Our Father

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. Amen.

Hail Mary

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Glory be

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.

Prayer To Deal with Difficult People

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that you show me the way, for I do not know how to deal with this difficult person in my life I know that you’ve placed them here for a reason and I am grateful for that. Grant me your Godly Wisdom so that I may uplift your name! Give me strength and courage so that can forgive them just as you have forgiven me. Please guide my thoughts and actions as I deal with them. AMEN!

PRAYER FOR THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
By: Saint Alphonsus Liguori

BEGIN:
Holy Spirit, Divine Consoler, I adore You as my true God, with God the Father and God the Son. I adore You and unite myself to the adoration You receive from the angels and saints. I give You my heart and I offer my ardent thanksgiving for all the grace which You never cease to bestow on me. 
 
 O Giver of all supernatural gifts, who filled the soul of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, with such immense favors, I beg You to visit me with Your grace and Your love and to grant me the gift of holy fear, so that it may act on me as a check to prevent me from falling back into my past sins, for which I beg pardon. 
 
DAY - I
Grant me the gift of piety, so that I may serve You for the future with increased fervor, 
 follow with more promptness Your holy inspirations and observe your divine precepts with greater fidelity. 

DAY - II
Grant me the gift of knowledge, so that I may know the things of God and, enlightened by Your holy teaching, may walk, without deviation, in the path of eternal salvation. 

DAY III
 Grant me the gift of fortitude, so that I may overcome courageously all the assaults of the devil, and all the dangers of this world which threaten the salvation of my soul. 

DAY IV
 Grant me the gift of counsel, so that I may choose what is more conducive to my spiritual advancement and may discover the wiles and snares of the tempter. 

DAY V
 Grant me the gift of understanding, so that I may apprehend the divine mysteries and by contemplation of heavenly things detach my thoughts and affections from the vain things of this miserable world. 

DAY VI
Grant me the gift of wisdom, so that I may rightly direct all my actions, referring them to God as my last end; so that, having loved Him and served Him in this life, I may have the happiness of possessing Him eternally in the next. 

CONCLUDE: 
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful 
 and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
 

LITANY OF HUMILITY
                   
R1: Hear me.
O Jesus! meek and humble of heart R1 
  
R2: Deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being esteemed R2.
 From the desire of being loved R2.
 From the desire of being extolled R2. 
 From the desire of being honored R2.
 From the desire of being praised R2.
 From the desire of being preferred to others R2.
 From the desire of being consulted R2.
 From the desire of being approved R2.
 From the fear of being humiliated R2.
 From the fear of being despised R2.
 From the fear of suffering rebukes R2.
 From the fear of being calumniated R2.
 From the fear of being forgotten R2.
 From the fear of being ridiculed R2.
 From the fear of being wronged R2.
 From the fear of being suspected R2.

R3: Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it
That others may be loved more than I, R3.
That others may be esteemed more than I R3.
That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase, and I may decrease R3.
That others may be chosen, and I set aside R3.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed R3.
That others may be preferred to me in everything. R3.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should R3.

Litany of Trust

R. = Deliver me, Jesus
From the belief that I have to earn Your love R. 
From the fear that I am unlovable R. 
From the false security that I have what it takes R.
From the fear that trusting You will leave me more destitute R.
From all suspicion of Your words & promises R.
From the rebellion against childlike dependency on You R.
From refusals and reluctances in accepting Your will R.
From anxiety about the future R.
From resentment or excessive preoccupation with the past R.
From restless self-seeking in the present moment R.
From disbelief in Your love and presence R.
From the fear of being asked to give more than I have R.
From the belief that my life has no meaning or worth R.
From the fear of what love demands R.
From discouragement R.
 
