Stations of the Cross
From the earliest of days, followers of Jesus told the story of his passion, death and resurrection. When pilgrims came to see Jerusalem, they were anxious to see the sites where Jesus was. These sites become important holy connections with Jesus. Eventually, following in the footsteps of the Lord, along the way of the cross, became a part of the pilgrimage visit. The stations, as we know them today, came about when it was no longer easy or even possible to visit the holy sites. In the 1500's, villages all over Europe started creating "replicas" of the way of the cross, with small shrines commemorating the places along the route in Jerusalem. Eventually, these shrines became the set of 14 stations we now know and were placed in almost every Catholic Church in the world.
Also called The Way of the Cross, Via Crucis, and Via Dolorosa, these names are used to signify either a series of pictures or tableaux representing certain scenes in the Passion of Christ, each corresponding to a particular incident, or the special form of devotion connected with such representations.
The object of the Stations is to help the faithful to make a spiritual pilgrimage of prayer, through meditating upon the chief scenes of Christ's sufferings and death. It has become one of the most popular of Catholic devotions. It is carried out by passing from Station to Station, with certain prayers at each and devout meditation on the various incidents in turn. It is very usual, when the devotion is performed publicly, to sing a stanza of the "Stabat Mater" while passing from one Station to the next.
Station 1 - Jesus is Condemned to Death
Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Consider, that Jesus, after having been scourged and crowned with thorns, was unjustly condemned by Pilate to die on the cross.
My adorable Jesus, it was not Pilate, no, it was my sins that condemned You to die. I beseech You, by the merits of this sorrowful journey, to assist my soul in its journey toward eternity.
All: I love you Jesus, my love above all things; I repent with my whole heart for having offended you. Never permit me to separate myself from you again. Grant that I may love you always, and then do with me what you will.
At the cross her station keeping, Stood the mournful Mother weeping, Close to Jesus to the last.
Station 2 - Jesus is Made to Bear His Cross
Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Consider, that Jesus, in making this journey with the cross on His shoulders, thought of us, and offered for us, to His Father, the death that He was about to undergo.
My most beloved Jesus, I embrace all the tribulations that You have destined for me until death. I beseech You, by the merits of the pain You did suffer in carrying Your cross, to give me the necessary help to carry mine with perfect patience and resignation.
All: I love you Jesus, my love above all things; I repent with my whole heart for having offended you. Never permit me to separate myself from you again. Grant that I may love you always, and then do with me what you will.
Through her heart, His sorrow sharing, All His bitter anguish bearing, Now at length the sword had passed.
Station 3 - Jesus Falls the First Time under His Cross
Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Consider, this first fall of Jesus under His cross. His flesh was torn by the scourges, His head crowned with thorns, and He had lost a great quantity of blood. He was so weakened that He could scarcely walk, and yet He had to carry this great load upon His shoulders. The soldiers struck Him rudely, and thus He fell several times in His journey.
My beloved Jesus, it is not the weight of the cross, but of my sins, which has made You suffer so much pain. Ah, by the merits of this first fall, deliver me from the misfortune of falling into mortal sin.
All: I love you Jesus, my love above all things; I repent with my whole heart for having offended you. Never permit me to separate myself from you again. Grant that I may love you always, and then do with me what you will.
Oh, how sad and sore distressed, was that Mother highly blessed, of the sole-begotten One!
Station 4 - Jesus Meets His Afflicted Mother
Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Consider, the meeting of the Son and the Mother, which took place on this journey. Jesus and Mary looked at each other, and their looks became as so many arrows to wound those hearts which loved each other so tenderly.
My most loving Jesus, by the sorrow You did experience in this meeting, grant me the grace of a truly devoted love for Your most holy Mother. And you, my Queen, who wast overwhelmed with sorrow, obtain for me by your intercession a continual and tender remembrance of the Passion of your Son.
All: I love you Jesus, my love above all things; I repent with my whole heart for having offended you. Never permit me to separate myself from you again. Grant that I may love you always, and then do with me what you will.
Christ above in torment hangs; She beneath beholds the pangs of her dying, glorious Son.
Station 5 - Simon the Cyrenian Helps Jesus to Carry His Cross
Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Consider that the Jews seeing that at each step Jesus, from weakness, was on the point of expiring, and fearing that He would die on the way when they wished Him to die the ignominious death of the cross, constrained Simon the Cyrenian to carry the cross behind Our Lord.
My most sweet Jesus, I will not refuse the cross as the Cyrenian did; I accept it, I embrace it. I accept in particular the death that You have destined for me with all the pains which may accompany it; I unite it to Your death, I offer it to You. You has died for love of me, I will die for love of You, and to please You. Help me by Your grace.
All: I love you Jesus, my love above all things; I repent with my whole heart for having offended you. Never permit me to separate myself from you again. Grant that I may love you always, and then do with me what you will.
Is there one who would not weep, whelm’d in miseries so deep Christ's dear Mother to behold?
Station 6 - Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Consider that the holy woman named Veronica, seeing Jesus so afflicted, and His face bathed in sweat and blood, presented Him with a towel with which He wiped His adorable face, leaving on it the impression of His holy countenance.
My most beloved Jesus, Your face was beautiful before, but in this journey it has lost all its beauty, and wounds and blood have disfigured it. Alas! my soul also was once beautiful, when it received Your grace in Baptism; but I have disfigured it since by my sins. You alone, my Redeemer, canst restore it to its former beauty. Do this by Your Passion, O Jesus.
