Station of the Cross with Reflection

What is station of the cross?
The station of the cross is prayer-filled with meditative reflection. There are 14 stations in total and at each station, we reflect on Christ’s journey to the cross. The painful journey that He had to undergo to free us from our sins.

Prayer for the station of the cross is prayed by the catholic church especially in the time of lent. Though, it can also be prayed as a reflection any time of the year as it is a powerful prayer to reflect and meditate.

The station of the cross on good friday is mandatory. One of the important aspects is that we pray the station of the cross with Mary. She was there all along His journey knowing all the suffering that Her son Jesus would be going through.

We start with the station of the cross opening prayer. And we pray the station of the cross in order from the first station to the last.

The below-given prayer format with the regular font is said by the Leader when praying in a community. Which is then followed by the community with the one with bold. And before each station short few lines are sung by all. If not familiar everyone can recite it.

You will find different versions of the station of the cross. One of the beautiful version of the station of the cross online on youtube you will find is the station of the cross by St. Alphonsus Ligouri below.

Start

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy Cross,
you have redeemed the world.

Opening Prayer

Let us pray.
Look down, O Lord,
we beseech you, upon this, your family,
for which our Lord Jesus Christ
did not refuse to be delivered
into the hands of wicked men,
and to endure the torments of the Cross.
Who lives and reigns with you forever and ever.
Amen.

Act of Contrition

My Redeemer and my God,
behold me at your feet.
repenting of my sins with all my heart,
because they are in offence to your infinite goodness;
I would rather die than offend you again,
because I love you above all things.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us,
Holy Mother, pierce me through
in my heart each wound renew
of my Saviour crucified.

At the cross her station keeping,
stood the mournful Mother weeping,
close to Jesus to the last

1 Jesus is Condemned to Death

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy Cross,
you have redeemed the world.

The first station presents to us the Pretorium
of Pilate, where our Divine Redeemer is condemned
to death.

Consider, O my soul, how Pilate condemned
to the death of the Cross Jesus the most innocent,
and how he willingly submitted to this sentence in
order that we might be freed from eternal damnation.

O Jesus,
I thank you for so much love,
and I beseech you
to cancel the sentence of eternal death
deserved by my sins,
so that I may be made worthy
to enjoy eternal life.

Our Father…

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Holy Mother, pierce me through in my heart each
wound renew of my Saviour crucified.

Through her heart, his sorrow sharing,
all his bitter anguish bearing,
now at length the sword had passed.

2 Jesus is Loaded with the Cross

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy Cross,
you have redeemed the world.

This second station recalls to our minds how Jesus
was loaded with the heavy weight of the cross.

Consider, O my soul, how Jesus took upon his
shoulders the Cross, which was made heavy
by your numerous and grievous sins.

O Jesus, pardon me,
and give me the grace
not to wound you again
for the rest of my life by sin,
but rather to bear constantly
the Cross of true repentance.

Our Father…

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Holy Mother, pierce me through in my heart each
wound renew of my Saviour crucified.

O how sad and sore distressed,
was that Mother highly blest,
of the sole begotten One.

3 Jesus Falls the First Time

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy Cross,
you have redeemed the world.

This third station represents to us how Jesus fell
the first time beneath the weight of the Cross.

Consider, O my soul, how our Blessed Lord,
not being able to bear the heavy weight, fell beneath
the Cross, thus experiencing excessive pain.

O Jesus,
my repeated falls into sin
are the cause of your suffering.
Grant me the grace,
I beseech you,
never to renew your pain by any more sins.

Our Father…

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Holy Mother, pierce me through in my heart each
wound renew of my Saviour crucified.

Christ above in torments hangs,
she beneath beholds the pangs,
of her dying, glorious Son.

4 Jesus Meets His Afflicted Mother

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy Cross,
you have redeemed the world.

This fourth station represents to us the sorrowful
meeting between the Blessed Virgin and her
Divine Son.

Consider, O my soul, how deeply wounded was the
heart of our Blessed Lady at the sight of Jesus, and
the Heart of Jesus on seeing his sorrowing Mother.
You were the cause, by your sins, of this sorrow
to both Jesus and Mary.

O Jesus, O Mary,
grant that I may feel true sorrow for my sins,
so that I may repent of them all my life,
and may merit your pity at the hour of my death.

Our Father…

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Holy Mother, pierce me through in my heart each
wound renew of my Saviour crucified.

Is there one who would not weep,
whelmed in miseries so deep,
Christ’s dear Mother to behold?

5 Simon of Cyrene carries the Cross of Jesus

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy Cross,
you have redeemed the world.

This fifth station represents to us how
Simon of Cyrene was compelled to carry
the Cross after Jesus.

Consider, O my soul, how our
Blessed Lord had no longer the strength
to carry the Cross, and the Jews
out of a pretended compassion
relieved him of its enormous weight.

O Jesus,
it is I who should bear the Cross
on account of my sins.
Grant that at least I may accompany you
by bearing for your love
the Cross of all adversities.

Our Father..

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Holy Mother, pierce me through in my heart each
wound renew of my Saviour crucified.

Can the human heart refrain
from partaking in her pain,
in that Mother’s pain untold?

6 Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy Cross,
you have redeemed the world.

This sixth station represents to us Veronica as she
wiped the face of Jesus.

Consider, O my soul, the homage rendered to Jesus by
this pious woman, and how he at once rewarded it by
imprinting his sacred countenance upon that cloth.

O Jesus,
grant me the grace
to cleanse my soul from every stain,
and to imprint upon my mind and heart
your most sacred passion.

Our Father…

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Holy Mother, pierce me through in my heart each
wound renew of my Saviour crucified.

Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,
She beheld her tender Child.
All with bloody scourges rent.

