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Stations of The
Cross
First Station: Jesus is condemned to death
Leader: We adore Thee, O Christ, and
bless Thee.
All: Because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.
Jesus, you stand all alone before Pilate. Nobody speaks up for you. Nobody helps
defend you. You devoted your entire life to helping others, listening to the
smallest ones, caring for those who were ignored by others. They don't seem to
remember that as they prepare to put you to death.
As a child, sometimes I feel alone. Sometimes I feel that others don't stand up
for me and defend me when I am afraid. Sometimes I don't feel like I am treated
fairly, especially if I am scolded or corrected.
As an adult, sometimes I feel abandoned and afraid as well. Sometimes I too,
feel like I am treated unfairly or blamed for things unfairly.
I have a hard time when people
criticize me at home or at work.
Help me be grateful for what you did for me. Help me to accept criticism and
unfairness as you did, and not complain. Help me pray for those who have hurt
me.
My Jesus, often have I signed the death warrant by my sins; save me by Thy death
from that eternal death which I have so often deserved.
Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory Be to the Father....
Leader: Jesus Christ Crucified.
All: Have mercy on Us.
Leader: May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest
in peace.
All: Amen.
Second Station: Jesus carries His cross
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and
we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Jesus, as you accepted your cross, you knew you would carry it to your death on
Calvary. You knew it wouldn't be easy, but you accepted it and carried it just
the same.
As a child, sometimes I don't like the problems that come my way. Sometimes I
try to get others to take care of them or solve them for me. Sometimes I become
upset and crabby when I'm asked to do even the smallest thing to help others.
As an adult I sometimes feel like I'm not appreciated. Sometimes I feel as if I
accept more responsibility that I need to. I can feel sorry for myself, even
though the crosses others carry are much larger than my own. In my self-pity, I
don't reach out to help.
My Jesus, Who by Thine own will didst take on Thee the most heavy cross I made
for Thee by my sins, oh, make me feel their heavy weight, and weep for them ever
while I live.
Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory Be to the Father....
Leader: Jesus Christ Crucified.
All: Have mercy on Us.
Leader: May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest
in peace.
All: Amen.
Third Station: Jesus falls the first time
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and
we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Jesus, the cross you have been carrying is very heavy. You are becoming weak and
almost ready to faint, and you fall down. Nobody seems to want to help you. The
soldiers are interested in getting home, so they yell at you and try to get you
up and moving again.
As a child, sometimes I start to do something, but then get tired of it. I hurry
to get finished and sometimes don't do my work well. Sometimes I don't pay
attention to what I should be doing. When things get hard for me, sometimes I
give up.
As an adult, I sometimes put things off. I give up too easily, and sometimes
don't do my work as well as I know I can.
My Jesus, the heavy burden of my sins is on Thee, and bears Thee down beneath
the cross. I loathe them, I detest them; I call on Thee to pardon them; may Thy
grace aid me never more to commit them.
Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory Be to the Father....
Leader: Jesus Christ Crucified.
All: Have mercy on Us.
Leader: May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest
in peace.
All: Amen.
Fourth Station: Jesus meets his mother
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and
we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Jesus, you feel so alone with all those people yelling and screaming at you. You
don't like the words they are saying about you, and you look for a friendly face
in the crowd. You see your mother. She can't make the hurting stop, but it helps
to see that she is on your side, that she is suffering with you. She does
understand and care.
As a child, sometimes I feel like too many things are going on. Sometimes other
kids pick on me and call me names. I need to look around me for a friendly face,
and for the help I need. I need to share my troubles with those who truly care
about me.
As an adult I sometimes feel overwhelmed by many things. Life is so competitive,
and I worry so much about my future and those who have some control over it. I
need to remember that being an adult does not mean having to solve every problem
all by myself. I need to look around me for a friendly face, for the help I
need.
Jesus most suffering, Mary Mother most sorrowful, if, by my sins, I caused you
pain and anguish in the past, by God's assisting grace it shall be so no more;
rather be you my love henceforth till death.
Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory be to the Father....
Leader: Jesus Christ Crucified.
All: Have mercy on Us.
Leader: May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest
in peace.
All: Amen.
Fifth Station: Simon of Cyrene 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.
Jesus, the soldiers are becoming impatient. This is taking longer than they
wanted it to. They are afraid you won't make it to the hill where you will be
crucified. As you grow weaker, they grab a man out of the crowd and make him
help carry your cross. He was just watching what was happening, but all of a
sudden he is helping you carry your cross.
As a child, sometimes I see people who need my help. Sometimes I pretend not to
hear when my parents call me. I disappear when I know others could use my help.
As an adult, sometimes I try to do as little as I can and still get by. Others
might need my help, but I ignore their needs. Even when I'm asked to help, I
sometimes claim to be too busy.
