Preparation PrayerAlmighty God, each of us are called to discipleship with Your Son Jesus through the sacrament of Baptism. We are sent to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus, to share the Good News of Your saving love. Please hear our prayer as we remember the teaching Jesus gave as He continues to call us to walk in His way, renewing His church and caring for His people. We thank You for those who have answered Your call. We ask that You send the Holy Spirit to fire up the Spirit within us so that we may continue to dedicate ourselves with undivided hearts to the love of Christ and His Kingdom. In Jesus Name we pray. Amen.
***************************************************
The First Station: Pilates Condemns Jesus To Die
Reflect on how Jesus Christ, after being beaten, spit upon, mocked and crowned with thorns, was unjustly condemned by Pilates to die on the cross.
Jesus, we ask that You call Your people to publicly accept and follow You in spite of what others may think or say. Give us a passion for reaching out through Your love to the needs of others.
*****************************************************
The Second Station: Jesus Accepts His Cross
Remember that Jesus walked this road with the cross on His shoulders, thinking of us, and offering our Heavenly Father in our behalf, the death He was about to suffer.
Jesus, help us to see in the cross the symbol of union with You. Give us the zeal and talent to minister to those who are burdened with pain, sorrow, confusion and loneliness. Let them see that in the cross there is life.
***************************************************
The Third Station: Jesus Falls The First Time
Reflect on the first time Jesus fell. The loss of His blood from the horrific beating and the crown of thorns had weakened Him so much that He could hardly walk; and yet, He had to carry that great load upon His shoulders. As the soldiers cruelly beat him, He fell several times under that heavy cross.
Jesus, remind us that we don't have to be perfect. Let us be open to Your transforming grace that can accomplish more than anyone could imagine. Give to those who respond to Your call to preach the Gospel, a deep trust that You will complete what You have begun in them.
*************************************************
The Fourth Station: Jesus Meets His Afflicted Mother
Reflect on how the Son met His mother on His way to Calvary. Jesus and Mary gazed at each other and their gaze was so touching the love was felt by many who witnessed it.
Jesus, instill in us the desire to come to know Your mother and to find in our prayerful reflection of Scriptures, a woman of faith, hope and love whose teaching is an example for us all. Help parents to promote and support teachings among their children.
******************************************************
The Fifth Station: Simon Helps Jesus Carry The Cross
Reflect on how weak and weary Jesus was. At each step He was at the point of giving up. Fearing that He would die on the way when they wanted Him to die on the cross, they forced Simon of Cyrene to help carry the cross after our Lord.
Jesus, send Your grace to those You call to leadership in the church. Help them to accept and affirm others' gifts in building the community, in proclaiming Your message and in reaching out to others in service.
*****************************************************
The Sixth Station: Veronica Offers Her Veil To Jesus
Reflect on the compassion of Veronica. Seeing Jesus in such distress, His face soaked in sweat and blood, she wiped His face with her veil. Afterwards, the cloth left an image of His face.
Jesus, help us to see Your face on everybody we meet. Help Your people to truly understand that whatever good is done to the least of Your brothers and sisters is done to You.
***************************************************
The Seventh Station: Jesus Falls A Second Time
Reflect on how the second time He fell under His cross it renewed the pain in all His wounds and those witnessing His affliction.
Jesus, teach those You have called to preach to accept their own and other' limitations, relying on God's merciful grace. Help them in these times of darkness to reach out especially to those whom the world calls "fallen" --- people who are addicted, imprisoned, poor, aged, of ill health.
*****************************************************
The Eighth Station: Jesus Speaks To The Women
Reflect on how the women cried with compassion when they saw Jesus so helplesss and dripping in blood as He walked along. Jesus said to them, "Weep not so much for Me, but rather for Your Children."
Jesus, remove any prejudices or judgments from those of us whom You have called to walk with You to preach Your Good News. Let those of us who follow You see that all God's people are created equal, male and female, regardless of race or culture, and that our Heavenly Father has no favorites. Let their words and example speak of Christ's justice, peace and joy.
*****************************************************
The Ninth Station: Jesus Falls The Third Time
Reflect on how Jesus Christ fell for the third time. He was extremely weak and the cruelty from His executioners was excessive. They tried to make Him move faster but He barely had the strength to move.
Jesus, help those You called to preach the Good News know that they are grace-filled. Priests, Pastors, Deacons, sisters and brothers --- married and single --- are all favored by God. Instill in them the understanding that nothing can separate them from the love of God who is actively present in good times and bad.
*************************************************
The Tenth Station: Jesus Is Striped Of His Garments
Reflect on how Jesus was violently stripped of His clothes by His executioners. The inner garments stuck to His exposed wounds and the soldiers tore them off so roughly that the skin came with them. Have pity for the way Jesus was so cruelly treated.
Jesus, help us to clothe ourselves with sincere compassion, humility, kindness, gentleness and patience, forgiveness and thankfulness... and over all these virtues, let us put on love.
***************************************************
The Eleventh Station: Jesus Is Nailed To The Cross
Reflect on how Jesus was hung upon the cross. He stretched out His arms and offered to His Eternal Father the sacrifice of His life for our salvation. They nailed His hands and feet and then raised the cross leaving Him to die in agony and anguish.
Jesus, instill in us today a deep desire to make a difference in the world no matter what the cost. Let the courageous example of the modern martyr inspire us to meet all challenges with faith, hope and love. Fill us with Your presence and the grace to respond to the call to "go out into the world."
***************************************************
The Twelfth Station: Jesus Dies Upon The Cross
Reflect on how Jesus, after three hours of agony on the cross, is finally overwhelmed with suffering and, abandoning Himself to the weight of His body says, "It Is Finished." He then bows His head and dies.
Jesus, please give us a deep love for Your passion, death and resurrection. Help us to find daily renewal in our lives through You, with You and in You, giving You glory and honor to God our Father.
***************************************************
The Thirteenth Station: Jesus Is Taken Down From The Cross
Reflect on how, after Christ had died, He was taken down from the cross by two of His disciples, Joseph and Nicodemus, and placed in the arms of His afflicted mother. She tenderly held Him and pressed Him close to her bosom.
Jesus, touch the minds, hearts and Spirits of those You called to serve the people of God. Enable them to respond to Your call to bring Your redeeming presence to a world grieving, fearful and hungry for Your Truth through prayer and service.
****************************************************
The Fourteenth Station: Jesus Is Placed In The Tomb
Reflect on how the disciples carried the body of Jesus to the tomb while His mother, Mary, went with them and arranged it in the tomb with their own hands. They then closed the tomb and departed.
We thank You, Jesus, for the infinite power of Your death and resurrection which brought salvation and healing to the world. We thank You for all whom You have called to follow You in the past 2000 years dedicating their lives to the spreading of the Gospel. May we all be steadfast to respond to Your call, "Come follow Me."
***************************************************
Prayer To Jesus Christ Crucified
My good and dear Jesus, I kneel before You, asking You most earnestly to engrave upon my heart a deep and lively faith, hope and charity, with true repentance for my sins, and a firm resolve to make amends. As I reflect upon Your five wounds, and dwell upon them with deep compassion and grief, I recall, dear Jesus, the words of the prophet David spoke long ago concerning You: "They pierced My hands and My feet; they have numbered all My bones."