7 Jesus Falls the Second Time

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy Cross,
you have redeemed the world.

This seventh station represents to us the second fall
of Jesus, which increased his torture and ignominy.

Consider, O my soul, that the sufferings of Jesus
in this second fall were inflicted by our repeated
falls into sin.

O Jesus,
I am covered with confusion before you,
and I beg you to give me the grace
so to rise from my falls,
that I may never again relapse into them.

Our Father…

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Holy Mother, pierce me through in my heart each
wound renew of my Saviour crucified.

For the sins of his own nation,
saw him hang in desolation,
till his spirit forth he sent.

8 The Women of Jerusalem Weep for Jesus

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy Cross,
you have redeemed the world.

This eight station represents to us our Blessed Lord
when he met the pious women who were weeping
over his sufferings.

Consider, O my soul, how Jesus told these pious
women that they should not weep for him, but for
themselves, in order that we might learn to grieve for
our sins before compassionating his sufferings.

O Jesus,
grant me the tears of true contrition,
so that my sympathy with your sorrows
may be meritorious.

Our Father…

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Holy Mother, pierce me through in my heart each
wound renew of my Saviour crucified.

O sweet Mother, fount of love,
Touch my spirit from above,
Make my heart with yours accord.

9 Jesus Falls the Third Time

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy Cross,
you have redeemed the world.

This ninth station represents to us the third fall of
Jesus, bringing him fresh wounds and further
sufferings.

Consider, O my soul, how Jesus fell the third time,
because our obstinacy in sin has caused us to fall so
repeatedly.

O Jesus,
I am determined to renounce sin once and for all,
in order to bring you consolation.
Do you strengthen my resolution
and render it efficacious by your grace.

Our Father…

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Holy Mother, pierce me through in my heart each
wound renew of my Saviour crucified.

Make me feel as you have felt;
Make my soul to glow and melt,
With the love of Christ, my Lord.

10 Jesus is Stripped of His Clothes

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy Cross,
you have redeemed the world.

This tenth station represents to us how Jesus,
as soon as he reached Mount Calvary, was stripped of
his clothes and given bitter gall to drink.

Consider, O my soul, the deep confusion of Jesus
on being stripped of his clothes, and his suffering
at being forced to drink the bitter mixture of
gall and myrrh.

O Jesus, I am sorry
for the many liberties I have taken in the past,
and resolve never more to afflict you
in such a manner,
but to practice modesty and temperance.
This I am confident of doing
with the assistance of your grace.

Our father…

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Holy Mother, pierce me through in my heart each
wound renew of my Saviour crucified.

Holy Mother, pierce me through,
In my heart each wound renew,
Of my Saviour crucified.

11 Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy Cross,
you have redeemed the world.

This eleventh station represents to us how Jesus was
nailed to the Cross in the presence of his most
afflicted Mother.

Consider, O my soul, the racking pain that Jesus
suffered as he felt the nails piercing his hands and
feet. How immense was the cruelty of his enemies.
How great the love of Jesus for us.

O Jesus,
you suffered so much for me,
and yet I avoid every pain.
Deign to nail my will to your holy Cross,
so that it may be resolved never again
to offend you;
but rather to suffer every pain for your love.

Our Father…

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Holy Mother, pierce me through in my heart each
wound renew of my Saviour crucified.

Let me share with you his pain,
Who for all our sins was slain,
Who for me in torments died.

12 Jesus Dies on the Cross

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy Cross,
you have redeemed the world.

This twelfth station represents to us the death of Jesus
on the Cross.

Consider, O my soul, how after three hours of agony,
our Redeemer died upon the Cross for our salvation.

O my Jesus,
very justly should I spend
the remainder of my life for you,
who have sacrificed yours,
amid such tortures, for me.
This I resolve to do.
Deign to assist me your grace
through the merits of your sacred death.

Our Father…

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Holy Mother, pierce me through in my heart each
wound renew of my Saviour crucified.

Let me mingle tears with thee,
Mourning him who mourned for me,
All the days that I may live.

13 Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy Cross,
you have redeemed the world.

This thirteenth station represents to us how the most
sacred body of Christ was taken down from the Cross,
and laid in the arms of his Blessed Mother.

Consider, O my soul, the overwhelming grief of Mary
as she beheld the body of her Divine Son in her arms.

O most holy Virgin,
through the merits of Jesus,
obtain for me the grace
never to renew the cause
of the death of your Son,
but that he may always live in me
by his divine grace.

Our Father…

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Holy Mother, pierce me through in my heart each
wound renew of my Saviour crucified.

By the cross with you to stay,
There with you to weep and pray,
This I ask of you to give.

14 Jesus is Buried

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy Cross,
you have redeemed the world.

This last station represents to us the burial of our
Divine Redeemer.

Consider, O my soul, how the most sacred body of
Jesus was buried with great devotion in the new
sepulcher prepared for him.

O Jesus,
I thank you for all that you have suffered for me,
and I beg of you the grace
to prepare my heart well
to receive you worthily in Holy Communion
and thus to make my soul
your habitation forever.

Our Father…

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.
Holy Mother, pierce me through in my heart each
wound renew of my Saviour crucified.

While my body here decays,
May my soul your goodness praise,
Safe in heaven eternally.

Conclusion

Save us, O Christ Redeemer,
by the power of your Cross.
You who saved Peter from the sea,
have mercy on us.

Let us pray.

O God,
you willed that the Precious Blood
of your only begotten Son
sanctify the standard of the of the life-giving Cross,
grant, we beseech you,
that those who rejoice in honouring
that same Holy Cross,
may everywhere also enjoy your protection.
Through the same Christ our Lord.
Amen.

(One Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be
are then recited for the intentions of the Holy Father.)

May the divine assistance remain always with us.
Amen.