STATIONS OF THE CROSS

STATIONS OF THE CROSS

Introductory prayer:  Lord Jesus Christ, fill our hearts with the light of your Spirit, so that by following you on your final journey in these stations of the cross, we may come to know the price of our Redemption and become worthy of a share in the fruits of your Passion, Death and Resurrection. You who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.

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. 

Mark 15:12-14: Pilate brought Jesus outside and said to the people, “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” “Crucify him!” they shouted. “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” 

Reflection: Jesus stands before Pilate, accused of crimes he hasn’t committed, and He Who is Without Sin mutely accepts the blame for the sin of all. Trust allows for this, Jesus’ full trust in God’s plan—the promise of resurrection and salvation. This was the light that led him through the darkness. 

Prayer: Jesus, help us to see your acceptance of blame not as weakness or resignation, but as the ultimate example of self-sacrificing trust in God. Give us that same trust, so that when we see wrongs we did not perpetuate or problems we did not create, we step in to offer your healing, comfort, and hope.

The Second Station: Jesus is made to carry the cross 

We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. 

John 19:16-17: The soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull, the place in Aramaic called Golgotha). 

Reflection: Jesus carried the horizontal beam of the cross, which weighed about 125 pounds. He endured great pain as he walked, the beam chafing his back. Steadfast acceptance of God’s will allowed him to put on foot in front of the other. 

Prayer: Jesus, we often avoid adversity. We fear humiliation and run from suffering. But you chose to take up the cross, a symbol of humiliation and suffering. You accepted God’s will. Teach us, we pray, to carry our burdens with the same grace, remembering that you will never leave or forsake us.

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. 

Philippians 2:8: And being found in human form, Jesus humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 

Reflection: At the time of Jesus’ death, crucifixion was the punishment reserved for the lowest of society’s low, the prevailing method employed to publicly dishonor a person. Jesus’ brutal flogging was part of the practice; it sent his body into shock from pain and blood loss, the likely cause of his fall. In humility, Jesus succumbed to the ultimate display of human denigration. 

Prayer: Jesus, teach us to be humble. Fill us with your Spirit so that we can be conduits of your self-giving love. Through your example, may our weaknesses make us stronger, more accepting of the weaknesses of others, and increasingly humble.

The Fourth Station: Jesus meets his Blessed Mother 

We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. 

Luke 2:34-35: Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, Jesus’ mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too." 

Reflection: Face to face, Jesus and the Blessed Mother meet. Jesus is covered in blood and sweat, bent under the weight of the cross, subjected to angry shouts of hate. Mary, experiencing every mother’s worst nightmare that her child will suffer harm, feels the sword pierce her soul. Moving with fiercely protective love, she offers her son the little she can: the comfort of her presence. 

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for the gift of Mary, who models perfect love for us. In our love for you, make us fiercely protective of you. Help us remember that when we are present to those who are hungry, tired, sad, stubborn, and forgetful, we are loving you.

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. 

Luke 23:26: As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 

Reflection: Simon from Cyrene is pressed into service on his way in from the country in an unexpected detour from his plan for the day. We don’t know why he is appointed for the task or how he reacts. Nevertheless, he serves a man in the hour of his greatest need. Here we remember that, as with Simon, our acts of service—expected or not, appointed or not, eagerly shared or not—carry great weight in the kingdom of God. 

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for this tiny glimpse of Simon from Cyrene, who shows us the cosmic impact of service. Give us the eyes to see when, where, and who we can serve, and the strength to step into that call even when it causes a detour. Show us, too, how to let others help us. By your Spirit, help us to share our service generously and accept it from others graciously. 

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. 

Matthew 10:40,42: He who receives you receives me. He who receives me receives the one who sent me. If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward. 

Reflection: As Jesus stumbles on the road, Veronica takes her veil to gently wipe the sweat and blood from his face. In return, Jesus leaves the imprint of his image on the cloth. “He who receives me receives the one who sent me.” Jesus meets her kindness with kindness, blessing her with the imprinted veil, a lasting reminder of God With Us. 

Prayer: Jesus, through the example of Veronica, open our eyes to the suffering around us.  By your Spirit, help us comfort them in your name, reminding us that in every such action, you are with us. 

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. 

Psalm 22:6-7: But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. 

Reflection: In the Gospels, we see images of Jesus as the center of attention: some ascended trees to see him; others reached out simply to touch his garments; others dismantled a roof to lower their sick friend down to him. Jesus had once been surrounded with love and acclaim; now he is rejected and scorned. 

Prayer: Jesus, give us the grace to identify with those who are rejected. Inspire in us compassion for those who are cast aside or marginalized in society. May our love of you become a force that heals and unifies.

The Eighth Station: Jesus speaks to the women of Jerusalem 

We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. 

