Stations of the Cross

Opening Prayer

Leader:

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

Lord, you chose to come into this world and be part of a family. We look to you and those you loved in this life as a model of how we should live. Your passion, death, and resurrection ultimately show us that love outlasts all things and can endure tremendous hardship. As we continue our pilgrimage through Lent, may our relationships be bolstered by this certain hope. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

The First Station, Jesus is condemned to death.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you...

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Leader:

As Jesus stands before Pontius Pilate and is condemned to die, we can only imagine the heartbreak and even despair of Jesus’ family of followers who had seen him do so much good during his public ministry. It must have been inconceivable that this miracle-worker, this Son of God, could be caught up in the political and societal struggles of his day. Every family, at some point in its existence, experiences tremendous loss and suffering, even to those who are innocent of wrongdoing. During these times, we cling to one another and to the certain knowledge that our Savior knows our heartache and will lead us through it.

 

Let us pray (All): Almighty God, help us to trust in your divine plan for us and to accept what you will in our lives. Instead of heeding our culture and world, we wish to turn to you in a spirit of prayerful listening. You live and reign forever and ever. Amen.

 

 

The Second Station, Jesus takes up his cross.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you...

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Leader:

Living in families is not always easy. True, self-sacrificial love requires that we die to our own wants and desires and dedicate ourselves to others. Indeed, fidelity to our familial relationships can be, at times, a cross that we bear. But we have tremendous examples in the Holy Family of how to do this well. We know of instances where Jesus, Mary, and Joseph faced hard decisions and chose to follow God’s will each time. Even when our cross seems heavy, we pray for the courage to accept and carry it, relying on God’s grace every step of the way.

 

Let us pray (All): Jesus, we want to follow you with all our hearts, but we are sometimes afraid of what our crosses will be. Instill in us a stout heart, that we would willingly accept a sharing in your mission. We give our lives to you in humble service, knowing that you will lead us to eternal life. We pray this in your name. Amen.

 

 

The Third Station, Jesus falls for the first time.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you...

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Leader:

Jesus knows the experience of human limitation, and under the weight of the cross, he falls. Our weakness is often exhibited by our sinfulness, and in the context of family life, we can all think of instances where we have harmed someone we love. Sometimes reconciliation happens quickly, but there can also be deep fissures caused by our mistakes that take a long time to repair. Knowing all this, we ask for the grace to acknowledge any offense, seek forgiveness, and move forward on our journey together.

 

Let us pray (All): Lord, when we fall and fail, help us not to become too discouraged but instead to trust in your forgiveness and recommit ourselves to living well. Make us cognizant of the ways in which we cause others to stumble so that we would root out the source of such behavior in our lives. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

 

The Fourth Station, Jesus meets his mother.
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you...

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Leader:

The love of a mother for a child is profound. She sacrifices so much, often including her own body, out of love for any children entrusted to her care. Because of the depth of this devotion, the pain of seeing a child suffer is especially immense. Each time we visit this station, our hearts break to consider how this meeting must have pierced our Blessed Mother’s own heart. We pray for all mothers who have comforted a suffering child and especially for those who have endured the tragedy of a child’s death. One source of consolation for us is Our Lady’s intimate understanding of such a situation and her powerful intercession for all those affected.

 

Let us pray (All): Mother Mary, we ask your intercession on behalf of all mothers. Help them to know of your witness, concern, and love for them and the daily labors in which they partake. May you be a beacon of hope and light to all mothers who must endure the suffering of their children. We pray, Hail Mary… Amen.

 

 

The Fifth Station, Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus to Carry His Cross
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you...

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Leader:

The scriptures tell us that Simon was the father to Alexander and Rufus, and while we do not know anything else about them, it is helpful to consider this relationship in light of this scene. Like any good father, we expect that Simon was doing his best to guide his sons along the right path in life. As parents, we sometimes wonder if our children will adopt the values we hold dear, especially in terms of our faith. We do our best to show them the way while we can. We pray that we, like Simon, will accept the call to help others in times of need, thereby showing our families that we put into practice what we believe.

 

Let us pray (All): Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gift of all our fathers. Though they are not perfect, they do reflect, to various degrees, the love that you as our Father in heaven have for us. Embolden all the fathers in the world and remind them of their sacred mission towards their children. May they become more like you with each passing day. We pray, Our Father… Amen.

