Traditional Way of the Cross
(Written by St. Alphonsus Liguori)
SYMBOLS
[℣] Leader [℟] Response [Ⱥ] All togetherSIGN OF THE CROSS
† In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit † Amen.
[Make an Act of Contrition, and form your intention of gaining the indulgences connected to the Stations of the Cross, for yourself or for the souls in Purgatory.]
ACT OF CONTRITION
[Ⱥ] O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins because of your just punishments, but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of your grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasion of sin. Amen.
OPENING PRAYER
[℣] My Lord Jesus Christ, you have made this journey to die for me with infinite love. So many times I have sinned, but I repent sincerely because I love you. Pardon me, my God. I will love you all my life. [℟] Amen.
STABAT MATER
At the cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping
Close to Jesus to the last.
The 1st Station
Jesus Is Condemned to Death
[℣] We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. [℟] Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
MEDITATION
Jesus, after having been scourged and crowned with thorns, was unjustly condemned by Pilate to die on the Cross.
PRAYER
Jesus, it is because of my sins that You are going to die. Through the merits of Your sorrowful journey, help me in my journey to Heaven. I love You, Jesus. I repent of my sins. Help me to never sin again and to love You always and to do Your will.
STABAT MATER
Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
All His bitter anguish bearing,
Now at length the sword has passed.
The 2nd Station
Jesus Is Made to Bear His Cross.
[℣] We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. [℟] Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
MEDITATION
Jesus, in making this journey with the Cross on His shoulders, thought of us, and offered for us, to His Father, the death that He was about to undergo.
PRAYER
Jesus, I embrace all the suffering that you send to me. Through the merits of your pain in carrying Your Cross, help me to carry my cross with patience and resignation. I love you, Jesus. I repent of my sins. Help me to never sin again and to love you always and to do your will.
STABAT MATER
O how sad and sore distressed
Was that Mother, highly blest,
Of the sole-begotten One.
The 3rd Station
Jesus Falls the First Time.
[℣] We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. [℟] Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
MEDITATION
Jesus fell for the first time under His Cross. He had been scourged and had a crown of thorns on His head, and the soldiers hit Him. He was in so much pain He could barely walk, but He had to carry the heavy Cross.
PRAYER
Jesus, the weight of my sins adds to your suffering and makes it infinitely worse. Through the merits of your first fall, deliver me from falling into mortal sin. I love you, Jesus. I repent of my sins. Help me to never sin again and to love you always and to do your will.
STABAT MATER
Christ above in torment hangs,
She beneath beholds the pangs
Of her dying glorious Son.
The 4th Station
Jesus Meets His Mother
[℣] We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. [℟] Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
MEDITATION
Jesus met His Mother Mary along His journey. They loved each other so deeply.
PRAYER
Jesus, through the sorrow and joy you had in meeting your Mother Mary, help me to be truly devoted to her. Mary, help me to remember in my heart the suffering your Son underwent for me. I love you, Jesus. I repent of my sins. Help me to never sin again and to love you always and to do your will.
STABAT MATER
Is there one who would not weep,
‘whelmed in miseries so deep,
Christ’s dear Mother to behold?
The 5th Station
Simon Helps Jesus Carry His Cross
[℣] We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. [℟] Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
MEDITATION
When the Jews saw how weak Jesus was, they feared He might die on the way, before He was crucified, so they forced a man named Simon the Cyrenian to carry the Cross behind our Lord.
PRAYER
Jesus, I accept the cross you give to me, and I accept how you want me to die. I offer all my sufferings and troubles to you. I love you, Jesus. I repent of my sins. Help me to never sin again and to love you always and to do your will.
STABAT MATER
Can the human heart refrain
From partaking in her pain,
In that Mother’s pain untold?
The 6th Station
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.
MEDITATION
A woman named Veronica, seeing Jesus suffering so much, and sweat and blood dripping down His face, gave Him a towel to wipe His face. By a miracle, He left an image of His face on the towel.
PRAYER
Jesus, your face was once clean and good to look upon, but blood and sweat disfigured it, and Veronica wiped Your face clean. My soul was once clean and beautiful when I was baptized, but sin disfigured it. Through your suffering, wipe my soul clean. I love you, Jesus. I repent of my sins. Help me to never sin again and to love You always and to do Your will.
STABAT MATER
Bruis’d, derided, curs’d, defiled,
She beheld her tender child
All with bloody scourges rent.
The 7th Station
Jesus Falls a Second Time
[℣] We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. [℟] Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
MEDITATION
Jesus fell the second time under the Cross. The fall renews all the pain in His body and makes His head throb.
