The Stations of the Cross is a book of the love of God for each and every one of us. In it we can find all the virtues that we need to practice to arrive at perfection and to attain eternal life. Let us briefly go through the Stations prayerfully and allow the Spirt of God to move us to love and imitation of Jesus.
WE ADORE YOU O CHRIST AND WE BLESS YOU, BECAUSE BY YOUR HOLY CROSS YOUS HAVE REDEEMED THE WORLD.
I. JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DEATH
1. Innocent people today are condemned to death, especially the innocent babies in the wombs of their mothers. Do you defend life? Have you been absorbed by the “Culture of death” mentality.
2. Do you judge and condemn people in your life. Jesus says, “Judge not lest you yourself be judged.”
3. PONTIUS PILATE. Is there some of Pontius Pilate in you. He was a “People-pleaser” more than a “God-pleaser”. Do you do things for the honor and glory of God or for your honor and glory: vanity and Pride?
4. PILATE. He was a coward. Are you afraid to speak up and live the truth, despite possible criticism?
5. Are you a relativist? “What is the truth?” Do you humbly abide by all the truths taught by the Catholic Church?
6. Have you ever been falsely accused? How did you take it?
7. Have you ever falsely-accused anyone else?
II. JESUS CARRIES HIS CROSS++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1. What is your cross/crosses?
2. Do you recognize them as gifts from God?
3. How do you carry your cross?
4. Do you complain about the cross that God has given you?
5. Are you aware that others have crosses, maybe heavier than yours?
6. Do you unite your cross to the cross of Jesus?
7. Do you see value in the cross?
8. Does suffering have value for you and in the eyes of God?
9. Do you understand the cross related to the Glory?
10. Do you run away from the cross?
III. JESUS FALLS THE FIRST TIME
1. When do you fall into sin?
2. Why do you fall into that sin
3. Are you trying not to fall into that sin?
4. Are you using means to avoid falling into that sin?
5. Do you know the root causes of your falls?
IV. JESUS MEETS HIS SORROWFUL MOTHER
1. Who is Mary for you?
2. Do you share your crosses with the Blessed Mother?
3. What do you think went on in the Heart of Mary in this encounter?’
4. Do you have compassion on the suffering people of the world?
5. Have you ever felt helpless in certain circumstances of your life?
6. Do you turn to Mary in temptations, struggles and stress?
V. SIMON OF CIRENE HELPS JESUS TO CARRY THE CROSS
1. Do you help people to carry their crosses?
2. Are you a Good Samaritan on the highway of life?
3. Are you a Simon of Cirene?
4. Do you make your neighbor’s cross eve heavier? Why?
5. Who is the person that God is asking you to help now?
6. Who has been the Simon’s who have entered in your life?
7. Have you thanked God for these many good people that God has sent to help you to be where you are now? Are you grateful?
8. Do you resist or hold off din the good that God wants you to do?
VI. VERONICA WIPES THE FACE OF JESUS
1. Do you car about other people?
2. Are you at times selfish?
3. Are you aware of the Face of Jesus present in your soul thru grace?
4. Have you disfigured the Face of Jesus in your soul through sin?
5. Have you crowned Him with thorns in your soul?
6. Are you afraid to look in the face of Jesus? Why? What have you done?
7. Peter looked into the eyes of Jesus and began his conversion?
8. Do you long to see the Face of God in heaven? Really? How much?
9. Do you encourage Infant Baptism so as to have the face of Jesus in their hearts as soon as possible?
10. Do you try to avoid sin so as to retain the beauty of the face of God in your soul?
VII. JESUS FALLS THE SECOND TIME++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1. When you fall do you get up right away?
2. Do you get discouraged and depressed after your fall?
3. Do you really trust in the mercy of God?
4. Do you believe in the mercy of God
5. Have you made other people fall into sin by your bad example?
6. Have you made amends to help them to get up?
VII. THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM WEEP OVER JESUS
1. He you wept for your sins?
2. Have you wept or the sins of your children?
3. Have you wept for the sins of your nation?
Have you wept for the sins of your relatives?
