The First Station - Jesus is Condemned to Death During this Station of the Cross, Jesus was condemned to death by Pontius Pilate. Pilate didn t want to crucify Jesus, but the crowd shouted to Pontius Pilate Crucify him! Some people knew that Jesus had done nothing wrong, even Pontius Pilate knew; yet no one stood up for Jesus or tried to help Him. We have to remember the suffering and pain that Jesus went through for us. He took the blame of a crime He did not commit, so He would die and save His people. Jesus did this because of His love for us and even though it was not fair to Him, He knew it would benefit everyone else. Jesus being condemned to death proves how selfless Jesus was and how much He loves and cares for every one of us. Dear God, We are so grateful for all You have done for us. You sacrificed Your son s life so Your people would be able to go to Heaven. God, You have given us great opportunities And You never fail in proving Your love for us. Thank you for putting Your love for us before anything else. We take this time to remember the pain Jesus must have felt When He judged and falsely accused by others. Whenever we feel the same sort of pain, We know we would always turn to you. We love You and want You to know how much we appreciate You. Amen.
The Second Station - Jesus Carries His Cross The heavy wooden cross is strapped to the back of Jesus. Jesus begins his walk and struggles to carry the weight. Jesus did not simply carry a cross. Jesus carried the burden of the sins of the world on His shoulders. He did this out of His endless love for us. Symbolically, Jesus literally felt the weight of the decision He was making at the time. His choice to give up His own life for others was a life changing decision for both Himself and the people around Him, thus making the weight of the cross seem like the weight of the decision. Teenagers in the Catholic Church today are always stressed out when it comes to school or other activities, so the weight of the pressure that teenagers are feeling today is similar to what Jesus felt when He had to carry His cross. Let us pray: Dear Lord, be at our aid when we have crosses we need to carry in our own lives. Help us know that You are always with us and You will never give us a cross we cannot handle. We ask for Your help in our daily activities and struggles and we do all of this for You. Amen.
The Third Station - Jesus falls for the first time Jesus faced His death with dignity and respect. When Jesus was forced to carry His cross, He obviously had difficulty. In this Station Jesus falls for the first time. He was brought down but strived to get back up. He did not stay on the ground and give up in front of His peers; He got back up to keep walking. It was what God wanted Him to do and Jesus followed through. Even though it was extremely difficult, Jesus fell and rose again. Jesus looks very weak and tired. However, He is fearless. Jesus, help me to stand up after I fall. When I am in a tough time help me to persevere, like You did. After I fall help me to strive to do better. Jesus, help me to face the humiliation and suffering and continue my journey. In our lives we fall because we have challenges but we must do as Jesus did, we must get back up and keep walking. Let us pray to be strong as Jesus when times are rough. To stand up after we fall and to continue the journey to happiness. Amen.
The Fourth Station - Jesus Meets His Mother As Jesus carries the weight of the cross and of the world on His shoulders, His mother, Mary sorrowfully watches her Son throughout the long and painful journey to Golgotha. Mary finally breaks through the crowd and says her final words to her Son, who she gave birth to, raised, and watched grow up. The amount of love for her Son can never be diminished no matter what the rest of the world thinks. Now to see her Son beaten, hurt, and mistreated, her heart is broken; however, she stands beside her Son through everything. His emotions must have been a mix of sadness, depression, and anger. It probably felt like everyone in the world was against Him. Seeing Mary shows Jesus that not everyone is against Him. A mother is one of the most important people in her child s life. She is the source of life and love. A mother will always be her child s best friend, mentor, or coach. When Jesus looks at his mother in the crowd, He knows that she will always be on His side and this is definitely a huge comfort. Even with all His powers and gifts, Jesus could not face the world alone; He needed His mother. Mary gave life to Him on Earth and was there when He left it. A mother is an important figure, no matter who you are and how strong your relationship is with your mother. In the end, a mother gave life to her child and that bond can never be broken. Let Us Pray: Jesus, help me to love my parents even when I am upset or angry at them. It can be hard to forgive them when I am unhappy and I need to find the strength to remember all that they have done for me. Help me to listen to them with open ears and to grow up as a young woman of faith. My parents give me advice and sometimes I choose not to listen because it s not cool, but I know that they are wiser than me and it is only right to respect and cherish their knowledge. Help me to be less selfish and to appreciate all that my parents do for me. Sometimes I can be greedy and ask my parents for money and clothes, but in reality I must appreciate and thank them for all that they do for me. And finally, help me to love You in times of distress and grief. You have been there for me when I have needed you most and You are all loving and knowing acting as a Father to me. Amen.
