STATIONS OF THE CROSS= 4

INTRODUCTION Lord Jesus/we have come/ to walk along with you /on the journey to Calvary. /You were condemned /by the very persons/ who knew who you really were./ The persons who were cured / of their diseases,/ the blind who regained their sight,/ the lame that walked again,/ were there to condemn you./ Your own Apostles/ denied and deserted you./Today/we desire to walk with you/as a repentance for the times /you were with us/ and yet we deserted you./ You sustain us/ with the love of the Eucharist/ and yet we are guilty/ of denying that we are your disciples/ by our lives of indifference/ and lack of witness./As we walk along with you,/we repent for our sins/ which made you walk/ this journey for us. /Give us the grace / to remain faithful/to our commitment/ not to sin/ Amen. 1. Dear Jesus, today, I too deny you like Pilate. Even when I know what is wrong, I listen to the crowd of the television, of the media and the world and deny you and your values, because it is the ‘in’ thing. Give me the grace to be another Jesus everyday and bring salvation to souls. Amen. At the Cross her station keeping Stood the mournful Mother weeping, Close to Jesus to the last 2. Lord Jesus Christ, / you accepted the Cross at the hands of men / to make of it / the sign of God’s saving love/ for humanity./ Grant to us / the courage to take up the Cross/ and follow you/ in word and deed./ We ask that / the cross will always be for us / and our families/ a sign of redemption/ and a witness/ of your love/ to the whole world/.To you, O Jesus, / Priest and Victim, /be praise and glory/ for ever and ever/ Amen. Through her heart, his sorrow sharing, All his bitter anguish bearing, Now at length the sword had passed 3. Lord Jesus,/ I admit / that I too have fallen into sin,/ and it was my sin / that made you carry the cross./ You loved us/ and so you continued your journey./ Give me the grace/ to realise that/ much is to be done/ in my parish/ and in society./ Let me get up from my lethargy/ and come forward/ to share in the mission /you have given me and my family/ to make this world / into the Kingdom of God. Amen. Oh, how sad and sore distressed Was that Mother highly blessed Of the sole begotten One! 4. O Mary, Our Mother/ I too am in the crowd/ of those who mocked Jesus./ It was for my sins / that Jesus had to carry the Cross / and walk the journey to Calvary/.Yet/ you surrendered all/ with your Yes./ and remained faithful to your word./ Implore for us / and for the generations yet to come/ the grace to surrender to God’s love and will./ Help us, / in the face of suffering,/ rejection, and trial, / however prolonged and severe, / never to doubt his love./ To Jesus, your Son, honour and glory for ever and ever. / Amen. Christ above in torments hangs She beneath beheld the pangs Of her dying Glorious Son 5. Lord Jesus/ you needed Simon / to carry the cross. Very often/ I have just watched others/ slog and sweat/ to make this parish and society/ a better place./ Give me the grace/ to realise that/ I need to contribute/ the best that I have/ by way of time, resources and talents/ to share in the mission that you have given us/ to bring the Good News / and make the parish and society / a better place. Amen Is there one who would not weep, Whelmed in miseries so deep, Christ’s dear Mother to behold? 6. Lord Jesus/ many a time/ I have wanted to be another Veronica/ but fear of the crowd/ made me draw back./ Our mothers like Veronica/ came forward to teach us about you/ but as we grew/ we wandered far/ from what is expected of us./ As we walk with you to Calvary/ give us a new understanding/ of Your love/ and the courage to be different in You. Amen Can the human heart refrain From partaking in her pain, In that Mother’s pain untold? 