The Stations of the Cross [Via Crucis] With the Great Litany

The Stations of the Cross [Via Crucis] With the Great Litany Prepared for use at St. Luke s ~ San Lucas Episcopal Church 426 E. Fourth Plain Blvd., Vancouver, WA 98663

THE WAY OF THE CROSS Concerning the Service (Adapted from The Book of Occasional Services, p. 57) The devotion known as the Way of the Cross is an adaptation to local usage of a custom widely observed by pilgrims to Jerusalem: the offering of prayer at a series of places in that city traditionally associated with our Lord's passion and death The number of stations, which at first varied widely, finally became fixed at fourteen. Of these, eight are based directly on events recorded in the gospels. The stations have been altered to include more readings from the Bible for the use of St. Luke s ~ San Lucas by the Rector, Jaime Case. The form which follows is appropriate either as a public service or as a private devotion, particularly on the Fridays of Lent, but it should not displace the Proper Liturgy of Good Friday. Traditionally, the stations are made before a series of plain wooden crosses placed along the walls of the church or in some other convenient place. With each cross there is sometimes associated a pictorial representation of the event being commemorated. The hymn Stabat Mater ("At the cross her station keeping") has frequently been associated with this service, but is not an integral part of it. The Rector has written new stanzas where appropriate to fit the revised stations included in this version. It is meant as an option to chant the hymn as the procession moves to the next station. In the form which follows, the Trisagion ("Holy God") is said or chanted at the end of each station. The Stabat Mater may be sung or said as the procession goes from station to station. It is appropriate that all present take part in the procession. The officiant at the service, whether clerical or lay, customarily leads the opening versicle at each station and reads the concluding Collect. The Readings (and the versicles which follow) are appropriately assigned to other persons. A hymn or other song may be sung during the entrance of the ministers. THE GREAT LITANY (EOW) The Great Litany, updated through the Standing Committee of Liturgy and Music and published in Enriching Our Worship, is an ancient prayer in the form of call and response that has been used in procession by the church for millennia. It is optionally prayed before the Stations of the Cross. The divisions in the Litany (I-IV) indicate that portions may be omitted or stand alone or be omitted. 2

The Great Litany Creator of heaven and earth, Have mercy on us. Redeemer of the world, Have mercy on us. Sanctifier of the faithful, Have mercy on us. Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity, One God, Have mercy on us. I. From all evil and mischief; from pride, vanity and hypocrisy; from envy, hatred and malice; and from all evil intent, Savior deliver us. From sloth, worldliness and love of money; from hardness of heart and contempt for your word and your laws, Savior deliver us. From sins of body and mind; from deceits of the world, flesh and the devil, Savior deliver us. From famine and disaster; from violence, murder, and dying unprepared, Savior deliver us. In all times of sorrow; in all times of joy; in the hour of our death and at the day of judgment, Savior deliver us. By the mystery of your holy incarnation; by your birth, childhood and obedience; by your baptism, fasting and temptation, Savior deliver us. By your ministry in word and work; by your mighty acts of power; by the preaching of your reign, Savior deliver us. By your agony and trial; by your cross and passion; by your precious death and burial, Savior deliver us. By your mighty resurrection; by your glorious ascension; and by your sending of the Holy Spirit, Savior deliver us. II. Hear our prayers, O Christ our God. Hear us, O Christ. Govern and direct your holy Church; fill it with love and truth; and grant it that unity which is your will. Hear us, O Christ. Give us boldness to preach the gospel in all the world, and to make disciples of all the nations. Hear us, O Christ. Enlighten your bishops, priests and deacons with knowledge and understanding, that by their teaching and their lives they may proclaim your word. Hear us, O Christ. Give your people grace to witness to your word and bring forth the fruit of your Spirit. Hear us, O Christ. 3