R. = Jesus, I trust in You
That You are continually holding me, sustaining me, loving me R.
That Your love goes deeper than my sins and failings, and transforms me R.
That not knowing what tomorrow brings is an invitation to lean on You R.
That You are with me in my suffering R.
That my suffering, united to Your own will bear fruit in this life & the next R.
That You will not leave me orphan, that You are present in Your Church R.
That Your plan is better than anything else R.
That You always hear me, and in Your goodness always respond to me R.
That You give me the grace to accept forgiveness and to forgive others R.
That You give me all the strength I need for what is asked R. 
That my life is a gift R.
That You will teach me to trust You R.
That You are my Lord and my God R.
That I am Your beloved one R.   - Amen.

Litany of Supplication
 
R. We adore you, O Lord
True God and true man, truly present in this holy Sacrament. R.
 Our Savior, God with us, faithful and rich in mercy R.
 King and Lord of creation and of history R.
 Conqueror of sin and death R.
 Friend of humankind, the Risen One, the Living One who sits at the right hand of the Father. R.
 
R. We believe in you, O Lord
Only begotten Son of the Father, descended from heaven for our salvation R. 
Heavenly physician, who bows down over our misery R.
 Lamb who was slain, who offer yourself to rescue us from evil R.
 Good Shepherd, who give your life for the flock which you love R.
 Living bread and medicine for immortality, who give us eternal life R.
 
R. Deliver us, O Lord
From the power of Satan and the seductions of the world R.
 From the pride and presumption of being able to do anything without you R.
 From the deceptions of fear and anxiety R.
 From unbelief and desperation R.
 From hardness of heart and the incapacity to love R.
 
R. Save us, O Lord
From every evil that afflicts humanity R.
 From hunger, from famine and from egoism R.
 From illnesses, epidemics and the fear of our brothers and sisters R.
 From devastating madness, from ruthless interests and from violence R.
 From being deceived, from false information and the manipulation of consciences R.
 
R. Comfort us, O Lord
Protect your Church which crosses the desert R.
 Protect humanity terrified by fear and anguish R.
 Protect the sick & the dying, oppressed by loneliness R.
 Protect doctors and healthcare providers exhausted by the difficulties they are facing R.
 Protect politicians and decision makers who bear the weight of having to make decisions R.
 
R. Grant us your Spirit, O Lord
In the hour of trial and from confusion R.
 In temptation and in our fragility R.
 In the battle against evil and sin R.
 In the search for what is truly good and true joy R.
 in the decision to remain in you & in your friendship R.
 
R. Open us to hope, O Lord
Should sin oppress us R.
 Should hatred close our hearts R.
 Should sorrow visit us R.
 Should indifference cause us anguish R.
 Should death overwhelm us R.

NOVENA OF SURRENDER  TO THE WILL OF GOD
 (Author: Father Don Dolindo Ruotolo)

Day 1
 Why do you confuse yourselves by worrying? Leave the care of your affairs to me and everything will be peaceful. I say to you in truth that every act of true, blind, complete surrender to me produces the effect that you desire and resolves all difficult situations.
 
 (Repeat the following prayer 10 times.)
 O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything!

Day 2
 Surrender to me does not mean to fret, to be upset, or to lose hope, nor does it mean offering to me a worried prayer asking me to follow you and change your worry into prayer. It is against this surrender, deeply against it, to worry, to be nervous and to desire to think about the consequences of anything. It is like the confusion that children feel when they ask their mother to see to their needs, and then try to take care of those needs for themselves so that their childlike efforts get in their mother’s way.

Novena for Special Intention

DAY 1 - O God, come to my assistance. O Lord, make haste to help me.
Our Father…       Hail Mary…         Glory be…
 
Heavenly Father, you know all things, and nothing is hidden from you; in your kindness come to my aid in my present distress & grant my humble petition.  In Christ's name I beg your help. Amen.
 
Action: Do a kind deed today for someone you meet.
 
DAY 2 - Hear, O Lord, and have pity on me.  O Lord, be my helper.
Our Father…       Hail Mary…         Glory be… 

Day I           Day 2          Day 3          Day 4          Day 5          Day 6         Day 7         Day 8           Day 9  Conclusion

Teachers Version of Litany of Humility

Note: The following is a prayer for teachers to pray for themselves and a prayer for the world to pray for teachers as we begin another school year. Its format is slightly modeled on the Litany of Humility so that the prayer can boil down what is essential and be more easily taken to heart. Teachers are critical leaders for our children and their ability to portray Christian virtues is what they are most remembered for. Let us pray for them, abundantly, as school begins again. If you are a teacher, please replace the word “teachers” with the word “me.”
 
