Meditating on the way of the cross

Leader: Dear community, in the spirit of repentance by meditating on the Way of the Cross, let
us now follow Jesus on the way of the cross he walked in the past, to understand and experience
God's infinite love for us. Thereby, we are invited to take up our cross to sympathize with God
through the brothers and sisters around, who are still suffering so much in life because of
loneliness, disappointment due to illness, poverty, war, and hatred. May the Lord help us to
discover the value of the cross and the Lord's call, to courageously follow him in his vocation to
commitment and service.

OPENING PRAYER
Lord Jesus, we praise You. We adore you because you used the cross to atone for our sins. May
God accompany us on our journey to Calvary with You. Open our hearts, so that we can feel the
closeness and reality of your passion. May the Holy Spirit help us find meaning in Jesus' passion,
death, and resurrection so that we can take up our cross, and follow you to the end of our lives.
Amen

1st STATION: JESUS IS ON TRIAL

Just as obedient love moved Jesus to accept the bitter cup given to him by the Father in the
Garden of Olives, so humble love to the extreme because of his excessive love of mankind also
compels him to accept self-emptying, paralyzing. I am among sinners to be judged like this by
men. The innocent one is the righteous judge, who holds the power of life and death, why swap
positions and give his life to sinful people to judge? Only his deep, humble love can answer these
ironic but also very mysterious paradoxes. He was judged so that man would not suffer eternal
punishment. He put His life and destiny in the hands of men so that mankind could be redeemed
in the arms of God. He voluntarily unites with sinners so that people can be justified.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, may your humble love inspire us to live the mystery of self-destruction like
You. Like a grain of wheat planted in the ground, let us rot so that it may bear more fruit.

2nd STATION: JESUS TAKES HIS CROSS

Jesus went out carrying his own cross to the place called “Golgotha”. Although he was the Son
of God. He learned to be strong through what he suffered. The cross they lay upon his shoulders
was so heavy. How is much have hurt? He was already tied and wounded. How would he carry it
up that steep hill? The Scriptures tell us: “The Lord laid on him burdens of us all. For the sins of
the world he was wounded”.
(Silently pray about something with which you want or need God’s help.)

3rd STATION: JESUS FALLS TO THE GROUND FOR THE FIRST TIME
He took our infirmities, he took our sufferings, and we consider him a leper, smitten and
humiliated by God. But He was wounded for our sins, broken for our iniquities. He took the
punishment to give us peace, and by His wound we are healed. We all wander like sheep, each of
us going our separate ways. God has burdened himself with our sins.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, there have been times when we have stood by the side of the road with our
cold eyes to see You carrying your Cross. We are also cold to the sufferings of our brothers and
sisters. And we are also cold when looking at the power of money that is gradually losing human
dignity, war, robbery, abortion, drugs... we consider it someone else's business, not ours. May we
be moved by the sufferings of our brothers and sisters, understanding the value of the cross
inseparable from the resurrection of the Lord. From despair, may God rekindle hope. From the
dark night, ask God to inspire faith. From our weakness, give us strength to rise to a new life.

4th STATION: JESUS MEETS HIS AFFLICTED MOTHER

Along the way. Close to where Jesus must pass, stand his mother, watching him following him.
What does he read in her soul? Her heart is breaking as his body is being broken. And she can do
nothing but try to stay near him, to be with him in this desperate hour as the soldiers and the
crowd push and shove him up the hill. She is there with him, looking upon the Holy of holies.
The Scriptures tell us: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. The Lord will
be your everlasting light and your days of sorrow shall end”.
(Take a moment and pray for all mothers, yours in particular.)
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God. Have mercy on us, sinners. Amen

