the living and the dead, is Himself condemned to a disgraceful death. It was for us that Thou didst suffer, O blessed Jesus; it was for our sins Thou wast condemned to die. Oh, grant that we may detest them from the bottom of our hearts, and by this repentance obtain Thy mercy and pardon. An Act of Contrition. GOD, we love Thee with our whole hearts and above all things, and are heartily sorry that we have offended Thee. May we never offend Thee any more. Oh, may we love Thee without ceasing, and make it our delight to do in all things Thy most holy will. Our Father. Hail Mary. V. Lord have mercy upon us. R. Have mercy upon us. V. May the souls of the faithful, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. R. Amen. While passing from one Station to another, a verse of the Stabat Mater is sung or said. By the Cross, sad Vigil keeping, Stood the Mother, mourning, weeping Second Station. Jesus receives the Cross. V. We adore thee, &c. R. Because, &c. Priest. A HEAVY cross is laid upon the bruised shoulders of Jesus. He receives it with meekness, nay, with a secret joy, for it is the instrument with which he is to redeem the world. Prayer. JESUS! grant us, by virtue of Thy cross, to embrace with meekness and cheerful submission the difficulties of our state, and to be ever ready to take up our cross and follow Thee. Act of Contrition, &c., as before. Pierced by woe, with heart's prostration, Mother meek, the bitter Passion Saw she of Her glorious Son. Third Station. Jesus falls the first time under the weight of the Cross. V. We adore thee, &c. R. Because, &c. Priest. BOWED down under the weight of the cross, Jesus slowly sets forth on the way to Calvary, amidst the mockeries and insults of the crowd. His agony in the garden has exhausted his body; he is sore with blows and wounds; his strength fails him; he falls to the ground under the cross. Prayer. JESUS! who for our sins didst bear the heavy burden of the cross, and fell under its weight, may the thoughts of Thy sufferings make us watchful over ourselves, and save us from any grievous fall into sin. Act of Contrition, &c., as before. Who, on Christ's fond Mother gazing, Fourth Station. Jesus is met by His Blessed Mother. V. We adore thee, &c. R. Because, &c. Priest. STILL burdened with His cross, and wounded yet more by His fall, Jesus proceeds on his way. He is met by His Mother. What a meeting must that have been! What a sword of anguish must have pierced that Mother's bosom! What must have been the compassion of that Son for His holy Mother! Prayer. JESUS! by the compassion which Thou didst feel for Thy Mother, have compassion on us, and give us a share in her intercession. O Mary, most afflicted Mother! intercede for us that, through the suffering of thy Son, we may be delivered from the wrath to come. Act of Contrition, &c., as before. For His people's sins rejected, Till His spirit He resigned. Fifth Station. The Cross is laid upon Simon of Cyrene. V. We adore thee, &c. R. Because, &c. Priest. AS S the strength of Jesus fails, and He is unable to proceed, the executioners seize and compel Simon of Cyrene to carry His cross. The virtue of that cross changed his heart, and from a compulsory task it became a privilege and a joy. Prayer. LORD Jesus! may it be our privilege also to bear Thy cross; may we glory in nothing else; by it may the world be crucified unto us, and we unto the world; may we never shrink from sufferings, but rather rejoice if we may be counted worthy to suffer for Thy name's sake. Act of Contrition, &c., as before. Sixth Station. The face of Jesus is wiped. V. We adore thee, &c. R. Because, &c. Priest. AS Jesus proceeds along the way, bathed in the sweat of death, a woman is traditionally related to have made her way through the crowd, and by an act of compassion, to have wiped the sweat and blood from the brow of our Lord. Prayer. JESUS! may the contemplation of Thy sufferings move us with the deepest compassion, make us hate our sins, and influence our hearts with more fervent love to Thee. |