 

 

The Sixth Station, Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you...

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Leader:

Veronica shows Jesus a small instance of compassion in an otherwise mostly brutal scene. Who gave her such courage, compelling her to care for Our Lord when few others seemed willing to do so? One likely source was that of her family as this is the place where we first learn to reach out to each other in love and mutual dependence. May Veronica’s actions spur us to show mercy to those we love and to those who are suffering.

 

Let us pray (All): Jesus, Veronica’s hands were hands of compassion to you in your time of great need. She took such a risk in coming to your aid, but she shows us how fruitful such an action can be. Help our families and each of us to recognize others in need and to reach out to them. May Veronica’s love live on in our actions each day. You live and reign forever and ever. Amen.

 

 

The Seventh Station, Jesus Falls for the Second Time
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you...

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Leader:

At this second instance of Jesus stumbling, we consider the times when our loved ones have let us down in some way. We can all call to mind stories where our imperfect family members have hurt us or neglected to help us in an appropriate manner. The question is not if this will happen but how will we respond to it. There is a certain temptation to hold grudges, seek revenge, and let bitterness ensnare our heart. We ask Jesus for the strength to forgive as he did those who denied, betrayed, and hurt him since this will enable all of us to live in the freedom we truly desire.

 

Let us pray (All): O Spirit of God, no doubt you accompanied Jesus along his walk to Golgotha, providing him strength has he fell repeatedly. Come to us, Holy Spirit, as we continue to stumble and fall in our selfish ways. Give us the ability to eschew our self-centeredness and instead to help others when they are falling. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

 

 

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

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Leader:

Jesus heard the cry from the women of Jerusalem, and not only did he know their pain then, he knew of the pain that women would suffer in the millennia to come. We see all too often how society still disrespects women through various forms of abuse and objectification. Jesus knew as well the atrocities that the children of our world would have to face. As enlightened as we sometimes consider ourselves, how often do we still reject our most vulnerable: the unborn, poor, orphaned, or unwanted children of our world? As people of faith and of conscience, we join Jesus in combating such things in our society. Even in his own moment of profound suffering, Jesus reaches out to the women and children of his day. We likewise continue to affirm the inherent dignity and beauty of women and their children, especially those who are in harm’s way.

 

Let us pray (All): Loving God, bless all vulnerable women and children in our world today. Help them to know of their dignity and worth, even when at times people tell them otherwise. Make us, in instances and situations where we operate from positions of influence, firm in our resolve to defend the most at-risk in our society. We recognize this as our duty and your will. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

 

The Ninth Station, Jesus Falls for the Third Time
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you...

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Leader:

The ideals of family life really never hold up to the lived reality. Though we often desire to do our best, we know of many instances in our own lives and those of others where we fall short of what we had hoped. Divorce, betrayal, strife, and even violence tear at the bonds that unite us, and it can leave us feeling utterly defeated. However, we look to Jesus, who gets back up after falling again, and ask him for the strength to carry on even when our family situation is imperfect.

 

Let us pray (All): Jesus, you knew and felt the limitations of being human—the tiredness, the sickness, and even the sting of death. Yet, you rose above such limitations and provided a model for us by which to live, that of a person accepting his or her limitations while utilizing the grace of God to move beyond them. We have faith that you will indeed raise the righteous on the last day, helping us once and for all to leave behind our human weakness and the consequences of our sin. In your name, we pray. Amen.

 

 

The Tenth Station, Jesus is Stripped of his Garments
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you...

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Leader:

Crucifixion was not just about pain and torture—it was also about humiliation. We hear of Jesus being stripped of his garments. He was standing without any clothes for the entire crowd to see. He accepted the humiliation of nakedness willingly and then proceeded to lay down his life for us all. This all begs the question for us—if we were stripped of everything…our titles, money, possessions, accomplishments, even the very clothes off our back, would we still be able to give without counting the cost, to love one another unconditionally? The task seems impossible, but there is a certain freedom in being able to say, “Take what you will, but you cannot take away my love. That is mine to give, and I give it freely.”

 

Let us pray (All): O God, it is startling, even scary, to think of ourselves without anything but ourselves, without material goods or worldly accolades. We wonder if we could still love if we lost all of this. Most of us will never be called to such radical witness, but we see from what Christ has shown us that our ability to love, forgive, and transform hearts is in none of these temporary things. Remind us again that our true power comes from the divine life that lives in each of us as your created sons and daughters. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

 

 

The Eleventh Station, Jesus is Nailed to the Cross
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you...

