Stations of the Cross

PREPARATORY PRAYER

RECEIVE, O holy Trinity, this my dutiful service, which I offer unto Thee in union with the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Virgin, and of all the Saints, to the glory of thy divine majesty, in satisfaction for my sins, in remembrance of our redemption, and to obtain for the departed rest, for the living grace, and for all everlasting glory. To Thee be praise, and honor, and glory, O blessed Trinity, forever and ever. Amen.

℣. O God, come to my assistance.
℟. O Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

- FIRST STATION
Where Christ Is Condemned to Death

He willingly submitted to that unjust judgment, that he might deliver thee from the sentence of everlasting damnation.

Ant. The wicked have said, reasoning with themselves, but not rightly : Let us lie in wait for the just, for he is contrary to our doing: he boasteth that he hath the knowledge of God, and calleth God his Father. Let us see if his words be true. If he be indeed the Son of God, he will deliver him out of our hands. Let us condemn him to a most shameful death.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Our Father... Hail Mary....

℣. God spared not His own Son
℟. But delivered Him up for us all.

℣. He was offered up, because He himself desired it.
℟. And He opened not His mouth.

℣. Lord, hear my prayer.
℟. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray:
O LORD Jesus Christ, who out of the bosom of the Father didst descend from heaven to earth, and didst shed Thy most precious blood for the remission of our sins; we humbly beseech Thee, that in the day of judgment we may be found worthy to stand at Thy right hand, and to hear Thee say unto us, "Come, ye blessed." Thou, who livest and reignest with the Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.

Omitted in the Golden Manual:

℣. Holy God, Holy Strong One, Holy Immortal One.
℟. Have mercy upon us

℣. Let us bless the Lord
℟. Thanks be to God.

℣. May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace through the mercy of God.
℟. Amen.

- SECOND STATION
Where the cross is laid upon Christ

"The wicked have wrought upon my back." (Ps.128)

Ant. Hail, our King! Thou only hadst pity on our sins, and wast led, in obedience to Thy Father, to be crucified, and as a gentle lamb to the slaughter. To Thee be glory, Hosanna; to Thee be triumph and victory; to Thee the crown of highest praise and honor.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Our Father... Hail Mary....

℣. The chastisement of our peace was upon him.
℟. And by his bruises we are healed.

℣. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
℟. For the wickedness of his people hath he struck him.

℣. Lord, hear my prayer.
℟. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray: O Lord Jesus Christ...

- THIRD STATION
Where Christ falls the first time under the cross

How great must be the weight of our sins, under which He fell. For he bears all things by the word of His power!

Ant: Our Lord Jesus Christ humbled himself unto death, even the death of the cross; for which cause God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above all names.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Our Father... Hail Mary....

℣. Surely he hath born our infirmities.
℟. And carried our sorrows.

℣. He was branded for our iniquities.
℟. He was bruised for our sins.

℣. Lord, hear my prayer.
℟. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray: O Lord Jesus Christ...

- FOURTH STATION
Where the Blessed Virgin and St. John meet Christ

Oh, how sharp a sword of grief must have pierced the heart of his Mother, and of his loving disciple, when they met Jesus thus! Dost thou, too, share with them their sorrow and grief?

Ant. Oh, all ye that pass by, attend and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow: therefore do I weep, and my eyes run down with water, because the Comforter, the relief of my soul, is far from me. My eyes have failed for weeping, my bowels are troubled; my heart is turned within me; for the desolation of my Son. because the enemy hath prevailed.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Our Father... Hail Mary....

℣. Great as the sea of thy grief.
℟. Who shall heal thee?

℣. A sword of grief hath pierced thine own soul.
℟. That out of many hearts thought may be revealed.

℣. Lord, hear my prayer.
℟. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray: O Lord Jesus Christ...

- FIFTH STATION
Where the cross is laid upon Simon of Cyrene

This man was compelled to carry the cross after Jesus. How great an honor to have carried it willingly! Art thou ready to bear the cross of Christ?

