STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Prepared by Lay Ministry Candidates in Discernment
Holy Week 2024
1: Jesus is Condemned to Die
Remembering the Cross of Jesus: The First Station of the Cross depicts Jesus standing before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, who, after finding no fault in him, succumbs to the pressure of the crowd and condemns Jesus to death by crucifixion.
RESPONSE: We adore you O Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Reflection for Today: Let us have the strength to stand out from the crowd and avoid condemning those with whom we do not agree. Let us also have the strength to stand up for what we believe in, to speak the truth, even if the crowd is against us. We pray that God will be ever-present in our interactions with “the crowd” and to let His words be our words.
WE PRAY: Jesus, give us the grace to see, respect and love you in all people. Change our hearts that we may see with new eyes those we might otherwise condemn.
RESPONSE: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, Amen.
2: Jesus Takes Up His Cross
Remembering the Cross of Jesus: Jesus, your desire to do your Father’s will has led you to this day. Help us to strive to follow you each and every day so we may have the strength to witness to you regardless of the cost.
RESPONSE: We adore you O Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Reflection for Today: Life imposes suffering on us in many ways, physically, mentally, emotionally, at times in a painful cocktail of some or all of these. Jesus our creator accepted His suffering when it came to Him. He embraced the cross not just as the ultimate act of atonement for our sins, but also in complete solidarity with our suffering, physically, mentally, emotionally. He can truly look each one of us in the eye and whisper deep into our souls, I understand, I have walked that path, now come walk through your suffering, into eternity, with Me.
WE PRAY: Jesus, may we be more aware of the crosses that others bear and make time to alleviate their burden. May your face shine on each one of us through the crosses we bear.
RESPONSE: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, Amen.
3: Jesus Falls For The First Time
Remembering the Cross of Jesus: The cruelly tortured and weakened Jesus falls under the heavy weight of the Cross. The great burden of our sins is carried on the shoulders of the suffering Jesus. We humbly ask for pardon.
RESPONSE: We adore you O Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Reflection for Today: Pope John 23rd envisioned a church that through the 2nd Vatican Council would become more loving, caring and inclusive. He trusted that the church would not stumble and fall but be made stronger. Today we face a crisis with a shortage of priests. As Jesus on the road to Calvary stumbled, fell, and got up again, may we too as a church rise to the challenges we face with love and with God’s help to guide and sustain us.
WE PRAY: Jesus, you had a place in your heart for all. Give us this same compassionate heart.
RESPONSE: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, Amen.
4: Jesus Meets His Mother
Remembering the Cross of Jesus: Jesus meets his Mother. Their eyes meet. No words are spoken but each can feel the others pain. Mary stands witness to His suffering, she does not flee, her faith doesn’t waver and Jesus walks on.
RESPONSE: We adore you O Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Reflection for Today: In his mother’s pain, Jesus saw her love. When we share each other’s sufferings, it transforms pain into love, and isolation into relationship. Suffering and isolation will pass, but love expressed and shared will last forever. To remember this heals.
WE PRAY: Jesus, give us the courage to bring love shared between you and your mother into the deepest recesses of our homes and to all our relationships.
RESPONSE: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, Amen
5: Simon Helps Jesus
Remembering the Cross of Jesus: Simon of Cyrene carrying Jesus’s cross is our reminder of the humility of God. Simon is remembered by name in the bible for his small act that served Jesus who was suffering. Jesus said to His disciples: ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it’.
RESPONSE: We adore you O Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Reflection for Today: Simon was in Jerusalem for Passover. He was plucked from the crowd, by the soldiers, to carry the cross behind Jesus. It was unexpected. Our call to discipleship can come from unlikely sources. Our world and lives are busy and noisy, so let us listen with open hearts to hear His call, that we might step out in trust and faith, as Simon did.
WE PRAY: Lord, help us to grasp our opportunities to be a Simon in our world. In those times when we can help, let us have the generosity to do so.
