Stations of the Cross

For use at home

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Jesus says: (Luke 9:23-24)

“If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.”

The prophet Isaiah declares: (Isaiah 53:4-5)

“Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases; yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.”

The apostle Paul writes: (Galatians 6:14)

“May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”

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A Brief History of the Stations of the Cross The Stations of the Cross have formed part of Christian devotion at Passiontide for many centuries because they enable us to engage actively with the path of suffering walked by Jesus. They originated when early Christians visited Jerusalem and wanted to follow literally in the footsteps of Jesus, tracing the path from Pilate’s house to Calvary. They would pause for prayer and devotion at various points. Eventually those pilgrims brought the practice back to their home countries and ever since then Christians of differing traditions have used this form of devotion. In the late fourteenth century the Franciscans were given the responsibility for the holy places of Jerusalem and they erected tableaux to aid the devotion of the visitors. These kinds of images are now commonplace inside churches, and occasionally outside them. The number of stations has varied immensely through the centuries from as few as five to as many as thirty-six, but the now traditional number of fourteen was established by Clement XII in 1731 – nine scriptural stations and a further five based on popular devotion. The recent rediscovery of the unity of the death and resurrection of Jesus has also led to the inclusion of a fifteenth station – the Resurrection. Though this may be superseded by the emergence of the Stations of the Resurrection as part of popular devotion, it is strongly suggested that this station be included, especially if the stations are used outside Lent and Passiontide. The stations may be used as a focus for personal prayer or as part of a liturgical celebration. In this latter context they have been used either as a whole service in themselves, or a few of the stations have been used in the context of a larger liturgical celebration.

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Introductory Prayers + In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen The Lord be with you And also with you Blessed are you, Lord God of our salvation, to you be praise and glory forever. As a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief your only Son was lifted up that he might draw the whole world to himself. May we walk this day in the way of the cross and always be ready to share its weight, declaring your love for all the world. Blessed be God, father son and Holy Spirit. Blessed be God forever Jesus said, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-34) We walk with Christ on the way of the cross. As we meditate on his sufferings, so we remember that it is our pain that he bears. As we journey to Calvary, so we remember that his death is our death. As we rejoice in his resurrection, so we remember that through his rising we are heirs to the glorious new life of Easter. So let us now enter into the mystery of Our Lord’s suffering and death that we might know forgiveness from sin and life everlasting. Let us pray together: Almighty Father, Look with mercy on this your family for which our Lord Jesus Christ was content to be betrayed and given up into the hands of the wicked and to suffer death upon the cross; who is alive and glorified with you and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen

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I: Jesus is Condemned to Death We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture (John 19:13-16)

Pilate brought Jesus outside and sat on the judge’s bench. He said to the Jews, ‘Here is your King!’ They cried out, ‘Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!’ Pilate asked them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but the emperor.’ Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.

Meditation Jesus stands in the most human of places. He has already experienced profound solidarity with so many on this earth, by being beaten and tortured. Now he is wrongfully condemned to punishment by death. His commitment to entering our lives completely begins its final steps. He has said "yes" to God and placed his life in God's hands. We follow him in this final surrender, and contemplate with reverence each place along the way, as he is broken and given for us.

Prayer Silence is kept Jesus, you didn’t hesitate to pay the price of our wrongdoing. Give us courage to face the truth when we fail. Give us strength to be true to your gospel and to be true to our brothers and sisters. Holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.

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II: Jesus Receives His Cross. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture (John 19:16-17)

So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha.

Meditation Jesus is made to carry the cross on which he will die. It represents the weight of all our crosses. What he must have felt as he first took it upon his shoulders! With each step he enters more deeply into our human experience. He walks in the path of human misery and suffering, and experiences its crushing weight.

Prayer Silence is kept Lord Jesus, the mystery of your cross is at the heart of our lives. Help us embrace the world as you did. Give us the perseverance we need to make our world a better place. Your kingdom come your will be done. Holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.

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III: Jesus Falls the First Time. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture (Philippians 2:6-8)

Though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death — even death on a cross.