My Jesus, blest, thrice blest was he who aided Thee to bear the cross. Blest too
shall I be if I aid Thee to bear the cross, by patiently bowing my neck to the
crosses Thou shalt send me during life. My Jesus, give me grace to do so.
Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory be to the Father....
Leader: Jesus Christ Crucified.
All: Have mercy on Us.
Leader: May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest
in peace.
All: Amen.
Sixth Station: 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.
Jesus, suddenly a woman comes out of the crowd. Her name is Veronica. You can
see how she cares for you as she takes a cloth and begins to wipe the blood and
sweat from your face. She can't do much, but she offers what little help she
can.
As a child, sometimes I know someone could use a little help and understanding.
They may be picked on or teased by others, or just sad or lonely. Sometimes I
feel bad that others don't step in to help, but I don't help either.
As an adult, I notice the needs around me. Sometimes my own family members crave
my attention, and I don't even seem to notice. Sometimes a co-worker, friend, or
family member could use help or understanding, but I don't reach out to help
lest I be criticized, or that they demand more of me than I'd like to give.
My tender Jesus, Who didst deign to print Thy sacred face upon the cloth with
which Veronica wiped the sweat from off Thy brow, print in my soul deep, I pray
Thee, the lasting memory of Thy bitter pains.
Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory be to the Father....
Leader: Jesus Christ Crucified.
All: Have mercy on Us.
Leader: May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest
in peace.
All: Amen.
Seventh Station: 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.
This is the second time you have fallen on the road. As the cross grows heavier
and heavier it becomes more difficult to get up. But you continue to struggle
and try until you're up and walking again. You don't give up.
As a child, sometimes things get me down. Others seem to find things easier to
do or to learn. Each time I fail, I find it harder to keep trying.
As an adult, sometimes I think I should know more than I do. I become impatient
with myself and find it hard to believe in myself when I fail. It is easy to
despair over small things, and sometimes I do.
Help me when things seem difficult for me. Even when it's hard, help me get up
and keep trying as you did. Help me do my best without comparing myself with
others.
My Jesus, often have I sinned and often, by sin, beaten Thee to the ground
beneath the cross. Help me to use the efficacious means of grace that I may
never fall again.
Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory be to the Father....
Leader: Jesus Christ Crucified.
All: Have Mercy on Us.
Leader: May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest
in peace.
All: Amen.
Eighth Station: Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and
we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Jesus, as you carry your cross you see a group of women along the road. As you
pass by you see they are sad. You stop to spend a moment with them, to offer
them some encouragement. Although you are have been abandoned by your friends
and are in pain, you stop and try to help them.
As a child, sometimes I think a lot about myself. I think about what I want and
would like people to spend their lives pleasing me.
As an adult, sometimes I act like a child. I become so absorbed in myself and
what I'd like that I forget about the needs of others. I take them for granted,
and often ignore their needs.
Help me think more about others. Help me remembers that others have problems,
too. Help me respond to them even when I'm busy or preoccupied with my own
problems.
My Jesus, Who didst comfort the pious women of Jerusalem who wept to see Thee
bruised and torn, comfort my soul with Thy tender pity, for in Thy pity lies my
trust. May my heart ever answer Thine.
Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory be to the Father....
Leader: Jesus Christ Crucified.
All: Have Mercy on Us.
Leader: May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest
in peace.
All: Amen.
Ninth Station: Jesus falls a third time
Leader: We adore
you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Jesus, your journey has been long. You fall again, beneath your cross. You know
your journey is coming to an end. You struggle and struggle. You get up and keep
going.
As a child, sometimes I fail time and time again. I find it hard to get along
with my sisters and brothers, sometimes I'm not honest, sometimes I'm lazy. I'm
tempted to stop trying. It's just too hard sometimes.
As an adult, I often feel I should have conquered my weaknesses by now. I become
discouraged when I'm confronted by the same problems over and over again.
Sometimes I get weary. When I have health problems, I can become discouraged and
depressed.
Help me think of the cross you carried. Help me continue to hope that I can make
the changes in my life I need to. You didn't give up. I can have the strength to
get up again as well.
My Jesus, by all the bitter woes Thou didst endure when for the third time the
heavy cross bowed Thee to the earth, never, I beseech Thee, let me fall again
into sin. Ah, my Jesus, rather let me die than ever offend Thee again.
Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory be to the Father....
Leader: Jesus Christ Crucified.
All: Have mercy on Us.
Leader: May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest
in Peace.
All: Amen.
Tenth Station: Jesus clothes are taken away
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and
we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
The soldiers notice you have something of value. They remove your cloak and
throw dice for it. Your wounds are torn open once again. Some of the people in
the crowd make fun of you. They tease you and challenge you to perform a miracle
for them to see. They're not aware that you'll perform the greatest miracle of
all!