For the confidence to relay the truth in love, Jesus grant teachers the grace to be wise.
For the ability to always be present to the student in front of them, Jesus grant teachers the grace to be in it.
For the capacity to deal with the chaos that a classroom can bring, Jesus grant teachers the grace to be patient.
For the knowledge that their work is critically important and valuable, Jesus grant teachers the grace to know it.
For the endurance to continue even when it appears that their efforts are meaningless, Jesus grant teachers the grace to persevere.
For the virtue of faith to be communicated through their words, Jesus grant teachers the grace to be disciples.
For the virtue of hope to be instilled in their students through their witness, Jesus grant teachers the grace to trust in You.
For the virtue of love to be experienced by their students, Jesus grant teachers the grace to communicate Your heart.
Jesus, teacher of all teachers, grant that all schools will be filled with Your presence and come to understand that all Truth is ultimately seated on your throne. May every student come to greater knowledge this year and come to see You as a real living person who is the way, the truth, and the life.
Amen.

Prayers to St. Joseph For Workers
 Joseph, by the work of your hands and the sweat of your brow, you supported Jesus and Mary, and had the Son of God as your fellow worker.
Teach me to work as you did,  with patience and perseverance, for God and for those whom God has given me to support. Teach me to see in my fellow workers the Christ who desires to be in them, that I may always be charitable and forbearing towards all. Grant me to look upon work with the eyes of faith, so that I shall recognize in it my share in God’s own creative activity and in Christ’s work of our redemption, and so take pride in it. When it is pleasant and productive, remind me to give thanks to God for it. And when it is burdensome, teach me to offer it to God, in preparation for my sins and the sins of the world.
 
(Note: This prayer was taken from the booklet “Devotions to Saint Joseph” by Brian Moore, S.J., printed and published by the Society of St. Paul.6)

Chaplet of St. Monica
 
 1.            Start with Apostle’s Creed
Apostle’s Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.  - Amen.
 
2.            Say the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be three times.
 
Our Father
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. Amen.
 
Hail Mary
Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.
 
Glory Be
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. - Amen.

3.            End with this prayer to St. Monica
Concluding Prayer to St. Monica
Dear St Monica, troubled wife, and mother.
Many sorrows pierced your heart during your lifetime. Yet you never despaired or lost faith. With confidence, persistence, and profound faith, you prayed daily for the conversion of your beloved husband, Patricius, and your beloved son, Augustine.
 
Grant me that same fortitude, patience, and trust in the Lord. Intercede for me, dear St Monica, that God may favorably hear my plea for those who have either fallen away from the faith or have yet to embrace it and grant me the grace to accept His will in all things, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.  – Amen
 

The Way of the Nativity
 
The Way of the Nativity is a set of fourteen devotions in the same spirit and style as the ancient Christian devotion of the Way of the Cross. While there are several versions of the Way of the Nativity, there is no official or dominant one. The stations and Scripture selections presented here were prepared for this booklet and for A Collection of Prayers. 
 
The versicle and response, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen his glory, …” is from the Christmas Day Gospel, John 1:14. 
 
The prayers that follow each scriptural devotion are newly written for A Collection of Prayers. The first line of each prayer, “Jesus, brightness of your Father…” is taken from a hymn by Rhabanus Maurus, Tibi, Christe, splendor Patris. 

I Station: The Annunciation
Leader:        The + Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 
All:                 We have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 
 
Lector:         In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.” But she was greatly troubled by the statement and was wondering what kind of greeting this could be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, because you have found favor with God. Listen, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end.” Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Listen, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age even though she was called barren, and this is her sixth month. For nothing will be impossible for God.” Then Mary said, “See, I am the Lord’s servant. May it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her. // Luke 1:26–38 
 
Leader:        Jesus, brightness of your Father, calm our troubled hearts with the word of your promise, for nothing is impossible for you; you live and reign, now and forever. 
All:     Amen. 
 
