Stations of the Cross

Introductory Rites

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

R/ Amen.

The grace of our Lord Jesus, who suffered for us and by His paschal mystery redeemed us, be with you all.

R/ And also with you.

My brothers and sisters,

Through baptism we have died with Christ, and through our sharing in the Holy Eucharist we are given a pledge of a blessed resurrection. Let us now call to mind our baptism into Christ by which we have died with Him and await the fulfillment in us of His glorious Resurrection.

READING Romans 6:3-4, 8-11

Are you not aware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Through baptism into His death we were buried with Him, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live a new life.

If we have died with Christ, we believe that we are also to live with Him. We know that Christ, once raised from the dead, will never die again; death has no more power over Him. His death was death to sin once for all; His life is life for God. In the same way, you must consider yourselves dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus.

The Word of the Lord.

R/Thanks be to God.

PRAYER

(Kneel)

Let us pray. God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, open our hearts to the power of the cross of Jesus that we may walk faithfully in His footsteps and find strength to face the trials and tribulations of life. Give us courage and joy in all things and lead us safely through the gates of death into life everlasting.

R/Amen.

Then Jesus came with them to a plot of land called Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Stay here while I go over there to pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him. And He began to feel sadness and anguish.

Then He said to them, “My soul is sorrowful to the point of death. Wait here and stay awake with me.” And going on a little further He fell on His face and prayed. “My Father,” He said, “if it is possible, let this cup pass me by. Nevertheless, let it be as You, not I, would have it.” He came back to the disciples and found them sleeping and He said to Peter, “So you had not the strength to stay awake with Me for one hour? Stay awake, and pray not to be put to the test. The spirit is willing enough, but human nature is weak”.

Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, suffering in the Garden of Olives, comfort those who are alone or abandoned in their suffering. Be with all who await death with fear. Keep our eyes open that we may not ignore the sufferings of others and give us faith in the Father’s mighty providence. Lead us to the knowledge that the chalice of suffering and death is the cup of salvation and joy.

The Second Station

Jesus is Betrayed by Judas

LEADER: We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You.

ALL: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.

READING Mt. 26:47-56

And suddenly while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, appeared, and with him a large number of men armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders of the people. Now the traitor had arranged a sign with them saying, “The One I kiss, He is the Man. Arrest Him.” So he went up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi,” and kissed Him. Jesus said to him, “My friend, do what you are here for.” Then they came forward, seized Jesus and arrested Him. And suddenly, one of the followers of Jesus grasped his sword and drew it; he struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his ear. Jesus then said, “Put your sword back, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.”

PRAYER (Kneel)

Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, betrayed by Judas, hear the prayers of all who are betrayed or abandoned by others for unworthy gain. Keep our vision on those things that bring goodness and salvation. Preserve us from every violence. Have mercy on all who are tempted to act with deception and cunning. Keep our vision clear that we may not go astray or seek justification for acting falsely.

Meanwhile, Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came up to him saying, “You, too, were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it in front of them all. “I do not know what you are talking about,” he said. When he went out to the gateway another servant-girl saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.” And again, with an oath, he denied it. “I do not know the Man.” A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “You are certainly one of them too! Why, your accent gives you away.” Then he started cursing and swearing, “I do not know the Man.” And at once the cock crowed.

Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, denied by Peter, give us courage that we may not deny our brothers and sisters out of weakness. Preserve us from rejecting out of fear those who have offered us their love. Give us the gift of humility and the grace of true repentance. Support with courage all who lead Your Church and give us grace to follow in the footsteps of Your faithful disciples.

In his desire to set Jesus free, Pilate addressed (the Jewish leaders) again, but they shouted back, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” And for the third time he spoke to them, “But what harm has this Man done? I have found no case against Him that deserves death, so I shall have Him flogged and then let Him go.” But they kept on shouting at the top of their voices, demanding that He should be crucified. And their shouts kept growing louder.

Pilate then gave his verdict: their demand was to be granted. He released the man they asked for, who had been imprisoned for rioting and murder, and handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they pleased.

