this is me at the beginning of the path.
when we started out, the full moon could be seen, even in the bright sky. it was a gorgeous day.
here is the first marker on the path. all of the markers are crosses with a sort of house that holds pictures of the station and a few words describing each.
Jesus Is condemned to death
As soon as it was morning, the chief priests, with the elders and scribes, and the whole council, held a consultation; and they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him to Pilate. And they all condemned him and said, "He desserves to die." When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat don on the judgement seat at a place called the Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. Then he handed Jesus over to them to be crucified.
v. God did not spare His own Son:
r. but delivered Him up for us all.
Let us pray.
Almight God, whose most dear Son went not up to Joy but first He suffered pain, and entered not into Glory before He was crucified: mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the Cross, may find it none other way than the way of Life nad peace: through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord. amen.
Jesus takes up His cross
Jesus went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the place of the skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha. Although He was a Son, he learned obedience through what He suffered. Like a lamb He was led to the slaughter; and like a sheep before her shearers is mute, so He opened not His mouth. Worthy is the lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.
v. The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all
r. for the transgression of my people was He stricken.
Let us pray.
Almight God whose beloved Son willing endured the agony and shame of the cross for our redemption: give us courage to take up our cross and follow Him; who lives and reigns forever and ever. amen.
Jesus Falls for the First Time
Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped; but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, and was born in human likenss. And being found in human form He humbled hHimself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God has highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the Name which is above every name. Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, and kneel before the Lord our Maker, for He is the Lord our God.
v. surely he has borne our griefs;
r. and carried our sorrows.
let us pray.
O God, you know us to be set in the midst of so many and great dangers, that by reason of the frailty of our nature we cannot always stand upright: grant us such strength and protection as may support us in all dangers, and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. amen.
Jesus meets his afflicted mother
to what can i liken you, to what can i compare you, o daughter of jerusalem? what likenss can i use to comfort you, o virgin daughter of zion? for vas as the sea is your ruin. blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended.
v. a sword will pierce your owl soul also;
r. and fill your heart with bitter pain.
let us pray
o God, Who willed that in the passion of Your Son a sword of grief should pierce the soul ot the Blessed Virgin Mary His mothr; mercifully grant that Your Church, having shared with her in His passion, may be made worthy to share in the joys of His ressurection; who lives and reigns for ever and ever. amen.
The cross is laid on Simon of Cyrene
as they led Jesus away, they came upon a man of Cyrene, simon by name, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross to carry it behind Jesus. "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me. take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."
v. whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me:
r. cannot be my disciple.
let us pray
Heavenly Father, whose blessed Son came not to be served but to serve: bless all who, following in His steps, give themselves to the service of others, that with wisdom, patience, and courage, they may minister in His Name to the suffering, the friendless, and the needy; for the love of Him who laid down His life for us, Your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. amen
A woman wipes the face of Jesus
We have seen Him without beauty or majesty, with no looks to attract our eyes. He was depised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and aquainted with grief; and sa one from whom men hide their faces, he was despised, and we esteemed Him not. His appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and His form beyond that of the children of men. but He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; opn Him was the chastisemsent that made us whole, and with His stripes we are healed.
v. restore us, o Lord God of hosts:
r. show the light of Your countenance, and we shall be saved.
let us pray
O God, who before the passion of your only-begotten Son revealed His Glory upon the Holy Mountain: grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of His countenance, may be strengthened to bear our corss, and be changes into His likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. amen.
Jesus falls a second time
Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth. for the transgression of my people was He stricken.
v. but as for me, i am a worm and no man
r. scorned by all and despised by the people.
let us pray.
Almighty and ever living God, in Your tender Love for hte human race You sent Your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, to take upon Him our nature, and to suffer death upon the corss, giving us the example of His Great Humility. mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of His suffering, and also share in His resurrection; who lives and reigns for ever and ever. amen.
Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem
There followed after Jesus a great multitude of the people, and among them were women who bewailed and lamented Him. But Jesus turning to them said, "daughters of jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children."
v. those who sowed with tears:
r. will reap with songs of Joy
let us pray.
Teach Your Church, o Lord, to mourn for the sins of which it is guilty, and to repent and forsake them; that, by Your pardoning grace, the results of our iniquities many not be visited upon our children and our children's children; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
and then there was a bridge over a small bit of water...
as i walked across the bridge, a song came to my mind, "the river is wide... i cannot cross o'er. nor have i the wings to fly. i need a saviour to carry me safely to the other side..." and i thought about the hebrews crossing the red sea and how they needed help there and how we need help today. i don't know... a lot went through my mind as i thought about slavery and freedom. and the way of the cross.
Jesus falls a third time
I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of his wrath; he has driven and brought me into darkness withour any light. he has beseiged me and eveloped me with bitterness and tribulation; he has made me dwell in darkness like the dead of long ago. though i call and cry for helo, he shuts out my prayer. he has made my teeth grind on gravel, and made me cower in ashes. "remeber, O Lord, my affliction and bitterness, the wormwood and the gall!"
v. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter;
r. and like a sheep before her sheerers is mute, so He did not open His mouth.
let us pray.
o God, by the passion of your blessed Son You made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life: grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of Your Son our Saviour, Jesus Christ. amen.
