taken you from village to village to bring the F O U R T E E N T H S T AT I O N

good news of the Kingdom to all, are now

immobilized forever. Your enemies dared you
to come down from the cross, but you didn’t.
Not because of the nails, but because of your
JESUS IS LAID IN THE TOMB
Way of the Cross
love for us sinners. When faithfulness to our “Cross of Christ, Mystery of Love”
duties, Lord, becomes like sharp nails that pin
us to the cross of our commitments, grant us
the grace to persevere to the end, out of love
and with love. “Isa sa atin” by the weight of the cross, the
Black Nazarene is also the
Today, then, we not only
contemplate on our Lord’s
Prayer image of Christ standing up paschal mystery, but we also
Our Father… after a fall. allow him to participate in our
In today’s Way of the Cross, very own and our country’s
T W E L F T H S T AT I O N experience of the paschal
we have the image of the
JESUS DIES ON Black Nazarene among us. mystery. In this sense, we can
THE CROSS While we do remember and re-understand why the
L — We adore you, O pray on our Lord’s passion, devotion to the Black Nazarene
Christ, and we praise
you. (Genuflect) death, and resurrection in is considered popular
Leader — We adore you, O Christ, and we religiosity. ‘Popular’ because as
All — Because by your praise you. (Genuflect) each of the stations, we also
holy cross, you have All — Because by your holy cross, you have keep in mind our neighbors’ “isa sa atin” the Black Nazarene
redeemed the world. redeemed the world. passion, death, and shared talks to each one of us in the
Scripture: Scripture: John 19:32-34 resurrection. Not only then different stories of our lives,
John 19:28-30 and ‘religiosity’ because it
Meditation should we look at the Black
Meditation The dark night of death has engulfed you, Lord. THE BLACK NAZARENE Nazarene as he, who journeys propels our hearts to seek and
We were all In the darkness of the sepulcher, the only remains to be the most with us through each of the encounter him in the most
condemned to die brightness comes from the tender love of your common face of Christ in our ordinary and dirtied places of
because of our sins. stations, but also as one with
Mother, the faithfulness of John and Mary streets. Often understood as us in the different stations of our everyday lives.
Out of love, you Magdalene, and the friendship of Joseph of
took upon yourself the image of Christ burdened our daily lives. —Mark Calano, Ph.D.
Arimathea and a few others. You are now laid
the death penalty you alone did not deserve. to rest like a seed entrusted to the soil for the
When you reached the end of your agony, you harvest to come. Your burial gives hope to our
had only a word of hope: “Father, into your burials. Thanks to you, death does not frighten
hands, I commend my spirit.” It was our sins, it INTRODUCTION F I R S T S T AT I O N
us anymore, for we know that it is but a long
was your love for us that killed you, dearest sleep on the lap of mother earth. Give us rest, Leader — In the name of the Father, and of the JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH
Jesus. You died that we might live forever. And Lord—rest and peace with you. Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
now, dear Lord, what is there left for us, except Leader — We
Prayer All — Amen. adore you, O
that we should live for you, moment by
moment, in faithfulness and gratitude, so that, Our Father… Leader — God come to my assistance. Christ, and we
All — Lord, make haste to help me. praise you.
when our time comes, your last words may be (Genuflect)
ours too: “Father, into your hands, I commend Leader — Glory be to the Father, and to the
C O N C L U D I N G P R AY E R All — Because
my spirit.” Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
by your holy
Almighty, eternal, and merciful God, our All — As it was in the beginning, is now and cross, you have
Prayer will be forever. Amen.
Our Father… Father, who has given to the human race redeemed the
your beloved Son as an example of O P E N I N G P R AY E R world.
T H I R T E E N T H S T AT I O N humility, obedience, and patience, to Scripture:
precede us on the way of life, bearing the Leader — Lord Jesus Christ, we will remember Luke 23:20-24
JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN cross. Graciously grant that we, inflamed now your suffering and death on the cross. We
FROM THE CROSS thank you your selfless act of love. Your suffer- Meditation
by his infinite love, may take up the sweet You were
yoke of his Gospel together with the ing is a proof of your everlasting love. You
Leader — We sentenced to
adore you, O Christ, mortification of the cross, following him as saved us and offer eternal life. Lead us, Lord, in
our pilgrimage until your love is inscribed in death by the
and we praise you. his true disciples, so that we shall one day people to
(Genuflect)
gloriously rise with him and joyfully hear our minds and hearts. We recognize our short-
All — Because by comings and sinfulness, and we are sorry for whom you had
your holy cross, the final sentence: “Come, you blessed of come to bring life. And this contradiction seems
you have redeemed my Father, and possess the kingdom which them. By following you through the meditation
the world. of the Way of the Cross, may this be an act of to have no end, as we ourselves sentence you to
was prepared for you from the beginning,” going back to you. May our contrite hearts be death, once again, every time we turn back
Scripture: where you reign with the Son and the Holy pleasing to you. May your mercy be our model from the truth of your love. This failure of
John 19:32-34 Spirit, and where we hope to reign with human justice goes on in the unjust sentences
to reconcile ourselves with our brothers and
Meditation you, world without end. Amen. sisters who have wronged us. We pray you, by which criminals are acquitted and innocent
Jesus did not descend from the cross but Leader — May the Lord bless us, protect us Lord, that we may see the grace which sur- people are condemned to die a thousand deaths
remained on it until he died. And when taken from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life. rounds us when we carry our cross with you in a life of misery and rejection that puts us all
down from it, he in death as in life, rested on All — Amen. through the journeys we take. Continue to re- to shame. Lord of Life, make us more
the bosom of his immaculate Mother. Let us mind us that you are with us especially in times appreciative of your gift of life: life for all, life in
persevere in our resolutions of reform, and Sources
Frias, Nikki. Stations of the Cross (artwork). 2018. of trouble, when we walk a Calvary road. We its fullness.
embracing the cross, may we continue to the Way of the Cross: Way of Compassion (pamphlet). Word & Life

