Stations of the Cross
The stations of the cross is an ancient devotion in which we meditate on the suffering of Jesus leading up to his death and burial. It consists of 14 pictures or crosses arrayed around the walls of a church - prayers and meditations are made at each station. The development of the stations of the cross comes from the practice of people making pilgrimages to the Holy Land to pray at the important sites of Jesus' passion and death - gradually copies of these shrines were built in other countries, and in time these further developed into pictorial representations of the sites and events - the current order of 14 stations was set in 1731. With this is mind the stations of the cross are a kind of virtual pilrimage to the via dolarossa in Jerusalem in which a pilgrim can walk in the footsteps of Christ during his final hours.
The Stations of the Cross in St. Theodore's Church
The Stations were installed in 2001, given in memory of Mrs Marjorie Evans, although the stations themselves probably date back to the late Victorian Era. They were blessed by Bishop David Thomas, Provincial Assistant Bishop, on the The Feast of St. Theodore in the Centenary Year of the formation of the Parish - 19th September 2001.
The stations are hung in the traditional manner in the North isle hang stations 1 to 6 moving away from the high altar, stations 7 and 8 are on the back wall of the church, either side of the entance to the tower and the remaining 6 stations make their way back towards the front of the church in the south isle. In this way a pilgrim walks west before turning south for a short while and then continuing east towards calvary - an orientation which is said to match the actual way of the cross in Jerusalem.
What follows on this page is a meditation on the Stations of the Cross using photographs of the Stations in St Theodore's Church with text based on the Writings of St Alphonsus Liguori.
The Stations of the Cross Meditation
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
O Jesus, our saviour, give to us,
we pray, the infinite merits of your passion,
on which we are about to meditate.
Grant that while we trace this path
of sighs and tears, our hearts may be so touched with sorrow and repentance
that we may be ready to embrace
with joy all the crosses and sufferings and humiliations of this our life and pilgrimage.
Our Father, who art in heaven.
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen
1. Jesus is condemned to death
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Because, by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
In the morning the chief priests, elders, scribes and the whole council, binding Jesus, led him away and took him to Pilate. And they all condemned him, saying: He is guilty of death; we have found this man saying that he is Christ the King. And Pilate, sitting in the place of judgement, handed him over to be crucified.
Lord Jesus, it was not Pilate; no, it was my sins that condemned you to die. I beseech you, by the merits of this sorrowful journey, to assist my soul on its journey to eternity.
2. Jesus receives his cross
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Because, by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Jesus begins his sorrowful journey. Burdened with the world's sin, still he thinks of each one of us. Embracing the Cross he does not complain of his fate. But as scripture says: For my part I made no resistance, I offered my back to those who struck me, I did not cover my face against insult and spittle.
Beloved Jesus, I embrace all the sufferings you have destined for me until death. I beg you, by all you suffered in carrying your cross, to help me carry mine with your perfect peace and resignation.
3. Jesus falls the first time
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Because, by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Jesus falls at the feet of his tormentors. Yet his longing for our salvation drives him on. He did not need the blows of the soldiers to flog him to Calvary. His love for us drove him on; the Holy Spirit drove him on; the longing of the eternal Father to win us to heaven drove him on.
Lord, it was not the weight of the cross but the weight of my sins which made you suffer so much. By the merits of this first fall, save me from falling into mortal sin.
4. Jesus is met by his mother
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Because, by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Jesus sees the loving face of Mary amidst the mockeries around him. But now he is hardly recognizable, so disfigured did he look. Without beauty, without majesty she saw him: a thing despised and rejected by men, and the Lord has laid upon him the sins of us all.
Loving Jesus, by the pain you suffered in this meeting grant me the grace of being truly devoted to your most holy Mother. And you, my Queen, who was overwhelmed with sorrow, obtain for me by your prayers a tender and a lasting remembrance of the passion of your divine Son.
5. Jesus is helped by Simon of Cyrene
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Because, by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
As the soldiers were leading Jesus away on the road to Calvary, they laid hold of a certain Simon, of Cyrene, a passer by, who was coming in from the country, and forced him to take up the Cross of Jesus. If anyone would come after me let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Lord Jesus, you invite all your people to take part with you in carrying the cross, and like Simon of Cyrene, bring blessings upon themselves and upon others. I will try more willingly to unite my crosses and my trials to your Sacred Passion; help me by your grace.