Bring into the way of truth all who have erred and are deceived. Hear us, O Christ. Strengthen those who stand; comfort and help the fainthearted; raise up the fallen; and finally beat down Satan under our feet. Hear us, O Christ. III. Guide the leaders of the nations into the ways of peace and justice. Hear us, O Christ. Give your wisdom and strength to the President of the United States, the Governor of this state, and the Mayor of this city, that in all things they may do your will, for your glory and the common good. Hear us, O Christ. Give to the Congress of the United States, the members of the President s Cabinet, those who serve in our state legislature, and all others in authority the grace to walk always in the ways of truth. Hear us, O Christ. Bless the justices of the Supreme Court and all those who administer the law, that they may act with integrity and do justice for all your people. Hear us, O Christ. Give us the will to use the resources of the earth to your glory and for the good of all. Hear us, O Christ. Bless and keep all your people. Hear us, O Christ. IV. Comfort and liberate the lonely, the bereaved and the oppressed. Hear us, O Christ. Keep in safety those who travel and all who are in peril. Hear us, O Christ. Heal the sick in body, mind or spirit and provide for the homeless, the hungry and the destitute. Hear us, O Christ. Guard and protect all children who are in danger. Hear us, O Christ. Shower your compassion on prisoners, hostages and refugees, and all who are in trouble. Hear us, O Christ. Forgive our enemies, persecutors and slanderers, and turn their hearts. Hear us, O Christ. Hear us as we remember those who have died and grant us with them a share in your eternal glory. Hear us, O Christ. Give us true repentance; forgive us our sins of negligence and ignorance and our deliberate sins; and grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit to amend our lives according to your word. 4

Opening Devotions In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Officiant and People Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen. V. Tell it out to all the nations R. That God has reigned from a tree. Almighty God, whose beloved Son willingly endured the agony and shame of the cross for our redemption: Grant us your children to be partakers of the grace of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. The procession goes to the First Station. Let us join with Mary, keeping Lonely vigil, gently weeping, Close to Jesus to the last. 5

FIRST STATION Jesus is arrested in the Garden Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Suddenly, one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword, drew it, and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Now the chief priests and the whole council were looking for false testimony against Jesus so that they might put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days. The high priest stood up and said, Have you no answer? What is it that they testify against you? But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, I put you under oath before the living God, tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus said to him, You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven. Matthew 26.47, 51-52, 59-64 V. The Son did not regard equality with God R. But emptied himself to take the form of a slave. Almighty God, whose most dear Son, unjustly condemned, went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Grant that as we await his coming in glory, we may be saved from all false judgments against our neighbor, so to stand before you forgiven by your great mercy: through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord. Amen. 6 Watch with Mary and the women When Jesus, taken, and then beaten Was abandoned by the men.

SECOND STATION Peter denies Jesus Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A servant-girl came to him and said, You also were with Jesus the Galilean. But he denied it before all of them, saying, I do not know what you are talking about. When he went out to the porch, another servant-girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, This man was with Jesus of Nazareth. Again he denied it with an oath, I do not know the man. After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, Certainly you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you. Then he began to curse, and he swore an oath, I do not know the man! At that moment the cock crowed. Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times. And he went out and wept bitterly. Matthew 26:69-75 V. The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all: R. For the transgression of my people was he stricken. Grant us, O Father, to acknowledge your Christ as our Savior and follow him wherever he may go as our Lord: That our desires may not be for our own comfort but for the joy of your kingdom; for in your cross is our hope and our joy, now and forever. Amen. Now in front of Pilate standing, Jesus, judgment unjust hearing, Is to execution sent.

THIRD STATION Jesus is condemned to death Now Jesus stood before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate; and the governor asked him, Are you the King of the Jews? Jesus said, You say so. But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he did not answer. Then Pilate said to him, Do you not hear how many accusations they make against you? Still Jesus gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. Pilate said to them, Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah? All of them said, Let him be crucified! Then he asked, Why, what evil has he done? But they shouted all the more, Let him be crucified! So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, I am innocent of this man s blood; see to it yourselves. Matthew 27:11-12, 15-18, 21-24 V. Surely he has borne our infirmities: R. And carried our sorrows. 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 do what is right: Grant us such strength and inspiration as may support us in all dangers, and carry us through all temptations; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Look upon the Savior silence, In the face of shaming violence, Is acclaimed for us a King. 8

FOURTH STATION The soldiers mock Jesus Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor s headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him. Matthew 27:27-31 V. A sword will pierce your own soul also: R. And fill your heart with bitter pain. O God, whose beloved son stood naked in the face of hatred, injustice and oppression: Grant that we who try to follow in his ways may know him as our companion, our shield, and our joy. Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, in glory everlasting. Amen. Now we walk with blessed Simon Our hearts bearing Jesus Passion, Join with him to serve the world. 9

FIFTH STATION The Cross is laid on Simon of Cyrene As the soldiers went out, they came upon a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled this man to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. Then they sat down there and kept watch over him. Matthew 27: 32-34, 36 V. May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ: R. By which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Heavenly Father, whose blessed Son came not to be served but to serve: Bless all who take up their cross, and 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 Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Look now on the women crying For sweet Jesus and his dying By which we will know our God. 10

