / With the love of Christ, my Lord.
THE TENTH STATION: JESUS IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS
V: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R: Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)
V: Consider how Jesus was violently stripped of His clothes by His executioners. The inner garments adhered to his lacerated flesh and the soldiers tore them off so roughly that the skin came with them. Have pity for your Savior so cruelly treated. (Kneel)
R: Jesus, grant that all those being called to the priesthood and consecrated life will clothe themselves with sincere compassion, humility, kindness, gentleness and patience, forgiveness and thankfulness…and over all these virtues, let them put on love. May they understand that their vocation discernment is their deepest response to Your love. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
Holy Mother, pierce me through / in my heart each wound renew / of my Savior crucified.
THE ELEVENTH STATION: JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS
V: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R: Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)
V: Consider Jesus, thrown down upon the cross, He stretched out His arms and offered to His eternal Father the sacrifice of His life for our salvation. They nailed His hands and feet, and then, raising the cross, left Him to die in anguish. (Kneel)
R: Jesus, instill in youth today a deep desire to make a difference in the world no matter what the cost. Let the courageous example of modern martyrs inspire them to meet all challenges with faith, hope and love. Fill them with Your presence and the grace to respond to the call to “go out to all the world.” (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
Let me share with you His pain / Who for all our sins was slain / Who for me in torments died.
THE TWELFTH STATION: JESUS DIES UPON THE CROSS
V: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R: Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)
V: Consider how Jesus, after three hours of agony on the cross, is finally overwhelmed with suffering and, abandoning Himself to the weight of His body, bows His head and dies. (Kneel)
R: Jesus, give to all who are considering their vocation a deep love of the Eucharist, the Most Holy Sacrament of Your passion, death and resurrection. Let them find in the Mass a daily renewal of Your invitation to live their lives through You, with You, and in You, giving glory and honor to God our Father. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
Let me mingle tears with thee / Mourning Him who mourned for me / All the days that I may live.
THE THIRTEENTH STATION: JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS
V: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R: Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)
V: Consider how, after Our Lord had died, He was taken down from the cross by two of His disciples, Joseph and Nicodemus, and placed in the arms of His afflicted Mother. She received Him with unutterable tenderness and pressed Him close to her bosom. (Kneel)
R: Jesus, touch the minds, hearts and spirits of those You call to serve the people of God. Fill them with the assurance of our Blessed Mother’s love and care for them, especially as they grow to embrace their vocations. Enable them to respond to Your call to bring Your redeeming presence to a world grieving, fearful and hungry for Your Truth through prayer and service.
(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
By the cross with you to stay / There with you to weep and pray / Is all I ask of you to give.
THE FOURTEENTH STATION: JESUS IS PLACED IN THE SEPULCHER
V: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R: Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)
V: Consider how the disciples carried the body of Jesus to its burial, while His holy Mother went with them and arranged it in the sepulcher with her own hands. They then closed the tomb and all departed. (Kneel)
R: We thank you, Jesus, for the infinite power of Your death and resurrection which brought salvation and healing to the world. We thank You for all whom You have called to follow You in the past 2000 years, men and women formally dedicating their lives to the building up of Your Church. We pray for all seminarians and novices in formation. Let all
young men and women today reflect on the lives of the saints, and let them come to meet and know priests, religious, and lay ministers in our times who continue to respond to Christ’s call, “Come, follow me.” (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
Virgin of all virgins blest / Listen to my fond request / Let me share your grief divine.
PRAYER TO JESUS CHRIST CRUCIFIED
All: My good and dear Jesus, I kneel before You, asking You most earnestly to engrave upon my heart a deep and lively faith, hope, and charity, with true repentance for my sins, and a firm resolve to make amends. As I reflect upon Your five wounds, and dwell upon them with deep compassion and grief, I recall, good Jesus, the words the Prophet David spoke long ago concerning Yourself: ``They pierced My hands and My feet; they have numbered all My bones.''
The faithful who, after receiving Communion, recite this prayer before a picture of Christ Crucified may gain a plenary indulgence on any Friday in Lent and a partial indulgence on other days of the year, with the addition of prayers for the Holy Father's intention. (Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, no. 22) A Plenary indulgence is grated to the faithful who make the pious exercise of the Way of the Cross. Those who are impeded can gain the same indulgence if they spend at least one half an hour in pious reading and meditation on the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, no. 63)