4. Are your tears crocodile tears or real tears of sorrow and repentance?
5. Do you weep with those who weep?
6. Are you able to share in the sorrows of others?
7. What does the Beatitude, “Blest are those who weep, they shall be consoled” mean to you
VIII. JESUS FALLS THE THIRD TIME
1. What can you do to avoid the near occasion of sin?
2. Do you sin when you are tired and frustrated?
3. How can you better cope with weariness?
4. Will God always forgive us?
5. Why do you refuse to get up right away after your fall?
6. Do you pray for sinners that they will get up and turn to god for mercy? Are you concerned for the salvation of the world?
X. JESUS IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS
1. Are you aware of the stripping of Jesus as related to the sins against purity?
2. Are you sorry for your sins against purity?
3. Have you repented of them?
4. Are you avoiding bad movies? Bad shows” Bad magazines?
5. Are you associating with someone who might place in danger the virtue of purity?
6. Do you dress modestly at all times?
7. Do you speak and act with modesty and decency?
8. What about your speech?
9. Are you striving for greater purity of heart, mind, body, soul and intention?
10. What does the beatitude, “Blest are the pure of heart, for they shall see God”, mean to you?
XI. JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS
1. Try to imagine the nails going thru His hands.
2. The nails going thru His feet?
3. Are you aware that your sins and mine were the nails that pierced the hands and feet of Our Lord and savior Jesus Christ?
4. Are people nailing Jesus to the cross even today? How”
5. Are you responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus? How?
6. What do you think was the greatest pain in the crucifixion of Jesus?
7. Are there other Jesus’ being crucified even today in our world? Who are these?
XII. JESUS IS RAISED UPON THE CROSS, AND DIES
1. Jesus spoke 7 times on the cross. Which “word” strikes you most?
2. Imagine the Blood of Jesus trickling down to the ground. Do you realize that that Precious Blood was shed for you?
3. What do you think were the sentiments of the heart of Jesus as He hung upon the cross?
4. Can you identify with one of the thieves?
5. What went on in the heart of St. John as he stood beneath the cross?
6. What about the Magdalene?
7. What was the attitude of the soldiers who threw dice for the garments of Jesus?
8. What about the crowd?
9. What do you think happened to the centurion under the cross?
10. Can you enter into the Sorrowful Heart of Mary in this moment? How did she feel?
11. How would you like to die?
12. Have you prayed for the grace of a happy death?
13. Would you be ready to die to meet your maker now?
14. Why Not?????????????????????? Why Not???????????????????
15. Do we know when we are going to die? Why put off conversion?
XIII. JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS AND PLACED IN THE ARMS OF HIS BLESSED MOTHER
1. They took the nails out of the hands of Jesus? Can you take those nails out, too? How can this be done?
2. Do you treat the Body of Jesus with respect in Holy Communion?
3. What went on in the heart of Mary now?
4. Can you imagine the bruised. Blood, wounded body of Jesus?
5. How do you receive Jesus into your heart?
6. Look at the wounds of Jesus. Are you wounded? Do you bring your wounds to Jesus to be healed by his wounds?
7. What does the saying from Isaiah mean, “By His wounds we are healed”
8. Do you take your neighbor down from the cross or keep him up on the cross?
XIV. JESUS IS LAID IN THE TOMB
1 Why did Jesus die?
9. Why was Jesus buried?
10. You will die and be buried. What does that mean to you?
11. How would you like to die?
12. Are you ready to die?
13. Mortal sin is death. What does that mean?
14. What does this phrase mean, “Bury my sins O Lord with you in the tomb?”
15. What went on in the heart of Mary as they buried her son and they rolled the stone to the tomb?
16. How do funerals, burials, cemeteries effect you? Do they speak to you about spiritual realities?
17. Do you ever meditate upon the 4 LAST THINGS: DEATH, JUDGEMENT, HEAVEN AND HELL? How often?
18. If death is so evident from the news, movies, and just life, why do people avoid thinking about death?
19. Do you want to bury your sins in the Infinite Ocean of God’s mercy?
CONCLUSION: To meditate in depth the Passion, suffering and death of Jesus is one of the most powerful means to understand the depth, width height and enormity of the love that God has for each and every one of us. NO GREATER LOVE HAS A MAN THAN THAT HE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS.
If Jesus has love me so much, what am I willing to give and suffer for Him?Love is measured by the willingness to suffer for the loved one.
