The traditional Stations of the Cross at our Old Town Chapel
Scripture taken from the New American Bible, Revised Edition.
The Considera reflections are adapted from Gabriele Terrone’s translation of St. Alphonsus' classic prayers for the Stations.
Stabat Mater translation by Fr. Edward Caswall (1814-1878).
PRAYER BEFORE MAKING THE STATIONS
Let us pray.
Receive, O holy Trinity, this my dutiful service, which I offer You in union with the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Virgin, and of all the saints, to the glory of your divine majesty, in satisfaction for my sins, in remembrance of our redemption, and to obtain for the departed rest, for the living grace, and for all everlasting glory. To You be praise, and honor, and glory, O Blessed Trinity, forever and ever. Amen.
Act of Contrition
O my Jesus, I am heartily sorry for having offended You, 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 You, my God, Who are all-good and deserving of all my love. So I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
V. Have mercy on us.
At the Cross her station keeping,
stood the mournful Mother weeping,
close to Jesus to the last.
Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
all His bitter anguish bearing,
now at length the sword has passed.
O how sad and sore distressed
was that Mother, highly blessed,
of the sole-begotten One.
Christ above in torment hangs,
she beneath beholds the pangs
of her dying glorious Son.
THE FIRST STATION
JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH
R. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You.
V. Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
It was preparation day for Passover, and it was about noon. And Pilate said to the Jews, “Behold, your king!” They cried out, “Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your king?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. (John 19, 14-16)
Consider, O my soul, how Pilate condemned your most innocent Jesus to die on the cross, and how He gladly received that sentence, so that you might be set free from eternal damnation. O Jesus! I thank You for this great charity, and I beseech You to expunge the sentence of eternal death that my sins deserve, so that I can be made worthy of eternal life.
I love You, Jesus, my love, above all things;
I repent with my whole heart for having offended You.
Never permit me to separate myself from You again.
Grant that I may love You always,
and then do with me what You will.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
V. Have mercy on us.
Can the human heart refrain
from partaking in her pain,
in that Mother’s pain untold?
THE SECOND STATION
JESUS IS MADE TO CARRY HIS CROSS
R. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You.
V. Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to crucify him. (Matthew 27, 31)
Consider, O my soul, how Jesus offered His shoulders to the Cross, upon which there rested all your most heavy sins. O my Jesus! Forgive me, and give me the grace of no more burdening myself with new faults, that I may instead always carry the cross of true penance.
I love You, Jesus, my love, above all things;
I repent with my whole heart for having offended You.
Never permit me to separate myself from You again.
Grant that I may love You always,
and then do with me what You will.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
V. Have mercy on us.
Can the human heart refrain
from partaking in her pain,
in that Mother’s pain untold?
THE THIRD STATION
JESUS FALLS THE FIRST TIME
R. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You.
V. Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
It was our pain that he bore, our sufferings he endured. We thought of him as stricken, struck down by God and afflicted, But he was pierced for our sins, crushed for our iniquity. He bore the punishment that makes us whole, by his wounds we were healed. (Isaiah 53, 4.5)
Consider, O my soul, how Jesus could not bear the heavy weight of the Cross and fell the first time. O my Jesus! My falling into sin caused that. I beseech You to give me grace that I may never again give You such a torment through falling again.
I love You, Jesus, my love, above all things;
I repent with my whole heart for having offended You.
Never permit me to separate myself from You again.
Grant that I may love You always,
and then do with me what You will.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
V. Have mercy on us.
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
she beheld her tender Child
all with bloody scourges rent.
THE FOURTH STATION
JESUS MEETS HIS MOTHER
R. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You.
V. Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home. (John 19, 26.27)
Consider, O my soul, how hurt was the heart of the Virgin looking at Jesus, and the heart of Jesus looking at his most afflicted Mother. You caused this pain with your faults. O Jesus! O Mary! Let me feel a true pain for my sins, that I may weep for them as long as I live, and that I may merit to meet You, merciful, at my death.
I love You, Jesus, my love, above all things;
I repent with my whole heart for having offended You.
Never permit me to separate myself from You again.
Grant that I may love You always,
and then do with me what You will.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
V. Have mercy on us.
For the sins of His own nation,
saw Him hang in desolation,
till His spirit forth He sent.
THE FIFTH STATION
SIMON OF CYRENE HELPS JESUS CARRY HIS CROSS
R. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You.
V. Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
As they led him away they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country; and after laying the Cross on him, they made him carry it behind Jesus. (Luke 26,23)
Consider, O my soul, how Jesus could not hold the Cross any longer, so they, with fake compassion, took it away from Him and imposed it on Simon of Cyrene. O Jesus! The Cross is due to me, because I have sinned. At least let me share with You the cross of every adversity, in love of You!
I love You, Jesus, my love, above all things;
I repent with my whole heart for having offended You.
Never permit me to separate myself from You again.
Grant that I may love You always,
and then do with me what You will.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
V. Have mercy on us.
O thou Mother! fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above,
make my heart with thine accord.
THE SIXTH STATION
VERONICA WIPES THE FACE OF JESUS
R. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You.
V. Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
He had no majestic bearing to catch our eye, no beauty to draw us to him. He was spurned and avoided by men, a man of suffering, knowing pain, like one from whom you turn your face, spurned, and we held him in no esteem. (Isaiah 53,2b.3)
Consider, O my soul, the respect of that woman towards Jesus, and how He repaid her immediately by giving her His divine face impressed in that cloth. O my Jesus! Give me the grace of having my soul cleansed from every sin and impress Your most holy Passion in my mind and in my heart.
I love You, Jesus, my love, above all things;
I repent with my whole heart for having offended You.
Never permit me to separate myself from You again.
Grant that I may love You always,
and then do with me what You will.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
V. Have mercy on us.
Make me feel as thou hast felt;
make my soul to glow and melt
with the love of Christ my Lord.
THE SEVENTH STATION
JESUS FALLS THE SECOND TIME
R. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You.
V. Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
He said: “They are indeed my people, children who are not disloyal.” So he became their savior in their every affliction. It was not an envoy or a messenger, but his presence that saved them. Because of his love and pity the Lord redeemed them, lifting them up and carrying them all the days of old. But they rebelled and grieved his holy spirit; so he turned to become their enemy, and warred against them. (Isaiah 63,8-10)
Consider, O my soul, the agony of Jesus in this new fall, the effect of your falling back into sin so many times. O Jesus, I am embarrassed in front of You and I beseech You to give me the grace of rising resolutely from my faults, and of never falling into them again.
I love You, Jesus, my love, above all things;
I repent with my whole heart for having offended You.
Never permit me to separate myself from You again.
Grant that I may love You always,
and then do with me what You will.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
V. Have mercy on us.
Holy Mother! pierce me through,
in my heart each wound renew
of my Savior crucified.
THE EIGHTH STATION
JESUS CONSOLES THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM
R. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You.
V. Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him. Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.’ At that time people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall upon us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ for if these things are done when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry?” (Luke 23,27-31)
Consider, O my soul, when Jesus told the women not to cry for Him, but for themselves; likewise, may you learn to weep first for your sins, and then for His Passion. O Jesus! Give me tears of true contrition, so my compassion for Your agony might be worthy of You.
I love You, Jesus, my love, above all things;
I repent with my whole heart for having offended You.
Never permit me to separate myself from You again.
Grant that I may love You always,
and then do with me what You will.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
V. Have mercy on us.
Let me share with thee His pain,
who for all my sins was slain,
who for me in torments died.
THE NINTH STATION
JESUS FALLS THE THIRD TIME
R. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You.
V. Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help. (Hebrews 4,15.16)
Consider, O my soul, when Jesus fell a third time, because your persistence in evil has drawn you into sin. O Jesus! I want to put an end to my iniquities for ever, and to give You relief. Hold me fast in this resolve, and put it into effect with Your grace.
I love You, Jesus, my love, above all things;
I repent with my whole heart for having offended You.
Never permit me to separate myself from You again.
Grant that I may love You always,
and then do with me what You will.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
V. Have mercy on us.
Let me mingle tears with thee,
mourning Him who mourned for me,
all the days that I may live.
THE TENTH STATION
JESUS IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS
R. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You.
V. Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of the Skull), they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall. But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink. After they had crucified him, they divided his garments by casting lots; then they sat down and kept watch over him there. (Matthew 27,33-36)
Consider, O my soul, the dismay of Jesus, as they stripped Him of His garments, and His pain in drinking the gall and vinegar. This was due to your immodesty and gluttony. O Jesus! I repent of having taken these liberties and intend not to renew these pains in You ever again, and instead to live with modesty and temperance. This I hope, with Your divine assistance.
I love You, Jesus, my love, above all things;
I repent with my whole heart for having offended You.
