The Journey Towards Belief

OLHC Youth
23rd March 2023

INTRODUCTION:
Good morning to you all present here. We gather here today to
witness the death of our Lord, Jesus Christ, through the Way of
the Cross. During this way of the cross, let us prepare
ourselves to take a journey towards our belief. Yes, ‘The
Journey towards Belief’ will help us understand our faith in
Christ Jesus and the church. For when Jesus was asked questions
regarding faith, He replied this, in Matthew 17:20, “I say to
you, if you have faith like a grain of a mustard seed, you will
say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will
move, and nothing will be impossible for you”. So, with keeping
faith as our core value in mind, let us reflect on the prayer we
recite, during the Eucharist, to profess our faith which is
called the ‘Apostles Creed’ or the ‘I Believe’. As we journey
along with Jesus through the way of the cross, let us understand
deeply where the faith of our Catholic church was put to seed.

HYMN:

1ST STATION: JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH

Narrator(N): We adore you, O Christ, and we praise thee.
Response(R): Because by thy Holy Cross thou have redeemed the
world!
Narrator: It is early in the morning, and as I pass by the
Pilate’s court, I see a huge crowd standing outside it. I wonder
what all the fuss is about. As I get closer, I witness the Chief
Priest, the Sanhedrin and the Roman guards take Jesus inside the
court to stand trial before Pontius Pilate. The guards have his
hands tied, like any other criminal. I hear people say that the
many allegations put forward by the Sanhedrin, against Jesus,
are found invalid, in accordance of the Roman law, by Pilate.

Pilate: Why have you brought this man to me? What do you accuse
him of?
Sanhedrin 1: We have brought him to you because he has committed
a crime of blasphemy.
Pilate: This is your religious matter. You then take him
yourself and try him according to your law.
Sanhedrin 2: Our law doesn’t permit us to put anyone to death
and so we’ve brought him to you.
[Pilate moves closer to Jesus]
Pilate: Are you the king of the Jews?
Jesus: Are you saying this on your own or have others told you
about me?
Pilate: Do you think I am a Jew? It is your own people and the
chief priest that have handed you over. What have you done?
Jesus: My kingdom is not of this world, if it were, my followers
would have fought for me. No, my Kingdom does not belong here.
Pilate: So, you are a king then…?
Jesus: You say I am a king. I came into this world for one
purpose, to speak about the truth. Whoever belongs to the truth
listens to me.
Pilate: And what is the truth?
[Jesus looks into Pilate’s eyes with no response].
Pilate: I cannot find any reason to condemn him but according to
the custom you have, I always set free a prisoner for you during
the Passover. Do you want me to release Barabbas or Jesus, the
king of the Jews?
Sanhedrin: No, not him but Barabbas!
Pilate [to the Soldier with Barabas]: Release him!
Pilate: What do you want me to do to the king of the Jews?
Sanhedrin [altogether]: Crucify him, crucify him!
Pilate: But he has done no wrong.
Sanhedrin [altogether]: Crucify him, Crucify him!
[Pilate washes his hands.]
Pilate: I am not responsible for the death of this man. Let the
blood of this man be on you and your children.
Pilate [Calls a soldier]: Take this man and have him whipped.
[The soldiers take Jesus away and everyone exists].

Reflection: He Suffered Under Pontius Pilate. [Pause] Pontius

Pilate made a decision in favor of his people, so that he could
please them. His name been mentioned in the Apostles creed gives
us historical evidence of Jesus’ passion. It helps us believe
that Jesus did suffer and died a brutal death. So, if anytime we
doubt our faith, the many evidences like these prove that Jesus,
the Son of God, did come on earth to save His people.
N: Have mercy on us, O Lord!
R: Have mercy on us.

2ND STATION: JESUS CARRIES THE CROSS

N: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise thee.
R: Because by thy Holy Cross thou have redeemed the world!