end, and hope for God’s mercy and love.

Publications, Salesian Society of St. John Bosco. ask this in the name of the Father, and of the
Enzler, Clarence. Everyone’s Way of the Cross. Ave Maria Press, 1986.
Pirlo, Rev. Fr. Paolo, SHMI. The Way of the Cross. Sons of Holy Mary Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Prayer
Prayer Immaculate Publications, 2005.
Missionaries of Christ. missionariesofchrist.com Amen. Our Father…
Our Father… United Methodist Insight. Lenten symbol (page 1). www.um-insight.net

FOR PRIVATE USE ONLY FOR PRIVATE USE ONLY

 S E C O N D S T AT I O N
JESUS IS MADE TO CARRY
HIS CROSS
Leader — We adore you, O
Christ, and we praise you.
(Genuflect)
All — Because by your holy
cross, you have redeemed the
world.
Scripture: John 19:17-19
Meditation
Lord Jesus, you had carried
wood so many times in
your life, for you had been a
carpenter for many years.
But the wooden beam you
are made to carry now is
the instrument of your death. And it is so heavy
for it includes the weight of all the sins of all
humankind. We see in you numerous human
beings who stagger under the weight of the
crosses of other people’s defects and faults,
crosses from which they are unable to set
themselves free. Grant us the grace, O Lord,
never to burden others with our deficiencies,
but always to carry bravely the cross of our
daily duties in union with you.
Prayer
Our Father…
T H I R D S T AT I O N
JESUS FALLS THE FIRST TIME
Leader — We adore you,
O Christ, and we praise
you. (Genuflect)
All — Because by your
holy cross, you have
redeemed the world.
Scripture:
Lamentations 3:1-7
Meditation
It was more than you
could bear. The
weight of the cross on
your shoulders, the
weight of the insults being hurled at you by the
mad mob brought you down to the dust in total
exhaustion. We too fall, O Lord, when trials and
failures make us stumble and crush us to the
ground. When this happens, Lord, do not let
discouragement and lack of faith in ourselves
keep us in the dust of humiliation and defeat.
And when others fall, give us a compassionate
heart that we may not add insult to injury.
Prayer
Our Father…
F O U R T H S T AT I O N
JESUS MEETS HIS SORROWFUL MOTHER
Leader — We adore you, O Christ, and we
praise you. (Genuflect)
All — Because by your holy cross, you have
redeemed the world.
FOR PRIVATE USE ONLY
Scripture: S E V E N T H S T AT I O N Scripture: Isaiah 52: 7-8
Luke: 2: 34-35
JESUS FALLS THE SECOND TIME Meditation
Meditation Jesus, arriving exhausted at the foot of Calvary,
How painful and sad it falls for the third time to the ground. His love
for us, however, is not diminished, not
must have been for
Mary, the sorrowful extinguished. We recognize that our sins must
mother, to behold her be the cause for Jesus to fall so often and we
beloved Son, laden with ask for forgiveness.
the burden of the cross! Prayer
What unspeakable pangs Our Father…
her most tender heart experienced! How
earnestly did she desire to die in place of Jesus, T E N T H S T AT I O N
or at least with him!
Leader — We adore you, O Christ, and we JESUS IS STRIPPED
Prayer praise you. (Genuflect) OF HIS
Our Father… All — Because by your holy cross, you have GARMENTS
redeemed the world.
F I F T H S T AT I O N Scripture: 1 Peter 2:23-24
SIMON OF CYRENE Meditation
HELPS JESUS The suffering Jesus, under the weight of his
