Stations Of The Cross

OPENING PRAYER
O God, we are about to walk with your
Son through the stages of His suffering
and death.
We know that Jesus saved us and
brought us new life through His sacrifice
on the cross and His rising from the
dead three days later.
Help us to understand a little better and
to love a little more.
Help us to live more unselfish lives.
Open our minds to help us see how we
can better follow in Jesus' footsteps.
Amen.
 Jesus is condemned to death

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless You

Because by Your holy cross,
You have redeemed the world.
Meditation:
There you stand before the crowd after
being beaten. You never deny yourself, yet
humbly accept the punishment given to you
by those who had witnessed your miracles.
All you did was love every person you met.
Yet they are not alone in their
condemnation of you.
Jesus, forgive me for how I condemn and
pierce others with my words and actions.
Help me to love like you and to learn from
your example.
Have mercy on us Oh Lord.
Have mercy on us.
 Jesus carries his cross.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless You
Because by Your holy cross,
You have redeemed the world
Meditation:
You’ve been whipped, stripped, and spit on
by countless faces, some of whom last week
treated you as royalty as you entered the
city. And now, they hand you a cross to
carry. The weight of it is far more than
any number of pounds we can figure. For in
carrying the cross, you carry the weight of
our sins.
Jesus, give me the strength and the
courage to let go of those things that
separate me from you.
Have mercy on us Oh Lord.
Have mercy on us
 Jesus falls the first time.

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless You

Because by Your holy cross,
You have redeemed the world.
Meditation:
As you walk through the narrow streets,
every movement, every jolt burns and
reopens your wounds. The pain along with
the weight of the cross becomes too much
and you fall. Even though you know what
still lies ahead, you do not stop and
somehow find the strength to continue.
Jesus, help me to remember your courage
and perseverance when you fell. Give me
the courage to get back up when I fall.
Have mercy on us Oh Lord.
Have mercy on us.
 Jesus meets his mother.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless You
Because by Your holy cross,
You have redeemed the world
Meditation:
Amid all the shouts and jeers, one voice
stands out. At first it is so faint, but then
as your eyes meet and you see her face
you are not surprised that she is there for
you. Her ‘Yes’ to the Father has been a
light in the darkness. And now, here in your
darkest hour, she is there. Jesus, help me
to remember that I am never alone in my
struggles. Help me to see my parents as
you saw yours. Help me know their love for
me.
Have mercy on us Oh Lord.
Have mercy on us.
 Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his
cross.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless You
Because by Your holy cross,
You have redeemed the world.
Meditation:
The soldiers who had beaten you all day
had what appears to be a moment of
compassion. Yet instead, they only want to
get you up to the place where you will be
crucified. They decide to grab Simon a
Cyrenian out of the crowd to help you carry
the cross. He follows behind you, walking
in your steps, helping you move forward.
Jesus, help me follow Simon’s example of
helping others.
Have mercy on us Oh Lord.
Have mercy on us.
 Veronica wipes the face of Jesus.

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless You

Because by Your holy cross,
You have redeemed the world.
Meditation:
By now the thorns cut so deeply into your
head that even seeing where you should
step next is almost impossible. As Veronica
approaches, she reaches out her hands and
wipes your face with her cloth. No words
are necessary, both your eyes say it all.
Jesus, help me to see your presence in
others. Give me the courage to follow
Veronica’s example of treating others with
love even when no one else does.
Have mercy on us Oh Lord.
Have mercy on us.
 Jesus falls the second time.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless You
Because by Your holy cross,
You have redeemed the world.
Meditation:
The soldiers are enraged at you for falling
this time. In their anger they hit you again
and again before they remember that you
have to be alive to be crucified.
Remembering your love and your
faithfulness you get up, and now with your
wounds full of dirt and each step embedding
it deeper, you keep going.
Jesus, help me to believe in your
faithfulness and love for me. Help me to
be a person of integrity.
Have mercy on us Oh Lord.
Have mercy on us.
 Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless You
Because by Your holy cross,
You have redeemed the world.
Meditation:
Their wailing sounds like a funeral. They
know you are on your way to be crucified
and because of the beating you have
endured you already look like you should not
be breathing at all. Yet in this moment
consumed by death, you speak words of life
and say, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not
weep for me.’
Jesus, help me to listen to your words of
life. Show me ways that I can put you
first.
Have mercy on us Oh Lord.
Have mercy on us.
 Jesus falls a third time.