The Fifth Station - Simon helped Jesus carry his cross We can be like Simon by helping others and doing acts of kindness. After being asked of by the guards, Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry His cross. He does this willingly. We should be open to helping others. We should keep our eyes open for people who need help and help them. For example, if a friend is having a hard time, comfort them. If your neighbor needs help carrying their groceries in, help them. Never turn your back on someone who needs help. We can all be like Simon if we do small acts of kindness every day. Lord, You opened the eyes and heart of Simon of Cyrene, and You gave him, by his share in Your Cross, the grace of faith. Help us to aid our neighbors in need, even when this interferes with our own plans and desires. Help us to realize that it is a grace to be able to share the cross of others and, in this way, know that we are walking with You along the way. Help us to appreciate with joy that, when we share in Your suffering and the sufferings of this world, we become servants of salvation and are able to help build up your Body, the Church. (Catholic News Agency)
The Sixth Station - Veronica wipes the face of Jesus During the sixth Station of the Cross, a peasant named Veronica came out of the crowd to wipe the face of Jesus because He was previously beaten, whipped, and forced to carry the cross to His death. Veronica compassionately wiped Jesus face to remove the blood and the sweat blanketing it. Miraculously, the face of Jesus appeared on the cloth she used to clean His face. Veronica obviously did not have much to offer because of her social status, but she gave the most she possibly could have given at that moment. Veronica s benevolence and love illustrates the sixth Station of the Cross as she cleaned Jesus face. What is so courageous and bold about Veronica stepping out to take care of our Lord is more than just reaching out to help Him. Veronica was a woman, and for a woman to even bring attention to herself to wipe Jesus s face back then, was unheard of and was a very bold act, considering woman did not have any role in society. Veronica should inspire young woman of faith to not be afraid of doing what is right, even when it is customary for men to, because we are no less, and Veronica shows us this by her courage and trust in God. Stations of the Cross are symbols of Jesus s life and suffering, and are used in the Church today, especially during this time of Lent. Each station gives a specific meaning to us as an example to live by, which would be ideal to follow. For the station when Veronica wipes the face of Jesus, God wants us to be like Veronica, to step out of the crowd, and take care of others and do what is right. Throughout our lives and especially during Lent, God is calling us to follow Veronica s example and share God s love to other people, not just by our words but also by our actions. Some examples of showing compassion would be to visit the sick children and elders in the nursing homes or hospitals, help them by taking them to the bathroom, keeping them company, and bringing them food. I show compassion because my dad and I would always go to the hospital to visit children and play games with them and keep their minds off the problems they were forced to face and just let them have a good time. I also would visit the elderly at the nursing home and have lunch with them to keep them company. Let us pray: To always have the courage to stand up for what is right, just like the way Veronica did. Let us pray to the Lord: Lord hear our prayer.
Seventh Station - Jesus Falls for the Second Time Jesus fell for the second time. While Jesus was carrying the cross, He fell once, and then got weak again, and fell for the second time. Jesus was being humiliated and was forced to carry a very heavy cross along a long pathway, and He had to do this by Himself. The cross was very heavy, but He was doing it for the love of God and His people. All of these elements caused Him to become weak mentally and physically, which caused Him to fall. Although Jesus fell in front of everyone and was humiliated, He got back up and kept on walking and eventually completed the task. His love for God and His people encouraged Him to stay strong and keep on going. This situation relates to when you are having trouble with something but you keep on trying until you get it right or complete your goal. Even if people are bringing you down, you can still prove them wrong and push through. Let us pray: Help me when I feel troubled. Even when it seems impossible to get back up, Encourage me to keep trying just like you did. Help me to gain confidence and never fall again.