TO CARRY cross, again falls to the ground; but the cruel
THE CROSS executioners did not permit him to rest a
moment. Pushing and striking him, they urged
Leader — We adore you, him onward. It is the frequent repetition of our
O Christ, and we praise sins which oppresses Jesus. Witnessing this,
you. (Genuflect)
how can we continue to sin?
All — Because by your Leader — We adore you, O Christ, and we
praise you. (Genuflect)
holy cross, you have Prayer All — Because by your holy cross, you have
redeemed the world. Our Father… redeemed the world.
Scripture: Mark 15:21-22 Scripture: Psalms 22:16-18
E I G H T H S T AT I O N
Meditation Meditation
It must have been quite a surprise for Simon to JESUS CONSOLES When our Savior had arrived at Calvary, he
see you, Lord, stagger under the weight of the THE WOMEN OF was despoiled of his garments. How painful this
cross. He did not hesitate to take your cross on JERUSALEM must have been because they adhered to his
his shoulders, and so relieve you of its material Leader— We adore wounded and torn body. All the wounds of
weight. But the weight of our sins was still on you, O Christ, and we Jesus were renewed. Jesus was despoiled of his
praise you. (Genuflect) garments that he might die possessed of
your shoulders, for that weight, only you could All — Because by
nothing. May we too, strip ourselves of injustice
bear. Make us like Simon of Cyrene, Lord. your holy cross, you
Grant us the strength and generosity we need have redeemed the and prejudices towards our neighbors.
to help carry our neighbors’ burdens, for our world.
Prayer
society is crowded with poor Christs crushed Scripture: Our Father…
by crosses of all shapes and weights. Luke 23: 27, 28, 31
Prayer Meditation E L E V E N T H S T AT I O N
Our Father… Those women were really sincere in their
sorrow at seeing you so affected. They knew
your goodness, Lord. They knew your
S I X T H S T AT I O N
innocence. But you directed their attention
VERONICA WIPES THE FACE OF JESUS and tears to sin in all its forms, as the deeper
Leader — We cause of your suffering, and to the terrible
adore you, O punishment which unrepentance brings down
Christ, and we on all. Grant us a new heart, O Lord. Grant that
praise you. our tears may be accompanied by the sincere
(Genuflect) resolve to eliminate the cause of all tears: our
All — Because offenses against your love.
by your holy
cross, you have Prayer
redeemed the Our Father…
world.
Scripture: Isaiah 50:6-7 N I N T H S T AT I O N JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS
Meditation JESUS FALLS THE THIRD TIME Leader — We adore you, O Christ, and we
praise you. (Genuflect)
Veronica, impelled by devotion and All — Because by your holy cross, you have
compassion, presents her veil to Jesus to wipe Leader— We adore redeemed the world.
his disfigured face. And Jesus imprints on it his you, O Christ, and we
holy countenance: a great recompense for praise you. (Genuflect) Scripture: Luke 23:33-34
All — Because by
small a service. What return do we make to our your holy cross, you Meditation
Savior for his great and manifold benefits? have redeemed the Lord, your gentle hands which blessed the chil-
world. dren and the sick are now mercilessly nailed to
Prayer
the wood of the cross. Your feet, which had
Our Father…
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