6. The face of Jesus is wiped by Veronica
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Because, by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Seeing Jesus in agony a women named Veronica wiped his face with a towel, on which was left the impression of that Holy face. In this meeting there is a lesson for us all. For whenever out of love we minister to the needy, we receive an increase of grace and the image and likeness of Christ grows within us.
Lord, your face was beautiful before you began this journey; but, now, it no longer appears beautiful and is disfigured with wounds and blood. Alas, my soul also was once beautiful when it received your grace in Baptism; but I have since disfigured it with my sins. You alone, my Redeemer, can restore it to its former beauty. Do this by the merits of your passion; and then do with me as you will.
7. Jesus falls a second time
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Because, by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Again, Jesus falls beneath the weight of the Cross. Yet again he staggers to his feet and continues along the road to Calvary.
Most gentle Jesus, how many times you have forgiven me; and how many times I have fallen again and begun again to offend you! By the merits of this second fall, give me the grace to persevere in your love until death. Grant, that in all my temptations, I may always have recourse to you.
8. Jesus comforts the women of Jerusalem
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Because, by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. Remember that the days are coming when they will say to the mountains, 'Fall on us', and to the hills, 'Cover us'. If they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?
Lord Jesus, you chose to have mercy on those who put their trust in you; grant us your grace that we may truly grieve and make amends for the bad things that we have done, and so obtain the gift of your heavenly consolation.
9. Jesus falls the third time
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Because, by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Jesus was but a few steps from Calvary. Yet before he gained the very spot where he was to be crucified, again he fell to the ground. As scripture says of our Holy Redeemer, "My throat is dried up as parched clay, and in the dust of death you have laid me".
Loving Jesus, by the merits of this third fall, never allow me to remain discouraged beneath the weight and repetition of my sins. Grant me confidence in your forgiveness, and a firm purpose of amendment.
10. Jesus is stripped of his garments
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Because, by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
They came to the place that is called Golgotha or Calvary, the Place of the Skull. There they gave him wine to drink, mingled with gall. He tasted it, but would not drink. They divided his garments among them by drawing lots, and thus was fulfilled what the prophet had said: They divided my garments among them and for my vesture they cast lots.
Most innocent Jesus, by the merits of the ridicule that you bore, grant me readiness to be considered a fool for your sake. Strip me of all sinful desires for worldly things. But above all never allow me to be stripped of your grace.
11. Jesus is nailed to the cross
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Because, by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Having arrived at the place called Calvary they crucified him there, and the two criminals also, one on the right, the other on the left. As they fastened him with nails he prayed fro us all, 'Father forgive them; they know not what they do'.
Lord, by your prayer on Calvary, grant me real sorrow for all my sins. Not only because of the punishment they deserve, but still more because of the suffering they have caused you, who love me so much.
12. Jesus dies upon the cross
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Because, by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
It was now about the sixth hour and, with the sun eclipsed, a darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. The veil of the Temple was torn right down the middle, and when Jesus cried out in a loud voice, he said, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit'. With these words he breathed his last.
My dying Jesus, since you are so deserving of all my love, may your love henceforward be my first concern. By the merits of your cross, unite my heart more firmly to your holy will. I commit my life into your hands.
13. Jesus is taken down from the cross
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Because, by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Two of his disciples, Joseph and Nicodemus, took him down from the Cross, and placed him in the arms of a sorrowful mother. How deeply now she felt the force of Simeon's words, 'And your own soul a sword shall pierce'.
At your passion, Lord Jesus, as Simeon foretold, a sword pierced the sweet soul of Mary, your glorious virgin mother. As we reverently recall here bitter anguish and suffering, grant that we may obtain the blessed fruits of your redemption.
14. Jesus is laid in the sepulchre
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
Because, by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, following the Jewish burial custom. At the place where he had been crucified there was a garden, and in this garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been buried. Since it was the Jewish Day of Preparation and the tomb was near at hand, they laid Jesus there.
Burried lord, grant that I too may find your peace at life's end. And by the merits of your own resurrection on the third day, make me rise in glory with you at the last day, to be always united with you in heaven, to praise you and love you forever.
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