[Soldier drags Jesus on the floor and then ties him to the stand
for the whipping scene]
Centurion: Soldiers, 40 lashes!
[Soldiers open the hands of Jesus and he falls on the ground.
The other soldier gets the crown of thorns and puts it on
Jesus].
Soldier [Mockingly]: You say you are the king of the Jews? Here
is your crown!
[Pilate and the council enter. Soldiers make Jesus stand in
front of Pilate].
Pilate: Look here is the man. What else do you want me to do
with him?
Sanhedrin [altogether]: Crucify him! Crucify him!
Pilate: You take him then and crucify him yourself. I find no
reason to condemn him.
[Pilate walks closer to Jesus].
Pilate to Jesus: I have the Authority to set you free or to have
you crucified.
Jesus: You have authority over me only because it is given to
you by God.
Pilate: Here is your king, Crucify him!
[Pilate leaves. Two soldiers enter carrying the cross. The main
soldier lifts Jesus and puts the cross on him].

Reflection: He Was Crucified, Died and Was Buried [Pause] The

chronology of Jesus been crucified, died, and buried, is very
important when we profess our faith through the creed. These
words point us to the agonizing and humiliatingly embarrassing
means of his passion, the fact that he died a bodily death, and
was buried in the ground like any other person. All of this is a
reminder to us that Jesus was and is just like us, who went
through the similar types of joy and hardships, and understands
us the way we are in our human form.
N: Have mercy on us, O Lord!
R: Have mercy on us.

3RD STATION: JESUS FALLS THE FIRST TIME

N: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise thee.
R: Because by thy Holy Cross thou have redeemed the world!
Narrator: Jesus has started walking towards the mount of
Calvary, carrying the heavy cross over his shoulders. His body
is bruised from the beatings and I notice the blood stains he
leaves behind. It is difficult for me to see him cut his bare
feet with the sharp stones on the road, but the soldiers aren’t
showing any mercy towards him. Jesus is tired; unable to walk
and I see fall on the ground.

[Jesus falls].
Soldier: Get up, get up!
Will you get up, now?!
[Jesus struggles to get up].
Jesus: My God, I know you’re watching over me. You’re the
Almighty Father. This is extremely difficult, please give me the
strength to go on with this.

Reflection: I Believe in God, the Father Almighty! [Pause] It’s

so beautiful to witness Jesus pray to God even during this time
of his suffering. Him addressing God as the Almighty Father is a
reminder to us that He is a Father whom we can call our own, and
so does He call us his own children. Let us turn to Him in times
of need, to celebrate His glory. It is only because He exists,
that we exist today.
N: Have mercy on us O Lord!
R: Have mercy on us.

HYMN:

4TH STATION: JESUS MEETS HIS MOTHER

N: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise thee.
R: Because by thy Holy Cross thou have redeemed the world!
Narrator: As we are walking, I see a woman standing in the crowd
at a distance. The people say it’s Jesus’ mother, Mary. I look
at her face carefully and see her eyes are full of tears. I
wonder where she gets the strength to see her Son suffer like
this. And as any other mother would, Mary also ran close to her
Son to comfort him.

Mary: Son… what are they doing to you! I knew this would be
difficult, but all these wounds and scars wrenches my heart. My
Son… I now think, why is this happening to you?
Jesus: Why do you cry, Mother? All of this is part of God’s
plan. It is what my Father in Heaven was preparing me. The best
is yet to come.
Mary: Yes, my Son. Let the Holy Spirit be your strength.
Reflection: He, Who Was Conceived by the Power of the Holy
Spirit and Born of the Virgin Mary. [Pause] Mamma Mary said yes
to God’s word and became part of His mission, which led to our
redemption. We are aware of the role Mary plays in all of this;
the one who holds everything together and draws us closer to God
and her Son, by the faith that she has in them. She trusted in
the Holy Spirit, throughout her life, and now teaches us too, to
trust in the Holy Spirit, who is our guide.
N: Have mercy on us, O Lord!
R: Have mercy on us.