Never permit me to separate myself from You again.
Grant that I may love You always,
and then do with me what You will.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
V. 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.
THE ELEVENTH STATION
JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS
R. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You.
V. Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle. Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, “Jesus the Nazorean, the King of the Jews.” (John 19,18.19)
Consider, O my soul, the torment of Jesus as the nails drove deep into His hands and feet. O cruelty of the crucifiers! O love of Jesus for us! You suffered so much for me, and I flee from any suffering. Please nail upon your Cross my firm intention to gladly suffer out of love for You.
I love You, Jesus, my love, above all things;
I repent with my whole heart for having offended You.
Never permit me to separate myself from You again.
Grant that I may love You always,
and then do with me what You will.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
V. Have mercy on us.
Virgin of all virgins blest!
Listen to my fond request:
let me share thy grief divine.
THE TWELFTH STATION
JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS
R. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You.
V. Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”; and when he had said this he breathed his last. (Luke 23,44-46)
Consider, O my soul, that after three hours of agony, your Redeemer died on the Cross for your salvation. O Jesus! It is right for me to spend the rest of my life for You, You having given up Yours for me with such great sufferings; may Your grace assist me, through the merits of Your death.
I love You, Jesus, my love, above all things;
I repent with my whole heart for having offended You.
Never permit me to separate myself from You again.
Grant that I may love You always,
and then do with me what You will.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
V. Have mercy on us.
Let me, to my latest breath,
in my body bear the death
of that dying Son of thine.
THE THIRTEENTH STATION
JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS
R. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You.
V. Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
After this, Joseph of Arimathea, secretly a disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. And Pilate permitted it. So he came and took his body. Nicodemus, the one who had first come to him at night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes weighing about one hundred pounds. (John 19,38.39)
Consider, O my soul, the suffering of the Blessed Virgin in seeing between her arms, dead, her most divine Son. O Most Holy Virgin! Through the merits of Jesus, grant me the grace of never renewing again the cause of His death, but instead may He live in me always with His grace.
I love You, Jesus, my love, above all things;
I repent with my whole heart for having offended You.
Never permit me to separate myself from You again.
Grant that I may love You always,
and then do with me what You will.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
V. Have mercy on us.
Wounded with His every wound,
steep my soul till it hath swooned,
in His very Blood away.
THE FOURTEENTH STATION
JESUS IS LAID IN THE TOMB
R. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You.
V. Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Now there was a virtuous and righteous man named Joseph who, though he was a member of the council, had not consented to their plan of action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea and was awaiting the kingdom of God. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. After he had taken the body down, he wrapped it in a linen cloth and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb in which no one had yet been buried. (Luke 23,50-53)
Consider, O my soul, how the most holy body of Jesus was laid, with great devotion, in a new tomb prepared for Him. Jesus! I thank you for what You have suffered for me; prepare my heart to receive You in Holy Communion, and make my heart Your dwelling forever.
I love You, Jesus, my love, above all things;
I repent with my whole heart for having offended You.
Never permit me to separate myself from You again.
Grant that I may love You always,
and then do with me what You will.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.
R. Have mercy on us, O Lord.
V. Have mercy on us.
Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
lest in flames I burn and die,
in His awful Judgment Day.
Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,
by Thy Mother my defense,
by Thy Cross my victory.
While my body here decays,
may my soul Thy goodness praise,
safe in paradise with Thee. Amen.
PRAYERS AT THE END OF THE STATIONS
Let us pray. Look, we pray, O Lord, on this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ did not hesitate to be delivered into the hands of the wicked and submit to the agony of the Cross. Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Behold, o good and most sweet Jesus, I fall upon my knees before You, and with most fervent desire beg and beseech You that You would impress upon my heart a lively sense of faith, hope, and charity, true repentance for my sins, and a firm resolve to make amends. And with deep affection and grief, I reflect upon Your five wounds, having before my eyes that which Your prophet David spoke about You, o good Jesus: “They have pierced my hands and feet, they have counted all my bones.”
I beseech you, sweet Lord Jesus, that Your passion may be for me a strength that I may be strengthened, protected, and defended; may Your wounds be for me food and drink that I may be fed, saturated, and delighted; may the sprinkling of Your Blood be for me a cleansing of all my sins; may Your death be for me an unfailing life, Your Cross be my eternal glory. In this be my refreshment, exultation, health, and sweetness of my heart. You Who live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.
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