Ant. It behooveth us to glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom is our salvation, who is our life and resurrection, and through whom we are saved and delivered.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Our Father... Hail Mary....

℣. God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.
℟. By whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

℣. O faithful cross, thou peerless tree!
℟. No forest yields the like of thee, leaf, flower, or bud.

℣. Lord, hear my prayer.
℟. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray: O Lord Jesus Christ...

- SIXTH STATION
Where Christ is met by Veronica

How excellent a mirror did Veronica obtain in the image of the face of Christ! Do thou ever contemplate thyself in that mirror.

Ant. Behold, we have seen him without beauty or comeliness, despised and the most abject of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with infirmity, and his look was as it were hidden and despised; whereupon we esteemed him not. His appearance is without honor among the living, and his beauty among the sons of men; yet he is beautiful above all the children of men; by whose bruises we are healed.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Our Father... Hail Mary....

℣. O Lord God of Hosts, turn to us.
℟. Show us thy face, and we shall be saved.

℣. Turn not away thy face from us.
℟. Nor leave thy servants in thy anger.

℣. Lord, hear my prayer.
℟. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray: O Lord Jesus Christ...

- SEVENTH STATION
Where Christ falls down at the gate of judgment

How wilt thou be able to stand before him in the day of judgment?

Ant. They delivered me into the hands of the ungodly, and thrust me among the wicked, and did not spare my soul. The strong men gathered themselves against me, and stood over me like giants, gazing upon me with fierce looks; and beating me with cruel stripes, they mocked me.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Our Father... Hail Mary....

℣. But I am a worm, and no man.
℟. The scorn of men, and the outcast of people.

℣. All they that see me laugh at me.
℟. They spoke against me with their lips, and wagged their heads.

℣. Lord, hear my prayer.
℟. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray: O Lord Jesus Christ...

- EIGHTH STATION
Where the women lament over Christ

Where are tears with which thou dost bewail thy sins, rather than the loss of an earthly good?

Ant. Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For, behold, the days shall come in which they say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the paps that have not given suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall upon us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done in the dry?

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Our Father... Hail Mary....

℣. The breath of our nostrils, Christ the Lord,
℟. Is taken in our sins.

℣. The crown of our head hath fallen.
℟. Woe unto us, for we have sinned.

℣. Lord, hear my prayer.
℟. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray: O Lord Jesus Christ...

- NINTH STATION
Christ falls for the last time at mount Calvary

Oh, how often is Christ pressed down by the weight of our sins!

Ant. O my people, what have I done to thee, or wherein have I molested thee?Answer thou me. I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and thou hast prepared for me a cross; I led thee through the wilderness forty years, and fed thee manna, and thou hast beaten me with buffets and scourges; I gave thee a royal scepter, and thou hast given my head a crown of thorns. What could I have done more for thee, that I have not done?

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Our Father... Hail Mary....

℣. He is led like a sheep to the slaughter.
℟. And as a lamb before his shearers, he is dumb.

℣. He delivered his soul unto death.
℟. That he might give life unto his people.

℣. Lord, hear my prayer.
℟. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray: O Lord Jesus Christ...

- TENTH STATION
Where Christ is stripped of his garments and given vinegar and gall to drink

Art thou unkind and inconsiderate to the poor? What thou dost to them, thou dost to Christ.

Ant. O my people, what have I done to thee, or wherein have I molested thee?Answer thou me. I brought thee out from the house of bondage to the promised land; and when I came to thee from the bosom of my Father, thou didst lead me to the death of the cross. I planted thee my choicest vine, and thou wast made unto me exceedingly bitter; I gave thee to drink out of the rock the water of salvation, and thou madest me to drink vinegar and gall. What could I have done more for thee, that I have not done?

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Our Father... Hail Mary....