The Eighth Station - Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem as they weep for Him. In His time of suffering, He comforts the women and encourages them to not weep for Him. Although our Lord has suffered so much and is weary from carrying the weight of the cross, He continues to reach out in compassion. As we find ourselves struggling to bear our own crosses, we should reach out and comfort others. Following the example of Christ, we need to look beyond ourselves and see the suffering in others even in our own pain. As the women showed their sorrow to Jesus, we should grieve for those who are afflicted and mercilessly punished. Let us pray: Jesus, remind us to reach out to comfort those around us. Help us to be like You who in the midst of Your suffering and pain, comforted the women. Remind us always to be signs of compassion to the world. Amen.
The Ninth Station - Jesus Falls for The Third Time The ninth Station of the Cross is when Jesus falls for the third and final time. The Stations of the Cross represent the fourteen stages of Jesus crucifixion. The ninth Station of the Cross is one of the most important stations. This Station is when Jesus falls for the 3rd time. This Station symbolizes how in certain situations one may fall down and fail multiple times before they can stand up and continue forward. This Station is important because it shows that Jesus cross that He bared was too heavy and He fell multiple times before He could stand up and continue forward. The Stations of the Cross don t only represent Jesus crucifixion but represents our journey through life. There are many times when we may fall, but we must have faith and the belief that if I try again I will succeed with God s strength. The cross that we bear may be anything, any situation or problem we have through the journey of life, but we still persevere through the pain and suffering. During our journey of life we may bear too heavy of a cross and we may fall sometimes, but we must believe in the strength and love of God to help us persevere through our issues. Dear God, As struggles continue in our life, May your love and strength pour into our bodies So that we may get up as Jesus did. Help us to keep pushing through all the pain and suffering We may face because Jesus will always have our back and pick us up.
The Tenth Station - Jesus is stripped of his garments In this Station the guards that are going to nail Him to the cross strip Jesus of His garments. The point of them stripping Jesus was to publicly humiliate Him in front of thousands of people to try to make Him feel like He has no more power and influence over the people. Sometimes in our lives we are publicly humiliated in front of many and we feel ashamed and embarrassed. These are probably the same feelings that Jesus felt. When I am judged and disliked by others I get the same feelings and emotions as being humiliated. For me being judged is being humiliated. Like Jesus, I often do not care what others think about me and I express my self and share what I want to. I may become humiliated when people make fun of me, but I do not let it get to me. Let us pray, Lord: For when we are judged Humiliated publicly and Mistreated by others That we can power through our emotions and Not let negativity get the best of us. Lord, give us strength when We are knocked down by others and need your guidance. Amen.
The Eleventh Station - Jesus is Nailed to the Cross This is the point on Jesus s journey when He is nailed to the cross, with the other criminals. He is completely exposed and embarrassed but keeps His chin up. While being nailed to the cross Jesus asked His Father to forgive the people who have sinned. Jesus never stopped thinking of other people even when He was dying and being embarrassed, by showing His body to everyone. He asked God to help those who are sinning for what they were doing to Him. As a young woman of faith we should ask God to forgive our enemies and help them to find the right path. Also, to help us forgive those and continue in God s ways for He is our savior. Jesus helped me through my tough situations, but we can be strong just like Jesus, who showed us that things will get brighter. The 11th Station of the Cross is when Jesus gets nailed to the cross. This event was so painful and humiliating for Jesus it is hard for us humans to think about the pain He must have suffered. Jesus being nailed to the cross is like being judged or criticized and you know it s happening, and feel like there is nothing you can do. I think that Jesus probably felt very trapped and helpless when He was being nailed. Jesus shows bravery and honor at this point in the Stations of Cross because He lets whatever is meant to be, be done to Him and stays strong through it all. Jesus didn t fight back because He was better than stooping down to the sinners level. For example, if you have (or are) being bullied you shouldn t fight fire with fire but instead ask God to forgive the ones who have sinned and ask God to help them become better people. Seeing Jesus ask His Father to forgive the ones sinning motivates us to not sin back but to ask God to forgive them and become better people, even when you think they shouldn t be forgiven. Let us pray: Dear Lord we remember your pain and suffering while being nailed to the cross. We pray that no one receives that pain in his or her life. We pray for those who do suffer that pain. We are forever grateful for your courageous actions and endless strength. Amen.
