STATIONS OF THE CROSS

OPENING PRAYER

Mary, my Mother, you were the first to live in the Way of the Cross. You felt every pain and every humiliation. You were unafraid of the ridicule heaped upon you by the crowds. Your eyes were ever on Jesus and His Pain. Is that the secret of your miraculous strength? How did your loving heart bear such a burden and such weight? As you watched Him stumble and fall, were you tortured by the memory of all the yesterdays- His birth, His hidden life and His ministry?


You were so desirous of everyone loving Him. What a heartache it was to see so many hate Him- hate with a diabolical fury. Take my hand as I make this Way of the Cross. Inspire me with those thoughts that will make me realize how much He loves me. Give me light to apply each station to my daily life and to remember my neighbor's needs in His way of the Pain.


Obtain for me the grace to understand the mystery, the wisdom and the Divine love as I go from scene to scene. Grant that my heart, like yours, may be pierced through by the sight of His sorrow and the misery and that I may determine never to offend Him again. What a price He paid to cover my sins, to open the gates of heaven for me and to fill my soul with His own Spirit. Sweet Mother, let us travel this way together and grant that the love in my poor heart may give you some slight consolation. Amen

I. JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH


Pontius Pilate dares to condemn the all-holy Savior to death. No, not Pilate; but my sins have condemned Jesus to be crucified. O Jesus, have mercy on me and remember Thou didst choose to die that I may have eternal life. Let me so live that when I come to die I may find Thee a most merciful Judge, an all-loving Redeemer.





LET US PRAY...
~ Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen

~ Hail Mary, Full of grace, the Lord is with thee! Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen

~ Glory be to the Father, Son, and The Holy Spirit! As it was in the beginning, is now, and never shall be world without end. Amen

II. JESUS TAKES UP HIS CROSS


Most willingly Jesus accepts and patiently bears His Cross for my sake. Will I refuse to bear my cross for His sake? No, my loving Redeemer, I will no longer seek to evade my cross, but with the Help of Thy Grace I will bear it with Christian patience and resignation and follow Thee always.





LET US PRAY...
~ Our Father.....
~ Hail Mary.....
~ Glory Be.....

III. JESUS FALLS THE FIRST TIME


Weakened by torments and by loss of blood, Jesus falls beneath His Cross. Alas! More truly was He crushed to earth by the number and enormity of my sins! Good Master, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. I love Thee, infinite Goodness! Help me to hate sin as the only real evil.





LET US PRAY...
~ Our Father.....
~ Hail Mary.....
~ Glory Be.....

IV. JESUS MEETS HIS SORROWFUL MOTHER


Jesus, the Man of Sorrows, meets Mary, the Queen of Martyrs, Oceans of grief deluge their Hearts as they face each other. They suffer thus for my sins! O Jesus, O Mary, bathe my sinful soul in a sea of true sorrow for my past offenses. In all temptation I will say: "Jesus, Mary, help me!"





LET US PRAY...
~ Our Father.....
~ Hail Mary.....
~ Glory Be.....

V. SIMON OF CYRENE HELPS JESUS CARRY THE CROSS


Although Jesus seems about to expire, He does not need-- yet accepts-- the help of Simon, since He wills to die on the Cross. Thus does He teach me charity and perseverance. O Jesus, I too will carry my cross patiently to the end and strive to lighten the cross of my fellow men.





LET US PRAY...
~ Our Father.....
~ Hail Mary.....
~ Glory Be.....

VI. VERONICA WIPES THE FACE OF JESUS


Jesus accepts and returns the towel to Veronica. Upon it is left the impress of His adorable Face. Alas! My sins have disfigured Thy Holy Countenance. O Jesus, grant me efficacious sorrow that all sin may be erased from my soul and that Thy Grace and Thy divine Image may be stamped upon it forever.





LET US PRAY...
~ Our Father.....
~ Hail Mary.....
~ Glory Be.....

VII. JESUS FALLS A SECOND TIME


My feeble resolutions, my oft-repeated sins have crushed Jesus to earth a second time. Such is the malice of habitual sin. O Jesus grant me true repentance. Let me die a thousand times rather than have the misfortune to fall again into mortal sin! Help me to hate all sin.





