Stations of the Cross By: St. Francis of Assisi

Kneeling before the altar, make an Act of Contrition, and form the intention of
gaining the indulgences, whether for yourself or for the souls in Purgatory.
Act of Contrition
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins,
because I dread the loss of heaven, and the pains of hell; but most of all because
they offend Thee, my God, Who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly
resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to
amend my life.
Amen.
Preparatory Prayer
Most merciful Lord, * with a contrite heart and penitent spirit * I bow down
before Thy divine Majesty. * I adore Thee as my supreme Lord and Master. * I
believe in Thee, * I hope in Thee, * I love Thee above all things. * I am heartily
sorry for having offended Thee, * my only and supreme God. * I firmly resolve to
amend my life; * and although I am unworthy to obtain mercy, * yet looking upon
Thy holy Cross * I am filled with peace and consolation. * I will, therefore,
meditate on Thy sufferings, * and visit the Stations * in company with Thy
sorrowful Mother * and my holy Guardian Angel, * to promote Thy honor and to
save my soul. *
I desire to gain all indulgences granted to this holy exercise * for myself and for
the souls in Purgatory. *
O Loving Jesus, * inflame my cold heart with Thy love, * that I may perform this
devotion as perfectly as possible, * and that I may live and die in union with Thee.
Amen.First Station - Jesus Is Condemned to
Death
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we
praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast
redeemed the world.
Jesus, the most innocent of beings, is
condemned to death, yes, to the shameful
death of the cross. In order to remain a
friend of Caesar, Pilate delivers Jesus into
the hands of His enemies. O fearful
crime, to condemn Innocence to death
and to displease God in order to please
men.
O innocent Jesus, * I have sinned and I
am guilty of eternal death; * but that I
may Live, * Thou dost gladly accept the
unjust sentence of death. * For whom
then shall I henceforth live * if not for
Thee, my Lord? * If I desire to please
men, * I can not be Thy servant. * Let
me, therefore, rather displease the whole
world * than not please Thee, O Jesus!
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Through her heart,
His sorrow sharing, All His bitter anguish
bearing, Now at length the sword had
passed. Second Station - Jesus Carries His
Cross
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we
praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast
redeemed the world.
When our divine Redeemer beheld the
Cross, He most willingly reached out to it
with His bleeding arms. He embraced it
lovingly, kissed it tenderly, took it on His
bruised shoulders, and, exhausted as He
was, He carried it joyfully.
O my Jesus, * I can not be Thy friend
and follower * if I refuse to carry my
cross. * O beloved cross, * I embrace
Thee, * I kiss Thee, * I joyfully accept
Thee from the hand of my God. * Far be
it from me to glory in anything * save in
the Cross of my Lord and Redeemer. *
By it the world shall be crucified to me, *
and I to the world, * that I may be Thine
forever.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. O, how sad and
sore distressed Was that Mother, highly
blest, Of the sole begotten One! Third Station - Jesus Falls the First
Time
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we
praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast
redeemed the world.
Carrying the Cross, our dear Savior was
so weakened with its heavy weight that
He fell exhausted to the ground. The
Cross was light and sweet to Him, but
our sins made it so heavy and hard to
carry.
Beloved Jesus, * Thou didst carry the
burden and the heavy weight of my sins. *
Should I then not bear in union with
Thee * my light burden of suffering, *
and accept the sweet yoke of Thy
commandments? * Thy yoke is sweet and
Thy burden is light. * I willingly accept it.
* I will take up my cross and follow
Thee.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Christ above in
torment hands: She beneath beholds the
pangs Of her dying glorious Son.Fourth Station - Jesus Meets His
Blessed Mother
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we
praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast
redeemed the world.
How sad and how painful must it have
been for Mary to behold her beloved Son
laden with the Cross, covered with
wounds and blood, and driven through
the streets by savage executioners! What
unspeakable pangs her most tender heart
must have experienced! How earnestly
did she desire to die instead of Jesus, or at
least with Him!