All: I love you Jesus, my love above all things; I repent with my whole heart for having offended you. Never permit me to separate myself from you again. Grant that I may love you always, and then do with me what you will.
Can the human heart refrain from partaking in her pain, in that Mother's pain untold?
Station 7 - Jesus Falls the Second Time
Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Consider the second fall of Jesus under the cross—a fall which renews the pain of all the wounds of the head and members of our afflicted Lord.
My most gentle Jesus, how many times You have pardoned me, and how many times have I fallen again, and begun again to offend You! Oh, by the merits of this new fall, give me the necessary helps to persevere in Your grace until death. Grant that in all temptations which assail me I may always commend myself to You.
All: I love you Jesus, my love above all things; I repent with my whole heart for having offended you. Never permit me to separate myself from you again. Grant that I may love you always, and then do with me what you will.
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled, she beheld her tender Child, all with bloody scourges rent.
Station 8 - Jesus Speaks to the Daughters of Jerusalem
Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Consider that those women wept with compassion at seeing Jesus in so pitiable a state, streaming with blood, as He walked along. But Jesus said to them, "Weep not for Me but for your children."
My Jesus, laden with sorrows, I weep for the offenses that I have committed against You, because of the pains which they have deserved, and still more because of the displeasure which they have caused You, Who have loved me so much. It is Your love, more than the fear of hell, which causes me to weep for my sins.
All: I love you Jesus, my love above all things; I repent with my whole heart for having offended you. Never permit me to separate myself from you again. Grant that I may love you always, and then do with me what you will.
For the sins of his own nation, saw him hang in desolation, till his spirit forth He sent.
Station 9 - Jesus Falls the Third Time
Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Consider the third fall of Jesus Christ. His weakness was extreme, and the cruelty of His executioners excessive, who tried to hasten His steps when He had scarcely strength to move.
Ah, my outraged Jesus, by the merits of the weakness You did suffer in going to Calvary, give me strength sufficient to conquer all human respect and all my wicked passions, which have led me to despise Your friendship.
All: I love you Jesus, my love above all things; I repent with my whole heart for having offended you. Never permit me to separate myself from you again. Grant that I may love you always, and then do with me what you will.
O thou mother! fount of love, Touch my spirit from above. Make my heart with thine accord.
Station 10 - Jesus is Stripped of His Garments
Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Consider the violence with which the executioners stripped Jesus. His inner garments adhered to His torn flesh and they dragged them off so roughly that the skin came with them. Compassionate your Saviour thus cruelly treated, and say to Him:
My innocent Jesus, by the merits of the torment which You have felt, help me to strip myself of all affection to things of earth, in order that I may place all my love in You, Who art so worthy of my love.
All: I love you Jesus, my love above all things; I repent with my whole heart for having offended you. Never permit me to separate myself from you again. Grant that I may love you always, and then do with me what you will.
Make me feel as thou hast felt; Make my soul to glow and melt with the love of Christ, my Lord.
Station 11 - Jesus is Nailed to the Cross
Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Consider that Jesus, after being thrown on the cross, extended His hands, and offered to His eternal Father the sacrifice of His life for our salvation. These barbarians fastened Him with nails; and then, raising the cross, left Him to die with anguish on this infamous gibbet.
My Jesus, loaded with contempt, nail my heart to Your feet, that it may ever remain there to love You, and never quit You again.
All: I love you Jesus, my love above all things; I repent with my whole heart for having offended you. Never permit me to separate myself from you again. Grant that I may love you always, and then do with me what you will.
Holy Mother, pierce me through. In my heart each wound renew of my Saviour crucified.
Station 12 - Jesus Dies on the Cross
Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Consider how your Jesus, after three hours of agony on the cross, consumed at length with anguish, abandons Himself to the weight of His body, bows His head, and dies.
O my dying Jesus, I kiss devoutly the cross on which You did die for love of me. I have merited by my sins to die a miserable death, but Your death is my hope. Ah, by the merits of Your death, give me grace to die, embracing Your feet and burning with love of You. I commit my soul into Your hands.
All: I love you Jesus, my love above all things; I repent with my whole heart for having offended you. Never permit me to separate myself from you again. Grant that I may love you always, and then do with me what you will.
Let me share with thee his pain, who for all our sins was slain, who for me in torments died.
Station 13 - Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross
Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Consider that, after our Lord had died, two of His disciples, Joseph and Nicodemus, took Him down from the cross, and placed Him in the arms of His sorrowful Mother, who received Him with unutterable tenderness, and pressed Him to her bosom.
O Mother of Sorrow, for the love of this Son, accept me for your servant and pray to Him for me. And You, my Redeemer, since You have died for me, permit me to love You.
All: I love you Jesus, my love above all things; I repent with my whole heart for having offended you. Never permit me to separate myself from you again. Grant that I may love you always, and then do with me what you will.
Let me mingle tears with thee, mourning him who mourned for me, all the days that I may live.
Station 14 - Jesus is Placed in the Sepulchre
Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.
All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Consider that the disciples carried the body of Jesus to bury it, accompanied by His holy Mother, who arranged it in the sepulchre with her own hands. They then closed the tomb and all withdrew.
Ah, my buried Jesus, I kiss the stone that encloses You. But You did rise again the third day. I beseech You, by Your resurrection, make me rise glorious with You at the last day, to be always united with You in heaven, to praise You and love You forever.
All: I love you Jesus, my love above all things; I repent with my whole heart for having offended you. Never permit me to separate myself from you again. Grant that I may love you always, and then do with me what you will.
By the cross with thee to stay, there with thee to weep and pray, is all I ask of thee to give.