Let us pray. Lord Jesus, condemned to death, look with kindness and mercy on all who suffer death unjustly. Support with Your love all who are oppressed in body or spirit. Convert the hearts of those who yield power over life and death. Let Your mighty power, which is without end or beginning, triumph over all that is destructive and terrifying.

Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus with them into the Praetorium and collected the whole cohort around Him. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet cloak around Him.

And having twisted some thorns into a crown they put this on His head and placed a reed in His right hand. To make fun of Him they knelt to Him saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they spat on Him and took the reed and struck Him on the head with it. And when they had finished making fun of Him, they took off the cloak and dressed Him in His own clothes and led Him away to crucify Him.

Then they took charge of Jesus, and carrying His own cross He went out to the Place of the Skull or, as it is called in Hebrew, Golgotha.

Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, carrying the cross, let us take up the cross with faith and follow in Your footsteps. Do not let us lose hope in the pilgrimage of life. May we not grow faint or weary or become discouraged. Keep the banner of the cross alive in Your Church that You may be hailed as the Lamb victorious. Send Your Holy Spirit to guide and support Your Church in every age.

They enlisted a passer-by, Simon of Cyrene, father of Alexander and Rufus, who was coming in from the country, to carry His cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha, which means the place of the skull.

Large numbers of people followed Him, and women too, who mourned and lamented for Him. But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me; weep rather for yourselves and for your children. For look, the days are surely coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are those who are barren, the wombs that have never borne children, the breasts that have never suckled!’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ For if this is what is done to green wood, what will be done when the wood is dry?”

When they reached the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the two criminals, one on His right, the other on His left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.”

One of the criminals hanging there abused Him: “Are you not the Christ? Save Yourself and us as well.” But the other spoke up and rebuked him. “Have you no fear of God at all?” he said. “You got the same sentence as He did, but in our case we deserved it; we are paying for what we did. But this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He answered him, “In truth I tell you, today you will be with Me in paradise.”

Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. Seeing His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing near her, Jesus said to His mother, “Woman, this is your son.” Then to the disciple He said, “This is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

After this, Jesus knew that everything had now been completed and, so that the scripture should be completely fulfilled, He said: “I am thirsty.” A jar full of sour wine stood there; so, putting a sponge soaked in the wine on a hyssop stick, they held it up to His mouth. After Jesus had taken the wine He said, “It is fulfilled;” and bowing His head He gave up His spirit.

After this, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus --though a secret one because he was afraid of the Jews -- asked Pilate to let him remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave permission, so they came and took it away. Nicodemus came as well -- the same one who had first come to Jesus at night-time -- and he brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with spices, following the Jewish burial custom. At the place where He had been crucified there was a garden, and in this garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been buried. Since it was the Jewish Day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

LEADER: We have followed with faith the way of the cross in hope of eternal life. Let us give thanks to the Lord who has redeemed the world and opened the gates of paradise for all who believe.

Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has bestowed on us in Christ every spiritual blessing in the heavens! God chose us in Him before the world began, to be holy and blameless in His sight, to be full of love; He likewise predestined us through Christ Jesus to be His adopted sons - such was His will and pleasure -- that all might praise the divine favor He has bestowed on us in His beloved.

It is in Christ and through His Blood that we have been redeemed and our sins forgiven, so immeasurably generous is God’s favor to us. God has given us the wisdom to understand fully the mystery, the plan He was pleased to decree in Christ, to be carried out in the fullness of time: namely, to bring all things in the heavens and on earth into one under Christ’s headship.

Let us pray. Almighty and eternal God, you have restored us to life by the triumphant Death and Resurrection of Christ. Continue this healing work within us. May we who have died with Him in baptism come to share in His glorious Resurrection. We ask this in the Name of Jesus the Lord.

The Father of mercies has given us an example of unselfish love in the sufferings of His only Son. Through your service of God and neighbor may you receive His countless blessings.

You believe that by His dying Christ destroyed death forever. May He give you everlasting life.

He humbles Himself for our sakes. May you follow His example and share in His Resurrection.

May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit. R/Amen.

This page was last updated on Saturday, February 10, 2007 07:29:22 PM

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