5TH STATION: SIMON OF CYRENE CARRIES THE CROSS

N: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise thee.
R: Because by thy Holy Cross thou have redeemed the world!
Narrator: Jesus is so tired that it is extremely difficult for
him to walk this distance. And the weight of the cross doesn't
get any lighter. The soldier then steps forward, and pulls a man
out of the crowd to help Jesus carry the cross. He is called
Simon of Cyrene.

Jesus: Thank you.

Simon: Yes, you are my Lord.
Jesus: You are a humble person. You will be rewarded for this.

Reflection: He Ascended into Heaven and Is Seated at the Right

Hand of God, the Father Almighty. [Pause] Simon was a complete
stranger who helped Jesus. The look that they exchanged, made
him know Jesus like a dear friend of his. Simon may have known
the authority that Jesus holds that’s why he agreed to take up
this painful task. Don’t we know Jesus’ place? Yes, at the right
hand of God the Father, sharing equal authority. Jesus’s
placement at the right hand of the Father makes him our eternal
mediator.
N: Have mercy on us, O Lord!
R: Have mercy on us.

6th Station: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus

N: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise thee.
R: Because by thy Holy Cross thou have redeemed the world!
Narrator: Jesus has been whipped, he has fallen on the ground,
the wood of the cross is rubbing against his wounds, and blood
is dripping off his face and body. His hair is all over his face
and makes it difficult for him to see. Then all of a sudden, a
woman, named Veronica, pushes her way through the crowd to get
to Jesus. And she wipes his face with a cloth.

HYMN: VERONICA SONG

Reflection: He Will Come Again to Judge the Living and the Dead.
[Pause] When it comes to helping others, we often think of the
ourselves first, and then the reward that we may receive. But we
forget that all our rewards lie in His hands. When the day
comes, we will be judged for our thoughts and our actions, and
that will decide the reward we deserve. Veronica was rewarded
for the love and care she showed towards Jesus. If we want that
too, we need to humble ourselves, be compassionate toward others
and put humanity first.
N: Have mercy on us, O Lord!
R: Have mercy on us.

HYMN:

7TH STATION: JESUS FALLS THE SECOND TIME

N: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise thee.
R: Because by thy Holy Cross thou have redeemed the world!
Narrator: Jesus is yet walking on a way that seems never ending.
The pain that he is experiencing is clearly visible, for he is
weak and shaky. The crowd is increasing in number and they
aren’t kind to him. Jesus then stops walking and turning his
head to the sky, falls down on the road.

Jesus [while getting up]: Father, here I fall another time.

Still, I will trust in you.

Reflection: I Believe in God, Creator of Heaven and Earth.

[Pause] How often do we easily give up? In today’s day and age,
how willing are we to surrender everything to God and trust Him
with it? If we fail more than once, we start doubting God’s
place in our lives. Today, Jesus teaches us to keep trusting in
God. For who is God? He is the Creator of everything, and he
knows the purpose of our creation. So let’s trust him for once.
N: Have mercy on us, O Lord!
R: Have mercy on us.

8TH STATION: JESUS MEETS THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM

N: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise thee.
R: Because by thy Holy Cross thou have redeemed the world!
Narrator: On our way to Calvary, Jesus spots a few women, who
are sobbing for him, amongst the crowd who is being cruel
towards him. I wonder if these women are mocking him. But the
people around are instead mocking them for being the secret
followers of Christ. And Jesus moves closer to them.

Jesus: Women, do not weep for me but for you and your children.
Women: Forgive us master.
Jesus: You women have showed so much love to me, don't let this
love die. Love one another.

Reflection: I Believe in The Holy Catholic Church and the

Communion of Saints. [Pause] Love one another and be
compassionate towards others – is what Jesus asked the women to
do. Love is the base of our Catholic church; the church that
resembles not its four walls but its people. Even during His
difficult hour, Jesus is worried about what’s going to happen to
His people next. He blesses them with hope so that we can build
the church that Christ always wanted and praise God for His
mercy on mankind.
N: Have mercy on us, O Lord!
R: Have mercy on us.

