STATIONS OF THE CROSS

In Roscoff Parish Church

O Jesus our Saviour, behold us at thy feet, imploring thy mercy for ourselves and for the faithful departed. Apply to us, we beseech thee, the infinite merits of thy Passion, on which we are about to meditate. Grant that as we trace this path of sighs and tears our hearts may be so touched with contrition that we may be ready to embrace the crosses and sufferings of our own life and pilgrimage. Amen. 

V. O Lord, open thou our lips:
R. And our mouth shall show forth thy praise. 

V. O God, make speed to save us:
R. O Lord, make haste to help us. 

V. Glory be the Father, and to the Son .. &c.
R. As it was in the beginning .. &c. Amen 

(After each Station: Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.

V. Have mercy upon us, O Lord.
R. Have mercy upon us. 

May the souls of the faithful, through the mercy of God, + rest in peace. Amen.)

1. Jesus is condemned to death 

Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. (John 19.4-6) 

And Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. (Mark 15.15) 

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.
(Mark 15.28) 

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (John 10,11) 

Christ is condemned by those whom he loves, by those whom he is saving. The world crucifies those who believe in love.

I myself judge and condemn others, without hearing them, without trying to understand them; I am hard and often merciless in my judgements. 

Lord Jesus, in fulfilling thy Father's will thou wast obedient even to death on the Cross. In undergoing the torments of thy death and passion thou didst know fear and anguish. Help us to discern in all the events of our own life the signs of the Father's love. Increase our faith, so that in the time of temptation we can say again with thee: Not my will, but thine, be done. 

2. Jesus takes up the Cross 

And they took Jesus, and led him away. And he bearing his cross went forth into a place which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha. (John 19.17) 

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (Luke 9.23) 

How difficult it is to take up our cross and to carry it; the cross of toil and weariness, the cross of responsibilities, the cross of suffering, the cross of misunderstandings, criticisms, failures and reproaches. Our Cross, like that of Christ, is heavy; but it also, together with the Cross of Christ, brings salvation to the world. 

Lord Jesus, thou hast given us the cross; we have not chosen it, and it weighs heavily on our weakness. We pray to thee for those who refuse to bear their cross, for those who are bowed down by its weight, for the sick who are unvisited and those in need of sympathy, the poor who thirst for justice and love. May thy strength be our strength, thy courage our courage. 

3. Jesus falls for the first time 

They led him out to crucify him. (Mark 15.20) 

And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. (Luke 23.32) 

Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone. (John 12.24) 

What a mystery, O Lord, to see thee share our weakness! The fall, that is to say failure and sin, is humiliating for our pride; it is painful and depressing. What is my attitude towards my brother who falls into sin or lives a sinful life? Indifference, contempt, abandonment, condemnation? And for myself, is the Cross a burden that crushes me or a support that holds me up? 

Lord Jesus, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, may I bring love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that I may seek not so much to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.  

4. Jesus meets his mother 

Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, and a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also). (Luke 2.34) 

Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow. (Lamentations 2.12) 

And his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? (Luke 2.48) 

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. (Luke 1.38) 

What is Mary doing on the road to Calvary? She is joining in heart and mind with her Son. She is uniting herself to the Passion of her Son and offering it for the salvation of the world. She is saying with him, Father, thy will be done. This great test finds her brave and strong enough to stay on her feet.  

Virgin Mary, be with those who suffer, those who cry and weep with pain, those who rebel against God and abuse him, those who do not know that Christ suffered for them and with them; and make us considerate to all the unfortunate people we meet on our way through life. 

5. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his cross 

And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. (Luke 23.26) 

Bear ye one another's burdens. (Galatians 6.2) 

And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. (Matthew 10.42) 

God has always called upon the services of men and women. Simon is enlisted to help the condemned man who has reached the limit of his strength. He accepts the duty of carrying the Cross with Jesus; it is what the Lord asks of every one of us. 

Teach us, good Lord, to serve thee as thou deservest; to give, and not to count the cost; to fight, and not to heed the wounds; to toil, and not to seek for rest; to labour, and not to ask for any reward, save that of knowing that we do thy will. (St Ignatius Loyola) 

6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus 

There is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isa. 3.3) 

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. (Coloss. 1.15) 

There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head as he sat at meat. But when the disciples saw it they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her. (Matthew 26.8) 

In our world there is no lack of dispirited or disfigured faces, deformed or tormented bodies; prisoners, convicts, the sick and paralysed, the undernourished and badly clothed, those without hope, without work. 

Forgive me, O Lord, for being unable or unwilling to recognize thee in beggar's clothing when thou didst knock at my door; for having shown to others a face in which they could not discern thee; for having neglected the old, the abandoned, the outsider and foreigner. Give us grace to open the door of our heart to welcome thee.

7. Jesus falls for the second time 

The chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53.5) 

Preserve me from the wicked men, who are purposed to overthrow my goings. The proud have laid a snare for me, and spread a net abroad with cords: yea, and set traps in my way. (Psalm 140.4) 

They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. (Psalm 91.12) 

Out of a tangle of lines God brings intelligible handwriting. As sinners our condition is one of repeated falls, and getting up again and continuing on our way, without ever despairing. Using the twists and turns of our muddled lives God can still lead us where he wishes us to go. 