O Jesus, * O Mary, * I am the cause of
the pains that pierced your hearts. *
Would that my heart might experience
some of your sufferings. * O Mother, *
let me share in thy sufferings and those of
they Son, * that I may obtain the grace of
a happy death.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Is there one who
would not weep, Whelmed in miseries so
deep, Christ’s dear Mother to behold?Fifth Station - Simon of Cyrene Helps
Jesus Carry His Cross
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we
praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast
redeemed the world.
Simon of Cyrene was forced to help our
exhausted Savior carry His Cross. How
pleased would Jesus have been, had
Simon offered his services of his own
accord. However, Simon was not invited
by Christ as you are. He says: "Take up
your cross and follow Me." Nevertheless
you recoil, and carry it grudgingly.
O Jesus, * whosoever does not take up
his cross and follow Thee, * is not worthy
of Thee. * Behold, I cheerfully join Thee
on the way of the cross. * I desire to carry
it with all patience until death, * that I
may prove worthy of Thee.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Can the human
heart refrain From partaking in her pain,
In that Mother’s pain untold? Sixth Station - Veronica Wipes the
Face of Jesus
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we
praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast
redeemed the world.
Moved by compassion, Veronica presents
her veil to Jesus, to wipe His disfigured
face. He imprints on it His holy
countenance, and returns it to her as a
recompense. Shall Christ reward you in
like manner? Then you too must do Him
a service. But you do a service to Christ
every time you perform a work of mercy
towards your neighbor: for He says:
"What you have done to the least of My
brethren, you have done to Me."
Dearest Jesus, * what return shall I
make Thee for all Thy benefits? * Behold,
I consecrate myself entirely to Thy
service. * My whole heart I give to Thee;
* stamp on it Thy holy image, * that I
may never forget Thee.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Bruised, derided,
cursed, defiled, She beheld her tender
Child, All with bloody scourges rent. Seventh Station - Jesus Falls the
Second Time
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we
praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast
redeemed the world.
Overwhelmed by the weight of the Cross,
Jesus falls again to the ground. But the
cruel executioners do not permit Him to
rest a moment. With thrusts and blows
they urge Him onward. With what
cruelty Jesus in treated and trampled
under foot! Remember, compassionate
soul, that your sins caused Jesus this
painful fall.
Have mercy on me, O Jesus, * and help
me never to fall into my former sins. *
From this moment I will strive sincerely *
never to sin again. * But Thou, O Jesus,
strengthen me with Thy grace, * that I
may faithfully carry out my resolution.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. For the sins of His
own nation, Saw Him hang in desolation
Till His spirit forth He sent. Eighth Station - Jesus Speaks to the
Women of Jerusalem
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we
praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast
redeemed the world.
Moved by compassion, these devoted
women weep over our suffering Savior.
But He turns to them and says: "Weep
not for Me, but weep for yourselves and
your children. Weep for your sins and
those of your children; for they are the
cause of My suffering." You also must
weep over your sins, for there is nothing
more pleasing to our Lord and more
useful to yourself than the tears you shed
out of contrition for your sins.
O Jesus, * who shall give my eyes a
torrent of tears, * that I may day and
night weep over my sins? * I beseech
Thee by Thy bitter and bloody tears * to
move my heart, * so that tears may flow
in abundance from my eyes, * and that I
may weep over Thy sufferings * and over
my sins until death.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. O thou Mother:
font of love! Touch my spirit from above,
Make my heart with thine accord. Ninth Station - Jesus Falls the Third
Time
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we
praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast
redeemed the world.
Exhausted at the foot of Calvary, Jesus
falls for the third time to the ground.
How painfully must have been reopened
all the wounds of His tender body by
these repeated falls. And how enormous
must my sins be, to cause Jesus to fall so
painfully. Had not Jesus taken my sins
upon Himself, they would have plunged
me into the abyss of Hell.
Most merciful Jesus, * I return Thee a
thousand thanks * for not permitting me
to die in my sins * and fall into the abyss
of Hell, * as I have deserved so often. *
Enkindle in me a sincere desire to amend
my life. * Let me never again fall into sin,
* but grant me the grace of final
perseverance.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Make me feel as
thou has felt; Make my soul to glow and
melt, With the love of Christ my Lord. Tenth Station - Jesus Is Stripped of
His Garments
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we
praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast
redeemed the world.