RESPONSE: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, Amen
6: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
Remembering the Cross of Jesus: Lord Jesus, under the weight of the cross and crown of thorns, how soothing Veronica’s cloth must have felt. And in this moment of tenderness, you left us your precious image of both agony and love.
RESPONSE: We adore you O Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Reflection for Today: Veronica… Vera Icon… True Image… There is a universal yearning for all to see the face of God. Veronica shows us through her fearless yet simple act of kindness that it is a pure heart of love that allows us to see God as he truly is. Lord, impress your face upon our hearts and allow us to carry your image into our parishes and communities.
WE PRAY: Jesus, help us to bring healing to the scars that hide the beauty of your face to our world. Give us the faith to continue to build your Church as a visible sign of your love and compassion.
RESPONSE: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, Amen
7: Jesus Falls for the Second Time
Remembering the Cross of Jesus: In his Humanity, under the weight of the cross and sin of the world, Jesus falls for the second time. In his Divinity, and knowing what must come to pass, Jesus gathers the strength to stumble ahead again slowly.
RESPONSE: We adore you O Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Reflection for Today: Just as you fell the second time we too fall over and over again. We make mistakes, often the same repetitive mistakes. Sometimes it feels as if we are being crushed by the crosses we bear or the crosses we see in the faces of those who suffer. Lord help us to get up again and struggle on when the road ahead looks impossible.
WE PRAY: Jesus, from deep within yourself, you found the courage and strength to get up once again and continue the journey. Give us your strength to keep going even when hope is dim.
RESPONSE: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, Amen
8: Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem
Remembering the Cross of Jesus: As the women of Jerusalem hope to support Jesus as he carries his cross, Jesus tells them not to cry for him but to cry for themselves and for their children.
RESPONSE: We adore you O Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Reflection for Today: Lord, how can you be concerned for others, when you are suffering so much. So often we have failed to show compassion as part of the crowd; failed to stand by our principles as your followers; failed to forgive, as you did when persecuted. Yet you still understand our griefs, our pain. You still seek to comfort all who mourn and to forgive our sins. You are concerned for those gathered in your name and for the baying crowd alike. Give us the strength, through the example of the women of Jerusalem, to defy the crowd and the courage to stand with you, in our ministry, by carrying our own cross in Your Name.
WE PRAY: Lord, open our hearts to the suffering of all people in our world. Give us the generosity of spirit to help us recognise their pain and the compassion to support them.
RESPONSE: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, Amen
9: Jesus Falls for a Third Time
Remembering the Cross of Jesus: Jesus, even with the help of Simon you fell a third time. Were you telling me that there may be times in my life that I will fall again and again despite the help of friends and loved ones? There are times when the crosses you permit in my life are more than I can bear. When I am discouraged after many falls, do you say in my innermost being, “Keep going, I know how hard it is to rise?
RESPONSE: We adore you O Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Reflection for Today: We contemplate a scene of utter exhaustion and weakness, a broken man at the mercy of wicked people with no friend in sight. We may often find ourselves overwhelmed by what we are expected to do, when the whole world seems to be against us. But we are looking for a sign to show us a way through the pain and frustration, giving us the strength to go forward.
WE PRAY: Lord, we pray that when our strength fails, when our hope fades and when our spirit grows weary that we will put our unbounded trust in you.
RESPONSE: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, Amen
10: Jesus is Stripped of His Clothing
Remembering the Cross of Jesus: The soldiers took Jesus’ clothing and divided it into shares, one for each soldier. His undergarment was seamless, woven from neck to hem, so instead of tearing it they threw dice to decide who was to have it, thereby fulfilling the words of Scripture.
RESPONSE: We adore you O Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Reflection for Today: At this point Jesus was left with nothing. I cannot imagine the humiliation and fear he felt. In today’s world, we see this in those who lose everything through war, the refugees, those seeking political asylum, the homeless, the drug addicts and all who feel shunned by society. Let us always remember that we are all created in the image of God.
WE PRAY: May we respect the dignity of others and leave judgement to God. Let us see the good in those around us and so enable them to reach their full potential.
