The Way of the Cross (St. Alphonsus de Liguori)
Before each Station;
V. We adore Thee, O Christ and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
After each Station;
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory Be…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
1st. Station. Jesus is condemned to death
V. We adore Thee, O Christ and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Pilate dares to condemn the all-holy Saviour to death. No, not Pilate; but my sins have condemned Jesus to be crucified. O Jesus, have mercy on me and remember Thou didst choose to die that I may have eternal life. Let me so live that when I come to die I may find Thee a most merciful Judge, an all-loving Redeemer.
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory Be…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
2nd. Station. Jesus bears His Cross
V. We adore Thee, O Christ and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Most willingly Jesus accepts and patiently bears His Cross for my sake. Will I refuse to bear my cross for His sake? No, my loving Redeemer, I will no longer seek to evade my cross, but with the help of Thy grace I will bear it with Christian patience and resignation and follow Thee always!
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory Be…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
3rd Station. Jesus falls the first time
V. We adore Thee, O Christ and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Weakened by torments and by loss of blood, Jesus falls beneath His Cross. Alas! More truly was He crushed to earth by the number and enormity of my sins! Good Master! I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. I love Thee, infinite Goodness! Help me to hate sin as the only real evil.
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory Be…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
4th Station. Jesus meets His Mother
V. We adore Thee, O Christ and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Jesus, the Man of Sorrows, meets Mary, the Queen of Martyrs. Oceans of grief deluge their Hearts as they face each other. They suffer thus from my sins. O Jesus, O Mary, bathe my sinful soul in a sea of true sorrow for my past offences. In all temptation I will say: “Jesus, Mary, help me!”
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory Be…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
5th Station. Simon helps Jesus carry the Cross
V. We adore Thee, O Christ and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Although Jesus seems about to expire, He does not need, yet accepts the help of Simon, since He wills to die on the Cross. Thus does He teach me charity and perseverance. O Jesus, I too will carry my cross patiently to the end and strive to lighten the cross of my fellow-men.
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory Be…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
6th Station. Veronica wipes the Face of Jesus
V. We adore Thee, O Christ and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Jesus accepts and returns the towel of Veronica. Upon it is left the impress of His adorable Face. Alas! My sins have disfigured Thy holy Countenance. O Jesus, grant me efficacious sorrow that all sin may be erased from my soul and that Thy grace and Thy divine image may be stamped upon it forever!
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory Be…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
7th Station. Jesus falls a second time
V. We adore Thee, O Christ and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
My feeble resolutions, my oft-repeated sins have crushed Jesus to earth a second time. Such is the malice of habitual sin! O Jesus, grant me true repentance. Let me die a thousands times rather than have the misfortune to fall again into mortal sin! Help me to hate all sin!
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory Be…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
8th Station. Jesus meets the Women of jerusalem
V. We adore Thee, O Christ and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
The Saviour teaches the women not to weep for Him, but for their own sins and the sins of their children. How generous is He! O Jesus, grant that I may understand the true meaning of Thy Passion and be so inflamed with love for Thee that I may shed tears of blood over my past transgressions!
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory Be…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
9th Station. Jesus falls the third time
V. We adore Thee, O Christ and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Consternation fills my soul when I behold the Saviour fall a third time beneath the Cross! What is the cause? The incredible obstinacy of sinners who refuse to amend their lives. O Jesus, grant that I may be truly converted and suffer every evil rather than be numbered among such ungrateful sinners!
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory Be…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
10th Station. Jesus is stripped of His garments
V. We adore Thee, O Christ and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
What a pitiable spectacle is this shameful stripping of Jesus! Ghastly wounds are re-opened. Blood flows afresh. What shame would be mine if the veil were torn from my soul and the world saw my hidden sins! O Jesus, help me to know all my sins and confess them with deep sorrow and true humility!
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory Be…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
11th Station. Jesus is nailed to the Cross
V. We adore Thee, O Christ and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
How can I behold the Saviour ignominously nailed to the Cross and seek only comfort, wealth and honors and even indulge in unlawful pleasures? Jesus Crucified! Help me to esteem and practice true Christian mortification that I may love only Thee and renounce the world, the flesh and the devil.
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory Be…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
12th Station. Jesus dies on the Cross
V. We adore Thee, O Christ and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Jesus, my God, dies on the Cross for me. I have done nothing for Him. I too must die! O my Crucified Saviour! Grant that I may so live in the future that I may have no cause to fear a sudden and unprovided death. Jesus, for Thee I die! Jesus , for Thee I die!
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory Be…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
13th Station. Jesus is taken down from the Cross
V. We adore Thee, O Christ and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
The lifeless Body of Jesus now rests in the arms of Mary. What anguish is hers as she thinks of the many souls for whom her Son shed His precious blood in vain. What joy to know that so many are redeemed. O my Saviour, preserve me from perdition! O sweet Heart of Mary, be my salvation!
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory Be…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
14th Station. Jesus is laid in the tomb
V. We adore Thee, O Christ and we bless Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world
Like Jesus, I too must lie in the grave. But Jesus rises in triumph on the third day. My buried Jesus, grant eternal rest to all who sleep in death! Have mercy on me, and grant me the grace to rise to a new spiritual life, that dying to myself now, I may rise gloriously with Thee on the last day!
Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory Be…
Have mercy on us, O Lord; have mercy on us.