5th STATION: SIMON OF CYRENE CARRIES THE CROSS OF JESUS

The Gospel of Mark recounts: That day Simon returned from the field, perhaps out of curiosity
or because he heard about the reputation of Jesus, so he went to the place to see and know about
the Lord. Also because Jesus was too weak, his strength was exhausted, he could not carry the
Cross to the appointed place, so the executioner saw Simon and they forced him to carry the
Lord's cross. Naturally, Simon could refuse, but because of necessity, he shouldered the cross in
place of Jesus. Despite being forced, Jesus looked at him. Before the sight full of mysterious
power, grace began to work in his heart. He no longer carried the cross reluctantly, but he gladly
took the Lord's cross, becoming a benefactor to help God.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, how many times in life have we heard our calls for help, and many times we
ourselves need help from others. Simon of Cyrene appeared that day and stretched out his hand
at the right time to help the Lord. May God give us the strength and courage to serve like Simon
every day, so that every time we reach out to help others, we will have the opportunity to show
everyone that in this world: They are not alone, and then we ourselves realize the joy and
happiness of dedicating to serve everyone.

6th STATION: A WOMAN WIPES THE FACE OF JESUS

All the disciples but one had left him. Peter himself denied he knew him. And Jesus’s face was
all covered with dust and blood from the crown of thorns. People kicked him, hated him, spat
upon him. Into the rain of insults came a woman, taking his sore, wounded head into her hands,
and gently. Oh so gently, wiping the stains from his face. He looked into her eyes, thankful that
she had been so brave and was not afraid to show that she loved him.
(Think of how very much he loves us.)
Prayer: Turn us to you again, O God. Show us the light of your face and we shall be made
whole. Help us to remember, Jesus, that we are all made in your image and that every person we
meet bears the reflection of the awesome, loving face of God within hearts. Help us to show our
love for you openly and not be afraid to say we belong to you, and that we are your children.
Amen

7th STATION: JESUS FALL A SECOND TIME

The burden of the cross is weighing him down and Jesus falls again. His ordeal is telling on him-
the scourging, the lack of sleep, and most of all, the uphill climb under the weight of the cross.
But he gets up again and continues on the way to Golgotha. We can see people who are afflicted,
who are struggling to service. They are driven by a desire to overcome their suffering. And there
are several who will give up. Their complaint will be: “It was not within my reach”. They are
discouraged and give up on life. We pray that they may remember that their very breath is itself a
sign of hope.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you have come to share the fragility of our human condition, to bring us the
great faith and charity of your children. Each time we fall or face our brothers and sisters'
mistakes, help us to hear and live your call: "Rise and follow me", for, Lord, you are our
strength.

8th STATION: JESUS MEETS THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM

As Jesus ascended the already, he turns and sees the women who have followed him. They are
weeping, crying to see him so hurt and abused. He turns to them and says: “Don’t cry for me but
for yourselves and for your children”. What is the salvation of man that to accomplish it, the Son
must tear himself from the heart of the Father?
Prayer: Dear Jesus, help us to be truly sorry for how we hurt you and other people, and to turn to
you for the grace to live our lives with the same love that you had for us. Amen

9th STATION: JESUS FALLS TO THE GROUND FOR THE THIRD TIME
The closer he got to Calvary to be sacrificed, the more God's strength was exhausted, making his
steps more and more difficult. That's why Jesus had to fall to the ground many times. He fell but
still struggled to get up to complete the way the Father had for him.
Prayer: Lord, in the journey to holiness, there are times when we also fall again and again, when
we remove a bad habit to practice virtue. This often makes us depressed, tired of wanting to give
up: Bored, tired of falling over and over again in a bad habit. Depressed, tired because after years
of trying but not making much progress in the way of holiness. At those times, ask God to give
us strength and grace, to help us realize our weakness, so that we can be humble more learn to
follow your example: even though we are exhausted, we are exhausted, even if we fall many
times, we are still courageous. Rise up and continue your journey with the Lord.
10th STATION: JESUS IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS
Now, at the top of the hill, the soldiers lay their hands upon Jesus. They take his tunic and
seamless robe… they dare to look upon his nakedness. They have left him nothing, they have
taken everything from him. There is no hiding place. He has no defense. Where now is the
mighty God? All we see is a man of sorrows, weeping and beaten. They gave him bitterness to
eat and when he was thirsty, they gave him vinegar to drink.
(Pray for Ukraine…)
Prayer: Lord Jesus, in your humiliation, in your shame, have pity on those who are beaten by
the strong. Have mercy on those who have broken and torn relationships. Have mercy on those
who are alone.

