The Stations of The Cross

“Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world. He who follows me does not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
-John 8:12

	1. JESUS IS CONDEMED The crowd, incited by their leaders kept shouting “Crucify him!” We too, shout with the crowd,“Crucify him!” Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; Lord hear my voice. “Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.  Thoroughly wash me of my guilt, and of sin, cleanse me.” (Ps.51)
	2. JESUS CARRIES HIS CROSS The soldiers placed a crown of thorns on his head and laid the wooden cross on his shoulders. He accepted it willingly and eagerly. Jesus had said, “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Lk.14)
	3. JESUS FALLS FIRST TIME Consider the first fall of Jesus. The scourging and crowning with thorns had so weakened Him that He could hardly walk; and yet He had to carry that great load up on His shoulders.  Jesus speaks to us,“Come to me all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. For my yoke is easy and my burden light.” (Mt.11)
	4. JESUS MEETS HIS MOTHER Tradition tells us how the Son met his Mother on his way to execution. Isn’t it likely that the one who is the model of faith and solidarity would likely take part in this last journey? Be with us Mary, on our earthly journey. Show us how to be close to your son. Pray for us now and at the hour of our death.
	5. SIMON HELPS CARRY THE CROSS “And they forced a certain passerby, Simon of Cyrene, to carry his cross behind him”(Lk.23). His spirit was willing, but his flesh – our flesh – was weak.  “Why me?” protested Simon, and we have said it too. Paul says “Each one has his own load to carry,” and yet we are called also to “help bear one another’s burden.” (Gal.6)
	6. VERONICA OFFERS HER VEIL A woman named Veronica, presented him with her veil. Jesus wiped his face, and left his image on the cloth. Mother Teresa from Calcutta wipes the sores of the hopeless and the dying, because she sees the image of Christ in them. “As long as you did it for one of these, the least of my brethren, you did it for me.” (Mt.25)
	7. JESUS FALLS THE SECOND TIME Consider how Jesus, laden with our sins falls again. Lord, we who call ourselves by your name and sign ourselves with your saving cross, continue to fall. You said to the paralytic, “Get up and walk your sins are forgiven you.”(Mk.2) By the merits of this second fall, give me the grace to persevere in your love until death.
	8. JESUS MEETS THE WOMEN Large numbers of people followed him and women wept with compassion seeing Jesus so distressed and dripping with blood.  But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep rather for yourselves and your children.” (Lk.23) Through him, and with him, and in him, we have hope.
	9. JESUS FALLS THE THIRD TIME Utterly exhausted, Jesus falls the third time.  Keep me, O Lord from a total collapse of the spirit. Yet, “Strength is made perfect in weakness” (2Cor.12). “They who hope in the Lord will renew their strength; they will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.” (Isa.40)
	10. JESUS IS STRIPPED This was the place of the skull where Jesus was stripped of his garments.“His state was divine, yet he did not cling to his equality with God, but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave, and became as men are; and being, as all men are, he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on the cross.”(Phil.2)
	11. JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS He stretched out his arms and they nailed his hands and feet, raised the cross, and left him to die in anguish. The feet that had carried the good news from town to village, the hands which so often raised in praise and blessing, which so often reached down to raise up the lowly, are now fixed in an everlasting embrace of all peoples of all time.
	12. JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS After three hours of agony on the cross, Jesus cries out and says, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this he bows his head and dies. “They have pierced my hands and my feet; I can count all my bones. They divide my garments among them, and for my vesture they cast lots.” (Lk.23)
	13. JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN After our lord had died, two of his disciples, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, took his body down from the cross, and placed him in the arms of his mother. Tradition, ever conscious of Mary’s presence, has passed on the sight of the mother, receiving her martyred son.
	14. JESUS IS BURIED “Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus took the body and wrapped it in linen cloth. Since it was the Jewish day of preparation and the tomb was near at hand, they laid Jesus there.” (Jn.19) O, Jesus, I kiss the stone that closes in on you. I beg you by your resurrection that I may be raised gloriously on the last day, to be united with you in heaven.