9TH STATION: JESUS FALLS FOR THE THIRD TIME

N: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise thee.
R: Because by thy Holy Cross thou have redeemed the world!
Narrator: We have walked a long way now. And the walk ahead is
getting even harder for Jesus. I don’t know, how is he pulling
through this? The crowd around him is now getting wild, so the
soldiers want to rush Jesus to get him to the top faster. But as
they do so, Jesus falls under the weight of the cross, again.

Soldier 1: Get up!

Soldier 2: We don’t have all day. Carry your cross, get on your
way.
[The soldiers make him stand and give him his cross again. Jesus
starts walking again.]

Reflection: I Believe in the Holy Spirit. [Pause] Not once, not

twice, but Jesus fell for the third time. Yet, he had the
courage and strength to get up. Let’s take a moment and recall
another friend whom we were introduced to during our
confirmation – Our strength and our guide, the Holy Spirit. It
is only when we allow the Holy Spirit to work within us, that it
will work wonders in our lives.
N: Have mercy on us, O Lord!
R: Have mercy on us.

HYMN:

10TH STATION: JESUS IS STRIPPED OFF HIS GARMENT

N: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise thee.
R: Because by thy holy Cross thou hast redeemed the world!
Narrator: As we reach to the top of Calvary, I thought that the
bad part was over but the worst has begun. The soldiers rip off
Jesus’ garment. I hear him cry out in pain as the garment
sticking to Jesus’ sore body hurts him severely. Jesus now
stands there all naked, utterly humiliated in front of the
crowd.

Reflection: He Descended into Hell and on The Third Day He Rose

Again from the Dead. [Pause] Jesus has done no wrong, yet He
went through all of this — the beatings, the mocking, the pain
caused by it, and now this humiliation. Jesus suffered the agony
and anguish of hell for us on the cross, as he was separated
from and forsaken by God as sinners are in hell — the Father
turned His face away from Jesus and darkness descended as Jesus
experienced God’s wrath poured out on him. We don’t have to
experience this because Jesus descended into hell, showing that
He is victorious and that I am forgiven!
N: Have mercy on us, O Lord!
R: Have mercy on us.

11TH STATION: JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS

N: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise thee.
R: Because by thy Holy Cross thou have redeemed the world!
[People enter with the clapper]
Narrator: The humiliation wasn’t enough for the soldiers, they
then placed Jesus onto the cross so that they could nail his
hands and feet to it.
[Soldiers put Jesus on the cross and nailing takes place].
Narrator [while nailing]: The sound of Jesus in pain was even
louder than the sound of the hammer hitting the nails.
Narrator [after nailing]: After this, the soldiers lift the
cross up.
[Soldiers pull up the cross]

Sanhedrin: Aha! Weren’t you going to tear down the temple and
build it up again in three days? Look at yourself now.
Soldiers: He saved others but couldn’t save himself, isn’t he
the king of the Jews? If he comes down off the cross now, we
will believe him.
Jesus [Looking up to heaven]: Father, forgive them for they
don’t know what they’re doing.

[Article 2:].
Reflection: I Believe in Jesus Christ, His Only Son, Our Lord.
[Pause] Here is Jesus, our Christ, hanging on the cross. The
Anointed One, the Messiah, and the Savior of the World; look
what has been done to him. Jesus, the only Begotten Son, took
human form on this earth to spread the Good News and attained
victory by his brutal death on the cross. He is the one who is
the mediator between God and man. What more could have he done
for us?
N: Have mercy on us, O Lord!
R: Have mercy on us.

12TH STATION: JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS

N: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise thee.
R: Because by thy Holy Cross thou have redeemed the world!
Narrator: It’s been six hours; Jesus is hanging on the cross. I
see him in pain; struggling to breath and he looks devastated.
There are some who are yet mocking him and others who are
weeping for him. But I wonder what’s going on in the minds of
his mother, Mary, Mary Magdalene and disciple John as they stand
at the foot of the cross.