Arriving on Calvary, Jesus was cruelly
deprived of His garments. How painful
the stripping must have been, because the
garments adhered to His mangled body,
so that in removing them parts of the
flesh were torn away. Jesus is deprived of
His garments that He may die possessed
of nothing. How happy shall not I die
after laying aside my evil habits and
tendencies!
Help me, O Jesus, to amend my life. *
Let it be renewed according to Thy will
and desire. * However painful the
correction may be to me, * I will not
spare myself. * With the assistance of Thy
grace, * I will refrain from all sinful
pleasure and vain amusement, * that I
may die happy and live forever.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Holy Mother,
pierce me through; In my heart each
wound renew Of my Savior crucified. Eleventh Station - Jesus Is Nailed to
the Cross
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we
praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast
redeemed the world.
Stripped of His garments, Jesus is
violently thrown down on the Cross. His
hands and His feet are nailed to it in the
most cruel way. Jesus remains silent,
because it so pleases His heavenly
Father. He suffers patiently, because He
suffers for you. How do you act in
sufferings and trials? How fretful and
impatient, how full of complaints are
you!
O Jesus, * meek and patient Lamb, * I
renounce forever my impatience. *
Crucify, O Lord, my flesh, * with its evil
desires and vices. * Punish and afflict me
in this life, * but spare me in the next. * I
resign myself altogether to Thy holy will.
* May it be done in all things.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Let me share with
Thee His pain, Who for all my sins was
slain, Who for me in torment died. Twelfth Station - Jesus Dies on the
Cross
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we
praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast
redeemed the world.
Behold Jesus crucified! Behold His
wounds received for love of you! His
whole appearance betokens love. His
head is bent to kiss you. His arms are
extended to embrace you. His heart is
open to receive you. Oh what love! Jesus
dies on the Cross, to preserve you from
eternal death.
Most lovable Jesus, * who will grant
that I may die for love of Thee? * I will
endeavor to die to the world and its
vanities * when I behold Thee on the
Cross * covered with wounds and
crowned with thorns. * Merciful Jesus, *
take me into Thy wounded heart, * that I
may despise all perishable things, * to live
and die for Thee alone.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Let me mingle
tears with thee, Mourning Him who
mourned for me, All the days that I may
live. Thirteenth Station - Jesus Is Taken
Down From the Cross
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we
praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast
redeemed the world.
Jesus did not descend from the Cross, but
remained on it till His death. When taken
down, He rested on the bosom of His
beloved Mother as He had so often done
in life. Persevere in your good
resolutions, and do not flee from the
cross. For he who perseveres till the end
shall be saved. Consider, moreover, how
pure the heart should be that receives the
body and blood of Jesus Christ in the
adorable Sacrament of the Altar.
O Lord Jesus crucified! * I most
earnestly entreat Thee: * Help me do
what is right * and let me not be
separated from Thy Cross, * for on it I
desire to live and to die. * Create in me,
O Lord, a clean heart, * that I may
worthily receive Thee in Holy
Communion, and that Thou mayest
remain in me, * and I in Thee, * for all
eternity.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. By the cross with
thee to stay; There with thee to weep and
pray Is all I ask of thee to give. Fourteenth Station - Jesus Is Laid in
the Tomb
V. We adore Thee, O Christ, and we
praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou hast
redeemed the world.
The body of Jesus is laid in a stranger’s
tomb. He Who in this world had not
whereon to rest His head, would have no
grave of His own after death. You whose
heart is still attached to this world,
despise it that you may not perish with it.
O Jesus, * Thou hast singled me out
from the world, * what then shall I seek
in it? * Thou hast created me for Heaven,
* what then shall I desire upon earth? *
Depart from me, deceitful world, with thy
vanities! Henceforth I will walk the way
of the Cross * traced out for me by my
Redeemer, * and journey onward to my
heavenly home, * where my rest and my
joy shall be forever.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be.
V. Lord Jesus, crucified.
R. Have mercy on us. Virgin of all virgins
best, Listen to my fond request: Let me
share thy grief divine.