Meditation The weight is unbearable. Jesus falls under it. How could he enter our lives completely without surrendering to the crushing weight of the life of so many on this earth! He lays on the ground and knows the experience of weakness beneath unfair burdens. He feels the powerlessness of wondering if he will ever be able to continue. He is pulled up and made to continue.

Prayer Silence is kept Jesus, you bore our sin so that we might live. You are the rock of our strength. Do not allow us to neglect those who are crushed by their own mistakes, those who feel rejected, the sinful. Holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.

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IV: Jesus Meets His Mother. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture (Luke 2:34-35)

Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, ‘This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.’

Meditation Jesus' path takes him to a powerful source of his strength to continue. All his life, his mother had taught him the meaning of the words, "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord." Now they look into each other's eyes. How pierced-through her heart must be! How pained he must be to see her tears! Now, her grace-filled smile blesses his mission and stirs his heart to its depth. Love and trust in God bind them together.

Prayer

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Silence is kept Lord Jesus, your mother shared your pain, your destiny. As so often we hurt those we love, and fail those we hold dear, help us to share in the healing power of your love. Holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.

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V: Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus to Carry the Cross. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture (Like 23:26)

As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus.

Meditation Jesus even experiences our struggle to receive help. He is made to experience the poverty of not being able to carry his burden alone. He enters into the experience of all who must depend upon others to survive. He is deprived of the satisfaction of carrying this burden on his own.

Prayer Silence is kept Lord, as we journey help us to see those who stagger along the path of the cross; the refugees, the homeless, the lonely. We ask for strong shoulders on which to ease the load of others and a heart filled with love for all. Holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.

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VI: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture (Matthew 10:40-42)

Jesus said ‘Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.’

Meditation Jesus' journey is at times brutal. He has entered into the terrible experiences of rejection and injustice. He has been whipped and beaten. His face shows the signs of his solidarity with all who have ever suffered injustice and vile, abusive treatment. He encounters a compassionate, loving disciple who wipes the vulgar spit and mocking blood from his face. On her veil, she discovers the image of his face - his gift to her. And, for us to contemplate forever.

Prayer Silence is kept Lord, help us to recognize you in the hidden corners of our world; in the forgotten ones, those who mean so little to the world, whose presence is never greeted with a smile. We ask that we might reflect your love for all people in everything that we do. Holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.

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VII: Jesus Falls the Second Time.

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture (Psalm 22:6-7)

But I am a worm, and not human; scorned by others, and despised by the people. All who see me mock at me; they make mouths at me, they shake their heads.

Meditation Even with help, Jesus stumbles and falls to the ground. In deep exhaustion he stares at the earth beneath him. "Remember, you are dust and to dust you will return." He has seen death before. Now he can feel the profound weakness of disability and disease and aging itself, there on his knees, under the weight of his cross.

Prayer Silence is kept Lord, to pick up our cross and follow you is a difficult request. It may be that in today’s world our responsibilities are our crosses. Whatever the cross may we understand that only with you the burden is light. Holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.

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VIII: Jesus speaks to the Women of Jerusalem. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture (Luke 23:27)

A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him.

Meditation The women of Jerusalem, and their children, come out to comfort and thank him. They had seen his compassion and welcomed his words of healing and freedom. He had broken all kinds of social and religious conventions to connect with them. Now they are here to support him. He feels their grief. He suffers, knowing he can't remain to help them more in this life. He knows the mystery of facing the separation of death.

Prayer Silence is kept Jesus, you are the beginning and the end, the one who leads us out of death into life. Help us be people who nurture, giving life to those who feel abandoned or let down in any way. Holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.

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IX: Jesus Falls the Third Time. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture (Psalm 22:14-15)

I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; my mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death.

Meditation This last fall is devastating. Jesus can barely proceed to the end. Summoning all this remaining strength, supported by his inner trust in God, Jesus collapses under the weight of the cross. His executioners look at him as a broken man, pathetic yet paying a price he deserves. They help him up so he can make it up the hill of crucifixion.

Prayer Silence is kept Lord Jesus, when all looks to be too much, when we feel overburdened by life, when nothing makes sense any longer, allow the warmth of your love to touch us. Give us the strength to say our ‘Amen!’ to God and to trust in the Father’s care. Holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.