Jesus: Woman behold thy son; son behold thy mother.

[looking up] My God, My God why have you forsaken me?
[looking down] I am thirsty.
[A soldier gets a sponge soaked in vinegar. Jesus sips it and
spits it out. The soldiers laugh at him].
Jesus: It is finished!
[looking up] Father into your hands I commend my spirit.
[JESUS DIES] [Clapper]
[Thunder]
HYMN:

Centurion: This man was indeed the son of God.

Reflection: I Believe in The Forgiveness of Sins. [Pause] The

wrath of God was satisfied. We are saved and forgiven. Even at
the very last hour, on the cross, Jesus thought us one last
thing before he could die, that is to forgive others. We are
called to forgive those who have wronged us. But sometimes
forgiving others may seem difficult, that’s when we need to turn
to the Cross, the symbol of love, where Jesus paid the price for
our sins.
N: Have mercy on us, O Lord!
R: Have mercy on us.

13TH STATION: JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS

N: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise thee.
R: Because by thy Holy Cross thou have redeemed the world!
Narrator: As we mourn the death of Jesus, a rich man arrives. He
is Joseph from Arimathea. He called himself a follower of Jesus
and he said that he has the permission, granted by Pilate, to
take down the body of Jesus. So, the soldiers follow the orders.
[The cross is lowered down].
Narrator: First they remove the crown of thorns from his head.
[The soldier shows the crown].
Narrator: Then, they remove every nail that was pierced through
his hands and feet.
[The soldiers show every nail as the remove it].
Narrator: They now place the body of Jesus in his mother’s arms.
[Clapper, Simon, and Women exit].
Mary: My Son, what have they done to you… When I held you for
the first time as a baby in my arms, I was overjoyed. But today,
seeing you like this… I never wanted to see this day… My son…

Reflection: I Believe in The Resurrection of the Body. [Pause]

Jesus’ lifeless body lays there, in his mother’s arms. We
believe that Jesus rose from the dead, soul and body, and so
must we when the day comes — this is the hope of our Catholic
church. Jesus’s resurrection is the grounds for our hope both
because he stands as the first one whose body was raised to life
and because the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will
give life to our mortal bodies.
N: Have mercy on us, O Lord!
R: Have mercy on us.

14TH STATION: JESUS IS PLACED IN THE TOMB

N: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise thee.
R: Because by thy Holy Cross thou have redeemed the world!
Narrator: Joseph of Arimathea along with Nicodemus and the
soldiers, wrap the body of Jesus in a new linen cloth and place
it in a tomb.
[They wrap Jesus in the cloth and start walking].
Narrator: As Jesus’ body is being taken to his tomb, Mary
follows them till she sees the last glimpse of her Son. This is
a brand-new tomb, dug out of solid rock, and has never been used
before.

Reflection: I Believe in the Life Everlasting. [Pause] We, as

Catholics believe that when our life ends, here on earth, we
begin a new life with Christ. This life is a life in
abundance, a life in all its fullness, and a life that is
eternal. For eternal life is knowing Jesus. If you know Jesus,
you already have eternal life. It begins the moment we believe,
not the moment we die. Eternal life is a relationship with
Jesus, and that relationship doesn’t end at death; it gets
better.
N: Have mercy on us, O Lord!
R: Have mercy on us.

CLOSING PRAYER:
Lord Jesus Christ, as we’ve journeyed along our faith today, may
we believe in the truth that has been set before us. Lord, we
desire to know better. We ask that you strengthen our faith, and
help us to be bolder in how we live our lives, and serve you.
Give us faith that can move mountains. We want to be strong in
you. Ready to give an answer for our faith and to battle against
any lies of the enemy we may encounter. Lord, please fill us
with wisdom and faith that only come from you. In your name, we
pray, Amen.

One Our Father – one Hail Mary & Glory be …. [for the intentions
of the Holy Father]
One Our Father – one Hail Mary & Glory be …. [for all the souls
in purgatory, those who have died in our families and our near
and dear ones]