LET US PRAY...
~ Our Father.....
~ Hail Mary.....
~ Glory Be.....

VIII. JESUS MEETS THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM


The Savior teaches the women not to weep for Him, but for their own sins and the sins of their children. How generous is He! O Jesus, grant that I may understand the true meaning of Thy Passion and be so inflamed with love for Thee that I may shed tears of blood over my past transgressions.





LET US PRAY...
~ Our Father.....
~ Hail Mary.....
~ Glory Be.....

IX. JESUS FALLS THE THIRD TIME


Consternation fills my soul when I behold the Savior fall a third time beneath the Cross. What is the cause? The incredible obstinacy of sinners who refuse to amend their lives. O Jesus, grant that I may be truly converted and suffer every evil rather than be numbered among such ungrateful sinners.





LET US PRAY...
~ Our Father.....
~ Hail Mary.....
~ Glory Be....

X. JESUS IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS


What a pitiable spectacle is this shameful stripping of Jesus! Ghastly wounds are re-opened. Blood flows afresh. What shame would be mine if the evil were torn from my soul and the world saw my hidden sins! O Jesus, help me to know all my sins and confess them with deep sorrow and true humility.





LET US PRAY...
~ Our Father.....
~ Hail Mary.....
~ Glory Be.....

XI. JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS


How can I behold the Savior shamefully nailed to the Cross and seek only comfort, wealth, and honors... and even indulge in unlawful pleasures? Jesus Crucified, help me to esteem and practice true Christian mortification that I may love only Thee and renounce the world, the flesh, and the Devil.





LET US PRAY...
~ Our Father.....
~ Hail Mary.....
~ Glory Be.....

XII. JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS


Jesus, my God, dies on the cross for me. I have done nothing for Him. I too must die! O my Crucified Savior, grant that I may so live in the future that I may have no cause to fear a sudden and unimproved death. Jesus, for Thee I live. Jesus, for Thee I die!





LET US PRAY...
~ Our Father.....
~ Hail Mary.....
~ Glory Be.....

XIII. JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS


The lifeless Body of Jesus now rests in the arms of Mary. What anguish is hers as she thinks of the many souls for whom her Son shed His Precious Blood in vain! What joy to know that so many are redeemed! O my Savior, preserve me from Hell. O sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation.





LET US PRAY...
~ Our Father.....
~ Hail Mary.....
~ Glory Be.....

XIV. JESUS IS LAID IN THE TOMB


Like Jesus, I too must lie in the grave. But Jesus rises in triumph on the third day. My buried Jesus, grant eternal rest to all who sleep in death. Have mercy on me and grant me the grace to rise to a new spiritual life, that dying to myself now, I may rise gloriously with Thee on the Last Day.





LET US PRAY...
~ Our Father.....
~ Hail Mary.....
~ Glory Be.....

CLOSING PRAYER

My Jesus, I have traveled Your Way of the cross. It seems so real and I feel so ashamed, I complain of my sufferings and find obedience to the Father's Will difficult. My mind bogged down by the poverty, sickness, starvation, greed, and hatred in the world.


There are many innocent people who suffer so unjustly. There are those born with physical and mental defects. Do we understand that Your continue to carry Your cross in the minds and bodies of each human beings?


Help me to see the Father's Will in every incident of my daily life. This is what You did- You saw the Father's Will in Your persecutors, Your enemies and Your Pain.


You saw a beauty in the Cross and embraced it as a desired treasure. My worldly mind is dulled by injustice and suffering and I lose sight of the glory that is to come. Help me to trust the Father and to realize that there is something great behind the most insignificant suffering. There is Someone lifting my cross to fit my shoulders- there is Divine Wisdom in all the petty annoyances that irk my soul every day.


Teach me the lessons contained in my Cross, the wisdom of its necessity, the beauty of its variety and the fortitude that accompanies even the smallest cross. Mary, My Mother, obtain for me the grace to be Jesus to my neighbor and to see my neighbor in Jesus. Amen