11th STATION: JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS

The hands clutching the hammers of the executioners descended smack dab on the spikes in the
open palm of Jesus. Out of love for humanity, Jesus opened his hand to forgive all and also to
accept all pain, humiliation, and humiliation. He opened his hand so that the ancient prophecy
would be fulfilled: "They pierced my hands and my feet, and I can count all my bones".
Before the awaited death, Jesus still opened his hands, feet, and body, which had been stripped of
all clothes, to show his love to the cruelty and indignation of the human heart. The user uses the
murderer's own actions to express the inexhaustible love that is always with the Father in him.
God's whole body was wounded to heal wounded souls.
Prayer: Crucified Christ, inspire us to love not only as a gift, but also as an open hand and a
heart to accept the bloody wounds that are often cruel, ironic, and difficult to heal. Nail me to
Your love, so that I may have the strength and courage to crucify you, instead of crucifying you.

12th STATION: JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS

Dear Jesus, you are hanging on the cross and dying. You are dying for me so that I can be Gog’s
child. You are not angry with the men who killed you. You have forgiven them and asked your
Father to forgive them. Everyone has left you, except your mother and a few friends. The
Scriptures say: “Christ became obedient unto death for our sake, even death on a cross”.
(In silence, we pray for someone you need to forgive.)
Prayer: Dearest Lord, mercifully grant that we walk in the way of the cross, may daily turn
away from our sins, and learn to walk with you in the life, love, and joy of your resurrection.
Savior of the world, by your cross and precious blood, you have redeemed us. Thank you that
you have delivered us from the power of sin and death and brought us into the kingdom of your
Son. We pray that as by his death he has called us to life, so by his love may we be raised with
him to eternal joy. To Christ Jesus, our Lord be glory, honor, and blessing forever and ever.
Amen
13th STATION: LOWERING THE BODY OF JESUS FROM THE CROSS
Beginning with Good Friday, the Church enters into the memorial of the death of Jesus, so that
through death we celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord. Just like when a loved one dies from
this world, despite crying and tears, a Christian's faith always focuses on an eternal life with
God.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you have brought back for us true life, the life that you yourself paid for,
must be lowered into the earth. May each of us have the courage to look back on our
commitment, dare to let ourselves be "put down" in the name of Jesus, dare to let the love of
Jesus spread in our lives when it has to be said in the "cross" meaning.

14th STATION: JESUS IS LAID IN THE TOMB

After wrapping the body of Jesus with aromatic bandages, according to Jewish custom, Joseph of
Arimathea put the body of Jesus in a tomb hewn in the rock, where no one has ever been buried
hour. The burial of Jesus took place in haste because the Sabbath had been observed. Before the
sun went down, a large stone was rolled to cover the entrance of the tomb. A complete rest
surrounds the Lord's tomb. Having accomplished what the Father had sent him to earth, Jesus
rested in the tomb. In the eyes of mankind, Jesus completely failed. He was buried in silence,
alone and in the darkness of the earth.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, may we always unite with Mary in faith and hope so that all sorrows and
sufferings do not weaken our faith, and even though the darkness grows darker, The heavier we
are, the more steadfast we are in God.

ENDING PRAYER
Lord Jesus, thank You for redeeming us at the cost of Your precious Blood, to restore our title as
children of your heavenly Father. May we truly repent of our sins, renounce our old selves, and
put on a new garment that has been whitened in the Blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. May Mary
help us to accept our cross gladly and follow Him with confidence as you do. With you standing
at our cross, we will find comfort and strength to make our way to the end of our journey and be
resurrected with you in heaven. Amen.

Prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father: Our Father…, Hail Mary…, Glory be…

Leader: All-powerful and ever-living God, your only Son died for our sins and rose
triumphantly from the dead. In your goodness, raise up your faithful people to be one with him in
the eternal life of heaven, where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God,
forever and ever.
All: Amen!