II Station: The Visitation
Leader:        The + Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 
All:                 We have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 
 
Lector:         In those days Mary got up and hurried to the hill country, to a town of Judah. She entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. Just as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me? In fact, just now, as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy! Blessed is she who believed, because the promises spoken to her from the Lord will be fulfilled!” // Luke 1:39–45 
 
Leader:        Jesus, brightness of your Father, you have shown us your Father’s favor by coming here to be our Savior. Grant that we also may believe your promises, and receive your blessings; you live and reign, now and forever. 
All:     Amen. 
 
III Station: The Song of Mary
Leader:        The + Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 
All:                 We have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 
 
Lector:         And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” // Luke 1:46–55 ESV 
 
Leader:        Jesus, brightness of your Father, you have done mighty things and looked with favor on us, your lowly servants. Help your servants that we may remember your mercy and magnify your holy name; you live and reign, now and forever. 
All:     Amen. 
 
IV Station: The Dream of Joseph
Leader:        The + Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 
All:                 We have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 
 
Lector:          “This is how the birth of Jesus Christ took place. His mother, Mary, was pledged in marriage to Joseph. Before they came together, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her husband, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her. So he decided to divorce her privately. But as he was considering these things, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this happened to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son. And they will name him Immanuel,” which means, “God with us.” When Joseph woke up from his sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him. He took Mary home as his wife, but he was not intimate with her until she gave birth to her firstborn son. And he named him Jesus.” // Matthew 1:18–25 
 
Leader:        Jesus, brightness of your Father, you became like us in every way, yet you were without sin. Save us from our sins through your pure and holy sacrifice; you live and reign, now and forever. 
All:     Amen. 
 
V Station: The Journey to Bethlehem
Leader:        The + Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 
All:                 We have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 
 
Lector:         In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governing Syria. And everyone went to register, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the town of Nazareth, into Judea, to the town of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was from the house and family line of David. He went to be registered with Mary, his wife, who was pledged to him in marriage and was expecting a child. // Luke 2:1–5 
 
Leader: Jesus, brightness of your Father, guide every event in our lives for your highest purpose and for our good, until we arrive in your house, and stand before your throne; you live and reign, now and forever. 
All:     Amen. 
 
 VI Station: The Birth of Jesus 
Leader:        The + Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 
All:                 We have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 
 
Lector:         And so it was that while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. // Luke 2:6–7 
 
Leader:        Jesus, brightness of your Father, make room for yourself in our hearts, that you may dwell there until we dwell in heaven with you; you live and reign, now and forever. 
All:     Amen. 
 
 VII Station: The Announcement of the Angels 
Leader:        The + Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 
All:                 We have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 
 
Lector:         There were in the same country shepherds staying out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified! But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. For behold, I bring you good news of great joy, which will be for all people: Today in the town of David, a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude from the heavenly army, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward mankind.” // Luke 2:8–14 
 
Leader:        Jesus, brightness of your Father, show us your glory that we may not be afraid, but be amazed at your humility and the hidden glory of your love; you live and reign, now and forever. 
All:     Amen. 
 
VIII Station: Shepherds Come to the Manger
Leader:        The + Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 
All:                 We have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 
 
Lector:         When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Now let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they told others the message they had been told about this child. And all who heard it were amazed by what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. // Luke 2:15–20 
 
Leader:        Jesus, brightness of your Father, amaze us with the good news of great joy, and open our mouths to tell all we have heard and seen; you live and reign, now and forever. 
All:     Amen. 
 