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Leader:

The finality of what is happening to Jesus takes shape as each nail is painfully driven into his flesh. And while these soldiers only entered Jesus’ life very recently, the harsh reality of hurting one another in family life is that we know well those who hold the hammer. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross overcomes the consequences of sin and division, so we ask him once more to heal the wounds we have given to each other.

 

Let us pray (All): Lord Jesus, it is difficult to imagine the pain that accompanies being nailed to a cross. Ponder it too long and we shudder. You also trembled at such realities as you prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, but we see you now bravely and lovingly facing your self-willed destiny. May we repent of the nails we intend through our sinfulness and sit in humble gratitude of your sacrifice. You live and reign forever and ever. Amen.

 

 

The Twelfth Station, Jesus Dies on the Cross
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you...

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

 

Leader: If possible, please kneel for a moment of silence.

Leader:

Look at the cross as it holds the bruised and bleeding body of our Lord and Savior. How is it that this instrument of torture and shame could bring about our salvation, our lasting hope? It is because of the power of God’s transformative grace. It transforms our lives of sin into lives of holiness, our feuding families into models of sacred family life, our selfish tendencies into acts of selflessness, and our confused sadness into everlasting joy. Truly, by his holy cross, Jesus has redeemed the world.

 

Let us pray (All): Father, we gaze upon the body of your Son, and we slowly begin to realize the enormity of your love for us, that you would send him for this purpose of saving us from our sins. We marvel as well at his willing acceptance. We hope that this realization and knowledge never leaves us and that we would apply it to how we live and love in our families, marriages, and relationships. May we remember that unconditional love is the only thing that has ever changed and will continue to change the world for the good. We pray this through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in unity with the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

 

 

The Thirteenth Station, Jesus is taken down from the Cross
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you...

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Leader:

Joseph of Arimathea is one of the helpful people in this difficult story as he comes to the aid of Jesus and his family in the wake of Christ’s death. This was likely not without some kind of risk to himself, and his generosity is now remembered forever in the retelling of these events. Who are those people outside of our families who help us in times of trouble, and when do we have the occasion to be like Joseph for others? We give thanks in prayer for those who have come to our aide and been a source of comfort for us in our sorrows.

 

Let us pray (All): Spirit of God, you infuse us with your gift of courage. Reawaken this and your other gifts in us that we might live more fully the call to discipleship. Be as tongues of fire to lead us on our way. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

 

The Fourteenth Station, Jesus is laid in the Tomb
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you...

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Leader:

Moments of burying our loved ones are seared in our minds, as they serve as a marker for all the things that came before and all the ways that life is forever changed. The deaths of our loved ones have the chance to bring us together or tear us apart. Jesus’ followers, though at first scared and uncertain, chose to continue to gather together and grieve. We pray that we would do the same as we wait for the day when we and our loved ones will rise again and meet in the eternal happiness of heaven.

 

Let us pray (All): Jesus, how saddened your friends and family must have felt as they laid your body in the tomb, unsure if you would fulfill your prophecy of rising on the third day. Deaths amongst our families and friends are also moments of sadness and doubt for us. During those moments, remind us that you have overcome death and lead our loved ones and us to new life. You live and reign forever and ever. Amen.

 

 

 

Closing Prayer

Let us pray (All): Lord Jesus, we have walked with you this Way of the Cross and, in a special way, kept our families, marriages, and relationships in mind. We know that you call us individually and collectively to greater union with you in our way of life. Bless us with the grace to follow you on this pathway of our salvation. We pray all these things in your most holy name. Amen.

 

Leader:

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 

Thank you for joining us for the Stations of the Cross. Again, we are members of the Couples Date Night Ministry, a ministry that values the Sacrament of Marriage and supports and prays for marriages. If you want more information about this ministry, anyone of us are happy to meet with you tonight. Thank you and have a blessed evening.

 

 

Sources:

https://www.foryourmarriage.org/stations-of-the-cross-for-marriages-and-families/

 

https://faith.nd.edu/s/1210/faith/interior.aspx?sid=1210&gid=609&pgid=51341

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Art: Leanne Bowen, Website