SIXTH STATION Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are surely coming when they will say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed. Then they will begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us ; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry? Luke 23:27-31 V. Those who sowed with tears: R. Will reap with songs of joy. Teach your Church, O Lord, to mourn the sins of which it is guilty, and to repent and forsake them; that, by your pardoning grace, the results of our iniquities may not be visited upon our children and our children's children; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. In sweet Jesus words of pardon He showed his boundless compassion, And we know the greatest love. 11

SEVENTH STATION Jesus asks that his tormentors be forgiven Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one! The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself. Luke 23:33-38 V. Restore us, O Lord God of hosts: R. Show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved. Grant, loving God, that we may not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor linger in the way of evil, nor sit in the seats of the scornful, that we like Jesus may find our chief delight in the way you have set us to walk; through Jesus our Lord. Amen. Solitary Lord most lonely Looks to God, the One, the Only Waiting his deliverance. 12

EIGHTH STATION Jesus is God s holy Servant Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him with pain. When you make his life an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days; through him the will of the LORD shall prosper. Out of his anguish he shall see light; he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge. The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:10-12 V. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter: R. And like a sheep that before its shearers is mute, so he opened not his mouth. 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 Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Now the hammer, nails and bleeding Into death, O Jesus, leading; We stand with the witnesses. 13

NINTH STATION Jesus is nailed to the Cross So they took Jesus; and he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them. Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. Many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, Do not write, The King of the Jews, but, This man said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written I have written. John 19:16b-22 V. They pierce my hands and my feet: R. They stare and gloat over me. Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name. Amen. Let us go see Jesus standing In front of the soldiers, laughing as they gamble for his clothes. 14

TENTH STATION Jesus is stripped of his garments When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another, Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it. This was to fulfill what the scripture says, They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots. And that is what the soldiers did. John 19:23-25 V. They gave me gall to eat: R. And when I was thirsty they gave me vinegar to drink. Naked we come into this world, O Lord, and naked we will depart. We remember we are dust, and to dust we shall return. May the grace of your beloved Son always protect, defend and lead us in the way of eternal life. Amen When upon the Cross he suffered He was lost without his Father Yet his cry came to your ear. 15

ELEVENTH STATION Jesus suffers desolation From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? that is, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, This man is calling for Elijah. At once one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, put it on a stick, and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him. Matthew 27:45-49 V. But as for me, I am a worm and no man: R. Scorned by all and despised by the people. Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, 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. Mary, John and all the women Look with us on Jesus stricken Waiting for his solemn death 16

TWELFTH STATION Jesus dies on the Cross Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, Woman, here is your son. Then he said to the disciple, Here is your mother. And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home. Then Jesus said, It is finished. Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:25b-28, 30 V. Christ for us became obedient unto death: R. Even death on a cross. O God, who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; who lives and reigns now and for ever. Amen. Jesus now in Spirit hidden Who by God the Father given Rest your broken body here. 17

THIRTEENTH STATION The body of Jesus is taken from the Cross Since it was the day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the bodies left on the cross during the sabbath, especially because that sabbath was a day of great solemnity. So they asked Pilate to have the legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies removed. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. John 19:31-34 V. Her tears run down her cheeks: R. And she has none to comfort her. Lord Jesus Christ, by your death you took away the sting of death: Grant to us your servants so to follow in faith where you have led the way, that we may at length fall asleep peacefully in you and wake up in your likeness; for your tender mercies' sake. Amen. Once into the tomb is taken Yet our Lord is not abandoned; We will see him once again! 18

FOURTEENTH STATION Jesus is laid in the tomb After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. John 19:38-42 V. You will not abandon me to the grave: R. Nor let your holy One see corruption. O God, your blessed Son was laid in a tomb in a garden, and rested on the Sabbath day: Grant that we who have been buried with him in the waters of baptism may find our perfect rest in his eternal and glorious kingdom; where he lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen. Death is master for the moment While he rest from all the torment Until Easter day is here. 19

Concluding Prayers before the Altar Savior of the world, by your cross and precious blood you have redeemed us: Save us and help us, we humbly beseech you, O Lord. Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen. To Christ our Lord who loves us, and washed us in his own blood, and made us a kingdom of priests to serve his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. The Book Of Occasional Services, 1994. (c)church Pension Fund. Used with permission, Software Sharing Ministries. Altered by Jaime Case, Rector of St. Luke s ~ San Lucas, Vancouver, Washington. Contributions taken from Saint Augustine s Prayer Book, the Book of Common Prayer and Enriching Our Worship. With adaptation and compositions by Jaime Case. 20