The Twelfth Station - Jesus Dies on the Cross The Stations of the Cross is the story of Jesus passion and death on the cross. Each Station has its own story leading up to the fourteenth where Jesus is laid in the tomb after His death. From each Station we learn about the suffering that Jesus experienced and what He was doing to save our sins. Jesus had to walk through the streets of Jerusalem being made fun of, wear a crown of thorns, fall three times, and be crucified to a cross to save the people. Among all the Stations, the twelfth Station, Jesus dies on the cross, in my opinion is the most significant and powerful station as it shows that Jesus is willing to give up His own life for the betterment of others. He shows His love for everyone, and forgiveness for all people s sins. Jesus gave up His life, so we could all live in showing His care for others rather than Himself. Jesus died for everyone s sins and for everyone to be saved. He risked His own life for others to be safe. Jesus dying on the cross was like the final blow of the suffering that He had. The people had just kept beating him down without showing any mercy. Jesus was very selfless because He put others before His whole life when He died on the cross. Everyone can learn a lesson from Jesus, but they don t have to die like Jesus did to show their selflessness. They can at least do a simple act of kindness. There are so many things in your life that you can do as a simple act of kindness. Simple things like holding the door for someone, letting a person go ahead of you in traffic, or helping you mom bring in the groceries. We should be willing to forgive others as Jesus did. As Jesus gave up His life for us, we should be willing to give up our anger, jealousy, envy, frustrations, etc. and forgive others as Jesus did. Yes, at times it is very hard to forgive but it is important to know that Jesus is with us each step of the way in forgiving someone, as we should be with Him during the Stations of the Cross. To forgive the person will make you the bigger and stronger person. Being the bigger person in a situation takes more strength, which each person has in them - and they have to let it shine. We should follow the path of Jesus and learn that forgiving someone will only be better for everyone in the end. Also, we should put others before ourselves. We need to put others before ourselves rather than just think about ourselves. Again, simple acts can show that we put others in front of ourselves. We need to learn from Jesus. We need to learn to forgive and forget, and put others in front of ourselves, two simple messages that will help us grow in God and mature as young women of faith. Jesus didn t immediately die when they nailed Him to the Cross. He suffered for three long hours. The giver of life, who stood side by side with the Creator at the moment of creation, was now dying. His mission on earth was nearly accomplished. Everything Jesus had been working for in His life, was coming to a close as the giver of life, Jesus, died on the Cross.
Let us pray. Jesus, help us to see the truth of love in this Cross You have carried for us. Help us to see Your love and care for us in this cross. Teach us, through this cross, to love others as You have loved. Teach us that true love is what we have been made for. Let us pray a silent prayer in our hearts to thank Jesus for everything that He has done for us. Amen.
The Thirteenth Station - Jesus Is Taken Down From the Cross After the people saw Jesus dead body being taken down from the cross, they did not know what to think. Everybody was in despair that their Lord was no longer with them. As much as they wanted to hope and pray for Him to come again, their strong emotions were getting in the way of that. We reflect on Jesus getting taken down from the cross and connect to it when we are at a low point in our life and someone comes and picks us up to try and comfort us. Jesus was taken down from the cross after He died and was soon laid in a tomb. He was taken away from His humiliation and was shown comfort, then was taken to a peaceful place. When people pick us up and bring us comfort they take us away from the humiliation and bring us some peace after our hardships, just as the people did when Jesus was taken down from the cross. Let Us Pray: Dear Jesus, Please teach me to hope when I m in despair. Please help me to believe that when a loved one dies, we will see them again one day.
The Fourteenth Station - Jesus is laid in the tomb. The fourteenth Station of the Cross is the end for Jesus after all the suffering He went through. Jesus is taken down from the cross and is prepared for burial, by Joseph. Joseph risked his life just so he could give Jesus a proper burial and the respect He deserved. Additionally, this Station represents the end of something as amazing as the life of Jesus and the beginning of something even greater; forgiveness of original sin and the beginning of a new time. At this Station we remember how selfless Joseph was putting his life on the line for Jesus and the selflessness of Jesus in giving His life for the forgiveness of original sin for all people. Dear Lord, We thank You for Your sacrifice for our sins and we ask You to grant us selflessness in all that we do. Amen.