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X: Jesus is Stripped of His Garments. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture (Matthew 27:28-35)

They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe. And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots;

Meditation Part of the indignity is to be crucified naked. Jesus is completely stripped of any pride. The wounds on his back are torn open again. He experiences the ultimate vulnerability of the defenseless. No shield or security protects him. As they stare at him, his eyes turn to heaven.

Prayer Silence is kept Lord Jesus, our ways are not peaceful ways. Fill us with your Spirit, that we may truly become your people, the one body of Christ. Heal our divisions and give us courage to work for unity and peace. Holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.

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XI: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture (Luke 23:33-34)

When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’

Meditation Huge nails are hammered through his hands and feet to fix him on the cross. He is bleeding much more seriously now. As the cross is lifted up, the weight of his life hangs on those nails. Every time he struggles to pull himself up to breathe, his ability to cling to life slips away.

Prayer Silence is kept Lord of love and compassion, help us to be true to ourselves and to others. Give us a sensitive heart to ease the burden of those who can’t help themselves. Holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.

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XII: Jesus Dies On The Cross. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture (John 19:28-30)

After this, when Jesus knew that all was now finished, he said (in order to fulfil the scripture), ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Meditation Between two criminals, a mocking title above his head, with only Mary and John and Mary Magdalene to support him, Jesus surrenders his last breath: "Into your hands I commend my spirit."

Prayer Silence is kept Lord, dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life. Fill our hearts with your courage so that we no longer remain bystanders, but can be counted among those who work for justice and peace. Holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.

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XIII: Jesus Is Taken Down From The Cross. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture (John 19:25-34)

Standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When the soldiers came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out.

Meditation What tender mourning! Jesus' lifeless body lays in his mother's arms. He has truly died. A profound sacrifice, complete.

Prayer Silence is kept Lord of life, we pray with Mary, give us faith to love when our hearts feel cold. Give us hope when all seems lost, and trust when we feel bereft. In Jesus, may we find the source of our new life and our peace. Holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.

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XIV: Jesus Is Laid In The Tomb. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

Scripture (Mark 15:43-46)

Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Joseph bought a linen cloth, and taking down the body, wrapped it in the linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.

Meditation They take the body of Jesus to its resting place. The huge stone over the tomb is the final sign of the permanence of death. In this final act of surrender, who would have imagined this tomb would soon be empty or that Jesus would show himself alive to his disciples, or that they would recognize him in the breaking of bread? Oh, that our hearts might burn within us, as we realize how he had to suffer and die so as to enter into his glory, for us.

Prayer Silence is kept Help us to believe, Lord, that ends are but beginnings and that graves are but the doorway to a new life. For you are the Lord of the living and the dead. Holy God, holy and strong, holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.

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The Conclusion Let us pray for the coming of God’s kingdom in the words our Saviour taught us. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come; thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. Most merciful God, who by the death and resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ delivered and saved the world: grant that by faith in him who suffered on the cross we may triumph in the power of his victory; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. You are worthy, O Lamb, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and nation; you have made them to be a kingdom and priests serving our God. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. The Lord be with you. And also with you. + May God bless us, that in us may be found love and humility, obedience and thanksgiving, discipline, gentleness and peace. Amen.

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Copyright Notices Brief History of the Stations of the Cross, from ‘Common Worship: Times and Seasons’ 2006. Copyright, The Archbishops’ Council. Some material from The Anglican Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, Pilgrimage Manual. The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission. All rights reserved. Meditations are taken from http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/stations.htm Permissions have been sought Prayers have been written by Rina Risitano and edited by Kieran McKeown, and are from The Folly of God: The Journey of the Cross, a Path to Light’ (Pauline Books & Media, London, 2000). The pictures are Franciscan from http://198.62.75.1/www1/jsc/TVCstatn03.html Permissions have been sought.

Some material from ‘New Patterns for Worship’, 2002; some material from ‘Additional collects’, 2004; some material from ‘Common Worship: Daily Prayer’, 2005; and some material from ‘Common Worship: Times and Seasons’, 2006. All liturgical material is copyright The Archbishops’ Council. Other copyright material is reproduced under CCL 95526.