Luke 23:27-28 As Jesus walked toward Golgotha, a large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him; and he turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me…for behold, the days are coming...” 

Reflection: A crush of people surrounds Jesus as he drags his cross through the streets—jeering, cheering, yelling people, and grief-stricken, too. Encountering the women, he shares a hope-filled message: this is not the end of the story. Those who judge Christ worthy of death will, in the end, meet the judgment of God. There is hope. 

Prayer: Jesus, God of both justice and mercy, thank you for the hope you embodied and shared with your heartbroken followers, even on the way to the cross. Keep us mindful—and ready communicators—of your promises. 

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. 

Psalm 22:14: I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. 

Reflection: As he nears his place of execution, a third and final fall begs the question: Why would Jesus get up? Why would he summon his last ounce of energy to deliver himself to the pain of the cross? Falling three times; getting up three times. Dying on the cross; rising from the grave. Christ shows us that he can transform weakness, failings, and death into the glory of self-gift. 

Prayer: Jesus, give us eyes of faith. Allow us to see light where there appears only darkness, and life where we can only sense death. When our energy flags, inspire in us the confidence to get up, and continue our journey toward home.

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. 

Mark 15:19: Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. They stripped off his clothes and began to mock him, saying: “All hail, King of the Jews.” 

Reflection: Though artists through the centuries have depicted it otherwise, crucified people in Jesus’ time were stripped of all of their clothes in a process of ultimate humiliation. Imagine the embarrassment of being so exposed. When we are subjected to humiliation, we can be confident of this: Jesus knows how we feel. 

Prayer: Jesus our Wounded Healer, thank you for fully embracing the human experience. May we ever be grateful for all you endured on our behalf. May we pay it forward, dedicating our energy no matter the cost to protecting human dignity.

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. 

John 17:19: Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull. Here they crucified him, and with him two others--one on each side and Jesus in the middle. 

Reflection: Keeping in mind that the word excruciating literally means “out of the cross,” we reflect on Jesus and the excruciating pain he suffered as soldiers pounded thick nails through his hands and feet. As he completely surrendered any natural human desire to protect himself, Christ bore this pain – our pain – as a supreme sign of his overwhelming love for God’s people. 

Prayer: Jesus, on the cross you embraced the pain of generations of sinful men and women. As we see pain and suffering behind the eyes of our co-workers, friends, and acquaintances. we pray that you will guide us by your example of profound empathy. Teach us to share the pain of those around us and to be for them signs of your love in their lives. 

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. 

John 19:28-29: Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 

Reflection: Not long before his death, Jesus was transfigured before his disciples, confirming his identity as God’s Son. But now he is horrifyingly dead. Surely his disciples were confused. Surely some doubted who Jesus really was. No wonder they fled the scene. Jesus’ closest friends affirm for us that doubt is not the opposite of faith; it is part of it. 

Prayer: Jesus, we cannot reason our way into understanding that which is by definition unreasonable— death, cruelty, injustice happen across the world everyday. Guard us from confusion, doubt, and fear, and give us the faith we need to accept your mystery.

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. 

John 19:33-34: When the soldiers came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs, but one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out. 

Reflection: Jesus is dead. His body hangs on the cross, limp and lifeless, until at last it is taken down and placed in the lap of his mother. Mary can do absolutely nothing to change the events of this day, but in her helplessness, she does not withdraw in defeat. She clings to her son. By her example, may we learn to do the same. 

Prayer: Jesus, as human beings, we sometimes face challenges that leave us at a loss. We worry that it’s beyond our power to make a difference in the lives of others. Show us the example of your Blessed Mother, and teach us that when we can think of nothing else to do, we can hold fast to you, and you will always lead us forward.

The Fourteenth Station: Jesus is placed in the tomb 

We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. 

John 19:38-41 Now, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for Jesus’ body. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloe. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. 

Reflection: Death without burial was the intended end for crucified criminals, clinching their worthlessness as human beings. Joseph of Arimathea shows courage in approaching Pilot for permission to bury Jesus. He shows tenderness in preparing Jesus’ body with aloe, myrrh, and linens. He shows respect in laying Jesus to rest according to the Jewish custom. Joseph of Arimathea, this man about whom we know so little, teaches us so much about being devoted to Jesus. 

Prayer: Jesus, by your Spirit may we, like Joseph, show our devotion to you through courage, respect and tenderness. And may we, like Joseph, teach others to do the same. Kindle in our hearts fervent devotion to you.

Closing prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, you were drawn by the Father from the darkness of death to the light of a new life in glory. Grant that the sign of the empty tomb may speak to us and to future generations and become a wellspring of living faith, generous love, and unshakeable hope. To you, O Jesus, whose presence, hidden and victorious, fills the history of the world, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.