PRAYER
Jesus, so many times you have forgiven me, and so many times I have sinned again. Through the merits of your second fall, help me and preserve me in your grace until I die. Help me to call on you every time I am tempted. I love you, Jesus. I repent of my sins. Help me to never sin again and to love you always and to do your will.
STABAT MATER
For the love of His own nation,
Saw Him hang in desolation,
Till His spirit forth He sent.
The 8th Station
Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem
[℣] We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. [℟] Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
MEDITATION
These women wept with compassion at seeing Jesus walking to His death. But Jesus said to them, “Weep not for me but for your children.”
PRAYER
Jesus, I am sorry for all my sins, because of the pain and sadness they cause you, who loves me so much. I love you, Jesus. I repent of my sins. Help me to never sin again and to love you always and to do your will.
STABAT MATER
O you Mother! fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above,
Make my heart with yours accord:
The 9th Station
Jesus Falls the Third Time
[℣] We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. [℟] Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
MEDITATION
Jesus fell for the third time. He was so weak and the soldiers pushed Him to walk faster, but He could barely move.
PRAYER
Jesus, by my weakness in temptation, you are going to Calvary. Give me strength to conquer temptation. I love you, Jesus. I repent of my sins. Help me to never sin again and to love you always and to do your will.
STABAT MATER
Make me feel as you have felt;
Make my soul to glow and melt
With the love of Christ my Lord.
The 10th Station
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.
MEDITATION
The soldiers snatched Jesus’ robe off Him.
PRAYER
Jesus, help me to strip my soul of bad habits so I can give all my love to you, who are so worthy of all my love. I love you, Jesus. I repent of my sins. Help me to never sin again and to love you always and to do your will.
STABAT MATER
Holy Mother! pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Savior crucified:
The 11th Station
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.
MEDITATION
Jesus was thrown down onto the Cross. He stretched out His arms and offered His life to the Father for our salvation. The soldiers nailed Him to the Cross and pushed the Cross to stand up.
PRAYER
Jesus, keep my heart. Keep me always close to you. I love you, Jesus. I repent of my sins. Help me to never sin again and to love You always and to do Your will.
STABAT MATER
Let me share with you His pain,
Who for all my sins was slain,
Who for me in torments died.
The 12th Station
Jesus Dies on the Cross
[℣] We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. [℟] Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
MEDITATION
After suffering for three hours on the Cross, Jesus gave up His life to the Father and died.
PRAYER
Jesus, through my sins, I deserve to be punished, but your death is my hope. Through the merits of your death, give me the grace that when I die, I will die as you want me to. I entrust my soul into your hands. I love you, Jesus. I repent of my sins. Help me to never sin again and to love you always and to do your will.
STABAT MATER
Let me mingle tears with you,
Mourning Him who mourned for me,
All the days that I may live:
The 13th Station
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.
MEDITATION
Two of Jesus’ disciples took Jesus down from the Cross and Mary His Mother held Him close to her heart.
PRAYER
Mary, sorrowful Mother, pray to your Son for me. Jesus, you have died because you love me. Help me to love you always. I love you, Jesus. I repent of my sins. Help me to never sin again and to love you always and to do your will.
STABAT MATER
By the Cross with you to stay,
There with you to weep and pray,
Is all I ask of you to give.
The 14th Station
Jesus Is Laid in His Tomb
[℣] We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. [℟] Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
MEDITATION
The two disciples and Mary laid Jesus in a tomb.
PRAYER
You rose on the third day. Through your Resurrection, make me rise glorious on the last day, to be always with you in Heaven, praising and loving you. I love you, Jesus. I repent of my sins. Help me to never sin again and to love you always and to do your will.
STABAT MATER
Virgin of all virgins blest!,
Listen to my fond request:
Let me share your grief divine;
Let me, to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death
Of that dying Son of thine.
Wounded with His every wound,
Steep my soul till it hath swooned,
In His very Blood away;
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
Lest in flames I burn and die,
In His awful Judgment Day.
Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,
Be Thy Mother my defense,
Be Thy Cross my victory;
While my body here decays,
May my soul Thy goodness praise,
Safe in Paradise with Thee.
CLOSING PRAYER
Jesus, I kneel before you and ask you: fill my heart with faith, hope, and charity, with true repentance for my sins, and a firm desire of amendment.
CLOSING MEDITATION
God has loved us from all eternity. Before we existed, before He created us, before He created the world, He loved each of us already. From all eternity, God loves us.
[℣] May the divine assistance remain always with us, [℟] and may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
SIGN OF THE CROSS
† In the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit † Amen.
