STATIONS OF THE CROSS.

Station One: Jesus is Condemned to Death
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Because by your holy cross You have 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.

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....
Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on Us.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest in peace

Station Two: Jesus Carries His Cross
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
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.

Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory Be to the Father....
Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on Us.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest in peace.
Amen.

Station Three: Jesus Falls the First Time
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
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.

Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory Be to the Father....
Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on Us.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest in peace.
Amen.

Station Four: Jesus Meets His Grieving Mother
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
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.

Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory Be to the Father....
Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on Us.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest in peace.
Amen.

Station Five: 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.

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.

Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory Be to the Father....
Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on Us.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest in peace.
Amen.

Station Six: 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.

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.

Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory Be to the Father....
Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on Us.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest in peace.
Amen.

Station Seven: Jesus Falls the Second Time
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
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.

Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory Be to the Father....
Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on Us.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest in peace.
Amen.

Station Eight: Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
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.

Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory Be to the Father....
Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on Us.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest in peace.
Amen.

Station Nine: Jesus Falls the Third Time
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
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.

Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory Be to the Father....
Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on Us.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest in peace.
Amen.

Station Ten: …
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
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!

Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory Be to the Father....
Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on Us.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest in peace.
Amen.

Station Eleven: 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.

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.

Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory Be to the Father....
Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on Us.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest in peace.
Amen.

Station Twelve: Jesus Dies on the Cross
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
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!

Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory Be to the Father....
Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on Us.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest in peace.
Amen.

Station Thirteen: 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.

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.

Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory Be to the Father....
Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on Us.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest in peace.
Amen.

Station Fourteen: Jesus is Laid in the Tomb
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
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.

Our Father.... Hail Mary.... Glory Be to the Father....
Jesus Christ crucified, have mercy on Us.
May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, Rest in peace.
Amen.