 IX Station: The Name of Jesus 
Leader:        The + Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 
All:                 We have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 
 
Lector:         After eight days passed, when the child was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. // Luke 2:21 
 
Leader:  Jesus, brightness of your Father, you were given the name that is above every name, that name that means YAHWEH IS SALVATION. 1 Reveal that name to us that we may know you, accept your truth, and trust you; you live and reign, now and forever. Amen. 1 Jesus is the Greek form (Iesous) of the Hebrew name Joshua (Yeshua or Yehoshua) which is a combination of the divine name in the Old Testament (YHWH, sometimes rendered in English as Yahweh or Jehovah) and the Hebrew word for save. 
All:     Amen. 
 
 X Station:: Presentation of Jesus in the Temple 
Leader:        The + Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 
All:                 We have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 
 
Lector:         When the time came for their purification according to the law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. (As it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male will be called holy to the Lord.”) And they came to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, waiting for the comfort of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. Moved by the Spirit he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary according to the law, Simeon took him into his arms and praised God. He said, Lord, you now dismiss your servant in peace, according to your word, because my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel. // Luke 2:22–32 
 
Leader:        Jesus, brightness of your Father, you fulfilled all of the law so that you could be our holy and righteous Savior. Reveal your light to us, be our glory, and make us your new chosen Israel; you live and reign, now and forever. 
All:     Amen. 
 
 XI Station: The Visit of the Wise Men 
Leader:        The + Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 
All:                 We have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 
 
Lector:         After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, when Herod was king, Wise Men from the east came to Jerusalem. They asked, “Where is he who has been born King of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this, he was alarmed, and all Jerusalem with him. He gathered together all the people’s chief priests and experts in the law. He asked them where the Christ was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, because this was written through the prophet: You, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are certainly not least among the rulers of Judah: because out of you will come a ruler, who will shepherd my people, Israel.” Then Herod secretly summoned the Wise Men and found out from them exactly when the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find him, report to me, so that I may also go and worship him.” After listening to the king, they went on their way. Then the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them, until it stood still over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with overwhelming joy. After they went into the house and saw the child with Mary, his mother, they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Since they had been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they went back to their own country by another route. // Matthew 2:1–12 
 
Leader:        Jesus, brightness of your Father, shine like the brightest star in the darkness of this world and in the darkness of our hearts. Shepherd us, your people, and receive our prayer, praise and worship; you live and reign, now and forever. 
All:     Amen. 
 
 XII Station: The Flight to Egypt 
Leader:        The + Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 
All:                 We have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 
Lector:         After the Wise Men were gone, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared to Joseph in a dream. He said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, because Herod will search for the child in order to kill him.” Joseph got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and left for Egypt. He stayed there until the death of Herod. This happened to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” // Matthew 2:13–15 
 
Leader:        Jesus, brightness of your Father, as Israel lived in Egypt until you led them out by Moses, you lived in Egypt until you could return in safety. Bless and keep all who live under the shadow of trouble, and when the time is right, lead them on; you live and reign, now and forever. 
All:     Amen. 
 
 XIII Station: The Death of the Innocents 
Leader:        The + Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 
All:                 We have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 
 
Lector:         When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Wise Men, he was furious. He issued orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and in all the surrounding countryside, from two years old and under. This was in keeping with the exact time he had learned from the Wise Men. Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and she refused to be comforted, because they are no more. // Matthew 2:16–18 
 
Leader:        Jesus, brightness of your Father, the darkness of this world fills our heart with pain and our eyes with tears. Wipe away all tears and hold your promise before our eyes that you have overcome the world; you live and reign, now and forever. 
All:     Amen. 
 
 XIV Station:  The Return to Nazareth 
Leader:        The + Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 
All:                 We have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 
 
Lector:         After Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. The angel said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to kill the child are dead.” Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus, Herod’s son, had succeeded his father as ruler in Judea, he was afraid to go there. Since he had been warned in a dream, he went to the region of Galilee. When he arrived there, he settled in a city called Nazareth. So what was spoken through the prophets was fulfilled: “He will be called a Nazarene.” // Matthew 2:19– 23 
 
Leader:        Jesus, brightness of your Father, your heavenly and earthly fathers kept you safe, even as the devil and the world raged against you, until the appointed time. Keep us safe from all danger until you finally deliver us from all evil when you take us to yourself; you live and reign, now and forever. 
All:     Amen. 
 