As a child, sometimes I'm tempted to repeat stories I know are unclean and
disrespectful. I sometimes try to act grown up by using crude and bad words.
As an adult, sometimes I repeat stories that are disrespectful of others. I can
entertain thoughts that are not clean. Sometimes I give the young people around
me a bad example to follow.
Help me to keep myself pure and clean. Help me say things that build up the
people around me. Help me overcome worldly desires that I may become more like
Jesus. Help me set a good example for others to follow.
My Jesus, stripped of Thy garments and drenched with gall, strip me of love for
things of earth, and make me loathe all that savours of the world and sin.
Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory be to the Father....
Leader: Jesus Christ Crucified.
All: Have mercy on Us.
Leader: May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest
in peace.
All: Amen.
Eleventh Station: 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.
You are stretched out on the cross you have carried so far. The soldiers take
big nails and drive them into your hands and feet. You feel abandoned by the
people you loved so much. People seem to have gone mad. You have done nothing
but good, yet they drive nails through your hands and feet.
As a child, sometimes I hurt others. Sometimes I join with friends and decide
not to like another. We gang up against another and cause them hurt and pain.
Sometimes I say or do hurtful things to my brothers and sisters. I can wonder
what they'd think about themselves if they believed everything I told them about
themselves.
As and adult, sometimes I discriminate against others. Even without thinking, I
judge others because of their colour, intelligence, income level or name. I
forget that I am to live as a brother or sister to all people. Sometimes I use
harsh words when I speak to my children and family members. I can find it easy
to look for something that isn't very important and make it very important.
Help me look again at the people around me. Help me see the hurt and pain I have
caused in others. Be with me to help me make amends for the harm I have done.
My Jesus, by Thine agony when the cruel nails pierced Thy tender hands and feet
and fixed them to the cross, make me crucify my flesh by Christian penance.
Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory be to the Father....
Leader: Jesus Christ Crucified.
All: Have mercy on Us.
Leader: May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest
in peace.
All: Amen.
Twelfth Station: 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.
As Jesus hung on the cross, he forgave the soldiers who had crucified him, and
prayed for his mother and friends. Jesus wanted all of us to be able to live
forever with God, so he gave all he had for us.
Jesus, let me take a few moments now to consider your love for me. Help me thank
you for your willingness to go to your death for me. Help me express my love for
you!
My Jesus, three hours didst Thou hang in agony, and then die for me; let me die
before I sin, and if I live, live for Thy love and faithful service.
Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory be to the Father....
Leader: Jesus Christ Crucified.
All: Have mercy on Us.
Leader: May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest
in peace.
All: Amen.
Thirteenth Station: The body of 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.
Jesus, how brutally you were put to death. How gently your are taken from the
cross. Your suffering and pain are ended, and you are put in the lap of your
mother. The dirt and blood are wiped away. You are treated with love.
As a child, sometimes I treat others better when they're sad or in pain. When
somebody dies, I become very gentle and kind. I notice the good and kind things
people say about those who have died.
As an adult, I seem to be kinder when someone dies. If only I could learn to see
the good things about them while they were alive. If only I would tell those
around me how much I love them, while I still have the opportunity to do so.
Help me look for the good in those around me, especially those I love the most.
Help me live this day as if it were the last. Help me become a more gentle and
loving person through my greater appreciation for those around me.
O Mary, Mother most sorrowful, the sword of grief pierced thy soul when thou
didst see Jesus lying lifeless on thy bosom; obtain for me hatred of sin because
sin slew thy Son and wounded thine own heart, and grace to live a Christian life
and save my soul.
Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory be to the Father....
Leader: Jesus Christ Crucified.
All: Have mercy on Us.
Leader: May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest
in peace.
All: Amen.
Fourteenth Station: Jesus is laid in the tomb
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and
we praise you.
All: Because by your holy cross You have redeemed the world.
Jesus, your body is prepared for burial. Joseph gave you his own tomb. He laid
your body there and rolled a large stone in front of it, then went home. What a
sad day it has been for so many people.
As a child, sometimes I try to keep everything for myself. I find it hard to
share my things with my brothers or sisters and with my friends.
As an adult, I can be selfish too. I can accumulate things and keep them for
myself. I try to make sure I have what I want before I share what I have with
anybody else.
Help me think of Joseph of Arimathea, who risked his own life as he accepted
Jesus' body for burial. Help me think of how Joseph loved Jesus so much that he
gave him his own tomb.
My Jesus, beside Thy body in the tomb I, too, would lie dead; but if I live, let
it be for Thee, so as one day to enjoy with Thee in heaven the fruits of Thy
passion and Thy bitter death.
Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory be to the Father....
Leader: Jesus Christ Crucified.
All: have mercy on Us.
Leader: May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest
in peace.
All: Amen.
How to make a Palm
Cross