RESPONSE: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, Amen
11: Jesus is Nailed to The Cross
Remembering the Cross of Jesus: Having arrived at the place called Calvary, Jesus laid himself down on the cross and willingly stretched out his hands and feet to be crucified. He then offered to his eternal father the sacrifice of his life for our salvation.
RESPONSE: We adore you O Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Reflection for Today: We remember all those who have their own heavy crosses to bear today. We remember in a special way those who find themselves in situations of conflict and war – either as victim or aggressor.
WE PRAY: Jesus, we pray on behalf of those who cannot reach out to you at this moment. We pray for all victims of violence; those who suffer it and those who inflict it.
RESPONSE: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, Amen
12: Jesus Dies on The Cross
Remembering the Cross of Jesus: Like the mandate to the Israelites in the desert, to look upon the raised-up serpent and be healed, we too must gaze at Christ on his Cross and realise that this is the very moment of our salvation. As Jesus dies on the Cross, the curtain in the temple is torn in two. This reflects the tearing of the fabric of reality as it was known. Christ’s death on the Cross is the singular pivotal moment of all history. The out-pouring of love and redemption from Christ’s own sacred heart ushers in the ultimate reality, that God saves this world and redeems our immortal souls for all eternity.
RESPONSE: We adore you O Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Reflection for Today: As Jesus’ life ebbs away, he calls on his Father to forgive his persecutors. This is also our challenge – to forgive those who have caused us pain. When we are unable to find it in our hearts to forgive our enemies, we call on our Father to help us – “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do”.
WE PRAY: We cannot portray your ultimate act of love and forgiveness with words alone. Let our love span the silence. Lord, let our love and forgiveness speak your praise.
RESPONSE: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, Amen
13: Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross
Remembering the Cross of Jesus: Jesus’s body is lowered from the Cross and placed in the arms of his Mother Mary. We cannot imagine the grief and loss that weighs so heavily upon her. Let us pray for all those burdened by grief and loss during this Station.
RESPONSE: We adore you O Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Reflection for Today: There is no greater Love than this, to lay down one’s life for ones friends. During our lives there can be times of great pain, heartache, illness, loneliness and even abandonment. May we never forget the indescribable, forgiving and unconditional Love that You have for us dear Lord. May we always remember that the Light of your Love is always stronger than darkness and through your precious gift to us, Life triumphs over death.
WE PRAY: Lord, faced with the silence of death, let us not despair but find hope. May the finality of death not oppress us. Help us to trust in you, the Lord of the living and the dead.
RESPONSE: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, Amen
14: Jesus is Laid in The Tomb
Remembering the Cross of Jesus: Jesus is laid in the tomb. All that is of the earth must return to the earth.
RESPONSE: We adore you O Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Reflection for Today: As we catch our last glimpse of Jesus in His human form may we truly know that this is not the end but the beginning. We lay all our anxieties, despair, grief and doubts at His feet. In faith and confidence in the power of The Resurrection we pray for the grace and strength to do Your will in proclaiming this extraordinary message.
WE PRAY: Jesus, we ask for the gift of faith when we are faced with the darkness of the tomb and our own death approaches. May we have eyes to see the promise of new life that the darkness can hold.
RESPONSE: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, Amen
15: Jesus is Raised from The Dead
Remembering the Cross of Jesus: “See and believe!” That is what we remember this morning—the great things our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us so that through faith in him we may have the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.
RESPONSE: We adore you O Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
Reflection for Today: In Jesus’ resurrection we are given a reason to hope again. In the midst of our difficulties, weaknesses & fears, God has sent us Jesus to be our hope. In Jesus’s resurrection we are all given a second chance & are called to be transformed by this Easter joy where we bear witness to how we are all made new in the light that shines through our lives.
WE PRAY: Lord, give us eyes to see that a new beginning for humanity is announced in your Son’s resurrection. May this new beginning begin in me and in each one of us.
RESPONSE: Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, Amen
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