7. Lord Jesus/ the road to Calvary/ was full of stones and pitfalls/ but you continued your mission / because of your infinite love for us./ It was not your will alone,/ but the will of the Father/ that you came to accomplish./ Your Father and ours/ has a plan for each of us/ a plan for our good / give us the gifts of the Spirit/ that we will constantly discern/ God’s will in our lives. Amen Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled, She beheld her tender Child, All with bloody scourges rent. 8. Lord Jesus,/ today the world is full of exciting and tempting options,/ but these are not of You./ Teach us through Your passion/ the price of our redemption./ May we make our homes / truly a Domestic Church/ and be the instruments of holiness to our children and our neighbours./ May we repent/ for our sins/ and avoid all the occasions of sin./ Amen Let me share with you his pain Who for all my sin was slain, Who for me in torments died. 9. Lord Jesus/ you fell a third time/ but you did not give up./ Sharing in your passion/ I ask that/ when sin and evil get me down/ I too will rise / trusting always in your everlasting love/ and knowing that when I return to you/ even if my sins/ are scarlet like blood/ you will wash them/ whiter than snow/ and you will remember my sin no more./ Amen. O you Mother, fount of love! Touch my spirit from above, Make my heart with yours accord. 10. Lord give me the grace/ to detach my heart / more and more / from all that takes me/ away from you./ Detach my heart / from all sinful vanities / and pleasures./grant to us and to all the world’s people / a share in your sacrifice on the Cross,/ so that / what we are / and what we do / may always be a free and conscious sharing / in your work of salvation./ Amen Make me feel as you have felt; Make my soul to glow and melt With the love of Christ our Lord. 11. Lord Jesus/ you were nailed to the cross/ like a common criminal,/ yet you did it for me./ You suffered the pain and agony/ because you wanted to show/ for all eternity/ the great love of the Father/and to bring us back/ to the Father’s love/ Give me/ and each of us/ in this parish/ a burning desire/ to forget our differences/ and work together/ to experience the great love of the Father/ in our lives/ and that of the community. Amen. Holy Mother, pierce me through; In my heart each wound renew Of my Saviour crucified 12. Lord Jesus Christ, / in the moment of your agony / you asked the Father/ to forgive those who hurt you./ You asked forgiveness for all my sins/ because you wanted to spare me / the torment of hell./ For all that you have done for me/ I have been indifferent to you/ and to others./ I have taken you for granted/ and lived as a Christian/ only in name./ Very often I have done the minimum/ as your witness/ in reaching out to others/ and using my talents for the good of all/ and expected the maximum from you./ Fill me and the generations yet to come /with your Spirit of love,/ so that our indifference/ will not render vain in us/ the fruits of your death./ Amen Let me share with thee His pain Who for all our sins was slain Who for me in torments died 13. Mary, our Mother/ we ask you today/ to intercede for us/ the grace/ to be ever loyal/ and devoted to you and Jesus./ we pray today/ in a special way/ for our mothers/ bless them with you love and care./Be with them while on earth/ and assist and intercede for them / before the throne of grace. Amen Let me mingle tears with you, Mourning him who mourned for me, All the days that I may live. 14. Lord Jesus Christ,/ by the power of the Holy Spirit,/ you were drawn by the Father/ from the darkness of death/ to the light of a new life in glory./ Grant that the sign of the empty tomb/ may always remind us /of your undying love/ and become for us/ a wellspring of living faith,/ generous love,/ and unshakeable hope./ To you, O Jesus,/ whose presence, hidden and victorious,/ fills the history of the world,/ be honour and glory/ for ever and ever./ Amen While my body here decays, May my soul your goodness praise, Safe in paradise with you. Amen. CLOSING PRAYER TO JESUS CHRIST CRUCIFIED Behold, O kind and most sweet Jesus, I cast myself on my knees in Thy sight, and with the most fervent desire of my soul, I pray and beg Thee to impress upon my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope, and charity, with true repentance for my sins, and a firm desire of amendment, while with deep affection and grief of soul I contemplate Thy five most precious Wounds, having before my eyes that which David spoke in prophecy: "They pierced My hands and My feet; they have numbered all My bones." God has loved us from all eternity. So He says: "Remember I first loved you. You had not come to be, nor did the world yet exist, but I loved you already. From all eternity I have loved you."