℣. My strength hath dried up like a potsherd.
℟. And my tongue hath cleaved to my jaws.

℣. They gave me gall to eat.
℟. And when I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink.

℣. Lord, hear my prayer.
℟. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray: O Lord Jesus Christ...

- ELEVENTH STATION
Where Christ is fastened to the cross with dreadful nails

How strong are the band of love with which Jesus hath bound himself unto thee! How dost thou bind thyself in returned to him?

Ant. O my people, what have I done unto thee? I exalted thee with great power, and thou didst hang me on the gibbet of the Cross; I made thee higher than all nations, and thou hast loaded me with reproaches and curses; I opened before thee the Red Sea, and thou hast opened my side with a spear. What could I have done for thee, that I have not done?

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Our Father... Hail Mary....

℣. What are these wounds in the middle of thy hands?
℟. With them was I wounded in the house of those who loved me.

℣. They pierced my hands and my feet.
℟. And have numbered all my bones.

℣. Lord, hear my prayer.
℟. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray: O Lord Jesus Christ...

- TWELFTH STATION
Where Christ dies upon the cross

Consider what Jesus said and did when he was dying. Oh, that thou too mayest die like him!

Ant. Behold how the just man dieth, and no man layeth it to heart; and the righteous are taken away, and no one considereth. The just man is taken away from before the face of evil, and the memory of him shall be in peace.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Our Father... Hail Mary....

℣. Christ became obedient unto death for us.
℟. Even the death of the cross.

℣. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.
℟. Because by thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.

℣. Lord, hear my prayer.
℟. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray: O Lord Jesus Christ...

- THIRTEENTH STATION
The body of Christ is taken down from the cross, and laid upon the knees of his mother

Consider the vehement anguish of Mary's soul, when she received in her arms the dead body of her Son taken down from the cross, and laid him on her knees. Love caused her so great grief, and made her truly a martyr. What love and sympathy dost thou feel for thy Savior?

Ant. To what shall I compare thee, or to whom shall I liken thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? To what shall I equal thee, O virgin daughter of Sion? Great as the sea is thy desolation. O mother of mercy, make me to share with thee the death of Christ; make me a partaker of his passion.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Our Father... Hail Mary....

℣. Through thee, O Virgin Mary, may we obtain salvation,
℟. From the wounds of Christ.

℣. O holy Jesus, grant me to obtain, through Thy mother,
℟. The crown of victory.

℣. Lord, hear my prayer.
℟. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray: O Lord Jesus Christ...

- FOURTEENTH STATION
The Body of Jesus is buried

Consider, O my soul, how the body of Jesus was wrapped in spices, and laid in a new tomb. With what honor dost thou receive Jesus thy Redeemer daily, either sacramentally or spiritually? or art thou always endeavoring to be, as it were, a new tomb for the reception of Jesus, bright with the beautiful ornaments of virtue?

Ant. I am counted among them that go down to the pit; I am become as a man without help, free among the dead. O good Jesus, I come here with the women to Thy tomb, sorrowing and lamenting that hitherto I have shown myself so unworthy; confirm and establish the kingdom of grace in my heart.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.

Our Father... Hail Mary....

℣. My flesh shall rest in hope.
℟. Thou wilt not give thy holy one to see corruption.

℣. Arise, O Lord, and help me.
℟. And deliver me from my sins.

℣. Lord, hear my prayer.
℟. And let my cry come unto Thee.

Let us pray: O Lord Jesus Christ...

- COMMENDATION

Look down, O Lord, we beseech Thee, upon this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ did not refuse to be delivered into the hands of wicked men, and to endure the torment of the cross; who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer on the holy Winding-Sheet of Christ's Body

O Lord Jesus Christ, who didst leave the marks of thy passion on the holy winding-sheet, in which thy most sacred body was wrapped by Joseph when taken down from the cross; mercifully grant, that through thy death and burial we may be brought to the glory of the resurrection; who livest and reignest, etc.