O Lord, my journey is long, so long that it will never end. Faced with this task, I give up. I flee from my responsibilities; I accept injustice. Help me with thy grace to be for others a source not of faults but of enrichment. 

8. Jesus speaks to the women of Jerusalem 

And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. (Luke 23.27) 

If they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? (Luke 23.31) 

Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. (Matthew 5.4) 

Seeing a condemned man pass by, it is easy and natural to have pity on him; but Jesus asks us to look further. He is the green tree, full of life,  and he suffers for the dry tree, for us sinners. Behold, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. Give us, O Lord, a new heart to see that we are sinners and guilty. 

Holy Mary, Mother of God, preserve in me the heart of a child, pure and transparent as a spring. Obtain for me a simple heart that does not brood over sorrows; a heart generous in giving itself, quick to feel compassion; a faithful, generous heart that forgets no favour and holds no grudge. Give me a humble, gentle heart, loving without asking any return; a great indomitable heart that no ingratitude can close, no indifference can weary; a heart tortured by its desire for the glory of Jesus Christ: pierced by his love with a wound that will heal only in heaven.  (L. de Grandmaison) 

9. Jesus falls for the third time

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet did we esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities. (Isaiah 53.4) 

But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the very abjects came together against me unawares, making mouths at me, and ceased not. With the flatterers were busy mockers: who gnashed upon me with their teeth. (Psalm 135.15) 

Thrice fallen, thrice lifted up, always ready to get up and start again, the Lord teaches us true confidence. Peter too denied thrice, but thrice he declared his love: "Simon Bar Jonah, lovest thou me?" "Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee." And it is sin to believe that we are no longer loved. 

This is my prayer to thee, O God, strike at the root of poverty in my own heart.
Give me the strength lightly to bear my joys and sorrows.
Give me the love to make my love fruitful in service.
Give me the strength never to disown the poor or bend my knee before insolent might.
Give me the strength to raise my mind high above daily trifles.
And give me the strength to surrender my strength to thy will with love.
(Rabindranath Tagore) 

10. Jesus is stripped of his garments 

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be. These things therefore the soldiers did. (John 19.23) 

Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. (Job 1.21) 

Unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also. (Luke 6.29) 

Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14.33) 

The Lord, the author of life, Master of the world, was born poor, lived poor, died poor; was stripped not only of his clothing, but also of his reputation, his honour. To strip oneself, to renounce comfort, money, independence, ideas, health, affections, is truly a crucifixion. 

Lord, we are thine. Take us wholly for thy glory. Behold our bodies: keep them strong in thy love. Behold our hearts: keep them pure in thy love. Behold our souls: bathe them in thy light. 

11. Jesus is nailed to the cross

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know what they do. (Luke 23.34)

They crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. (John 19.18,25) 

Behold the wood of the Cross whereon did hang the Saviour of the world. Come ye, let us worship.

Jesus the Lord, the Master, was nailed to the cross as one condemned by the common law.

He made himself of no reputation, and took upon himself the form of a servant... and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2.8)

Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess thou hast given me: I surrender it all to thee to be disposed of according to thy will. Give me only thy love and thy grace; with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more. (St Ignatius Loyola) 

12. Jesus dies on the cross

Jesus saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! (John 19.26

And Jesus said unto the malefactor, Verily, I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. (Luke 23.43)

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Matthew 27.46)

After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. (John 19.28)

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished. (John 19.30)

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit" and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. (Luke 23.46)

And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God. (Mark 15.39) 

13. Jesus is taken down from the cross

Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen. (Mark 15.43)

Behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother ...And Jesus delivered him to his mother. (Mark 7.12,15)

How many mothers holding in their arms the body of a suffering child, broken in an accident at work or on the road, the victim of war or terrorism, ask themselves, What have I done to deserve this? And what evil had Mary done? Suffering is a mystery, not a punishment.

Most Holy Virgin, look down in compassion upon those who suffer, who struggle against difficulties. Have pity—on those who love each other but have been parted; have pity on the lonely-hearted. Have pity on the weakness of our faith; have pity on those who mourn, who pray, who are fearful; and to all, Mary, give hope and peace.  

14. Jesus is laid in the sepulchre

Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand. (John 19.40)

Joseph of Arimathaea rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre. And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid. (Mark 15.46)

This is the great test of faith. The Apostles themselves are distraught. Holding her dead Son on her knees, Mary is the image of the Church preserving hope in the midst of the deepest darkness. This is the way of the cross of Christ, and it continues in the lives of the human race.

Lord, help every creature that undergoes physical or mental pain to understand the mystery of suffering and temptation. Help us to be bringers of hope and joy wherever we go.

Prayer before the Altar

Christ for us became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross.

Let us pray.

Almighty God, we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed, and given up into the hands of wicked men, and to suffer death upon the Cross; who now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

May our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who for us was scourged, loaded with his Cross, and crucified, + bless us and keep us for evermore. Amen.