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless You …

Because by Your holy cross,
You have redeemed the world.
Meditation:
Again you fall, this time from sheer
exhaustion. Only your will presses you forward
while your body refuses. You muster the
strength to get up. You vow to not fall again
because now you can see the place they are
leading you to. You know the end is close and
so you press on.
Jesus, help me to follow your ways. Help me
remember your victory over my sin. Give me
the grace to recognize when I sin and the
desire to sin no more.
Have mercy on us Oh Lord.
Have mercy on us.
 Jesus is stripped of His garments

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless You

Because by Your holy cross,
You have redeemed the world.
Meditation:
As the soldiers strip you bare it is not the
nakedness that is painful but rather the
vicious tearing of your skin. The cuts that
had closed, now reopen and once again a
river of blood runs all over your body. You
are stripped of your dignity as a man.
Jesus, help me not to judge people by how
they look or what they wear. Help me to
find my self worth and identity in you.
Have mercy on us Oh Lord.
Have mercy on us.
 Jesus is nailed to the cross

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless You

Because by Your holy cross,
You have redeemed the world.
Meditation:
The soldiers pull your right arm and then
horrific pain flows through your entire body
as the nail pierces your hand. The soldier
pounds it in, only stopping to wipe your
blood off his own face. Again the nail is
driven into your other hand and the pain
jolts your entire body. Pain shoots up your
legs as they nail your feet.
Jesus, help me to seek your forgiveness
and mercy for the times that I sin.
Have mercy on us Oh Lord.
Have mercy on us.
 Jesus dies on the cross

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless You

Because by Your holy cross,
You have redeemed the world.
Meditation:
Above your head is the inscription, ‘King of
the Jews’. As you use every last ounce of
life left in you so that you can speak, yet,
every word out of your mouth is one of
love. And finally you say, ‘Father, into your
hands I commend my spirit...it is finished.’
You breathe your last.
Jesus, help me to know that you died for
me. Fill me with comfort in knowing that I
never suffer anything you don’t understand.
Have mercy on us Oh Lord.
Have mercy on us.
 Jesus is taken down from the cross
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless You
Because by Your holy cross,
You have redeemed the world.
Meditation:
The first arms that held you in this world
are also the last. Now as she holds your
body that is mangled beyond recognition,
her heart is pierced. Your comfort will
come but in this moment she has only the
Father to be with her in her sorrow and
pain.
Jesus, help me to trust in you. Help me to
place all of my hope in you and give me
peace in knowing that you are Lord over all
things.
Have mercy on us Oh Lord.
Have mercy on us.
 Jesus is laid in the tomb
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless You
Because by Your holy cross,
You have redeemed the world.
Meditation:
You are laid to rest by Joseph of
Arimethea, Mary Magdalene, Mary your
mother and a few other women. The stone
is rolled over the entrance and now it surely
is the end. While in their heightened
sorrow believing all is over, you are
conquering sin and death.
Jesus, help me always remember that
death is not the end. Help me to love every
person not just in words but also with my
actions.
Have mercy on us Oh Lord.
Have mercy on us.
 THE CONCLUSION

Meditation:
God, you so loved the world that you
gave your only son, who died and rose
for all of us. Help me approach you
often for the forgiveness I need, the
forgiveness Jesus won for me through
his passion, death and resurrection.
Help me use the gifts of the Holy Spirit
to face all the challenges that confront
me. Help me share in the joy of all who
have been redeemed, that I may be
renewed, made more perfect, and cry
out with joy with all your people.