STATIONS OF THE CROSS FOR VOCATIONS
PREPARATORY PRAYER
ALL: Gracious God, Each of us is called to discipleship with Your Son Jesus through the sacrament of Baptism. We are sent to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus, to share the good News of God’s saving love. Hear our prayer as we ponder the redemptive vocation of Jesus who continues to call men and women to walk in His way, renewing His Church and caring for His people. We give You thanks for the mystery of every vocation and we pray for all who have answered Your call. Send forth Your Holy Spirit upon the faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Your love, drawing many young men and women to dedicate themselves with an undivided heart to the love of Christ and His Kingdom. Amen.
 
THE FIRST STATION: PILATE CONDEMNS JESUS TO DIE
V:        We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R:        Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)

V:        Consider how Jesus Christ, after being scourged and crowned with thorns, was unjustly condemned by Pilate to die on the cross. (Kneel)
R:        Jesus, we ask that You call young men and women today to publicly accept Your invitation to follow You in spite of what others may think or say. Give to them a passion for reaching out through Your love to the needs of Your brothers and sisters. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be…) 
 
Through her heart, His sorrow sharing / All His bitter anguish bearing / Now at length the sword has passed
 
THE SECOND STATION: JESUS ACCEPTS HIS CROSS
V:        We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R:        Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)

V:        Consider Jesus as He walked this road with the cross on His shoulders, thinking of us, and offering to His Father in our behalf, the death He was about to suffer. (Kneel)
R:         Jesus, help those You call to see in the cross the symbol of union with You. Give to them the zeal and talent to minister to those who are burdened with pain, sorrow, confusion and alienation. Let them see that in the cross is life. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
 
O, how sad and sore depressed / Was that Mother highly blessed / of the sole Begotten One
 
THE THIRD STATION: JESUS FALLS THE FIRST TIME
V:        We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R:        Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)

V:        Consider the first fall of Jesus. Loss of blood from the scourging and crowing with thorns had so weakened Him that He could hardly walk; and yet He had to carry that great load upon His shoulders. As the soldiers struck Him cruelly, He fell several times under the heavy cross. (Kneel)
R:         Jesus, let those You call know that they do not have to be perfect. Let them be open to Your transforming grace that can accomplish more than anyone could imagine. Give to those who respond to Your call to the priesthood and consecrated life, a deep trust that You will complete what You have begun in them. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
 
Christ above in torment hangs / She beneath beholds the pangs / of her dying, glorious Son
 
THE FOURTH STATION: JESUS MEETS HIS AFFLICTED MOTHER
V:        We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R:        Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)

V:        Consider how the Son met His Mother on His way to Calvary. Jesus and Mary gazed at each other and their looks became as so many arrows to wound those hearts which loved each other so tenderly (Kneel)
R:        Jesus, instill in young men and women the desire to come to know Your Mother and find in their prayerful reflection of the scriptures, a woman of faith, hope and love whose vocation is an example for all. Help parents to promote and support vocations among their children, families and church communities. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
 
Is there one who would not weep / 'whelmed in miseries so deep / Christ's dear Mother to behold.
 
THE FIFTH STATION: SIMON HELPS JESUS CARRY THE CROSS
V:        We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R:        Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)

V:        Consider how weak and weary Jesus was. At each step He was at the point of expiring. Fearing that He would die on the way when they wished Him to die the infamous death of the cross, they forced Simon of Cyrene to help carry the cross after Our Lord. (Kneel)
R:        Jesus, send forth your grace upon those you call to church leadership. Help them to accept and affirm others’ gifts in the building of community, in proclaiming the message and in reaching out in service. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
 
Can the human heart refrain / From partaking in her pain / In that Mother's pain untold?
 
THE SIXTH STATION: VERONICA OFFERS HER VEIL TO JESUS
V:        We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R:        Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)

V:        Consider the compassion of the holy woman, Veronica. Seeing Jesus in such distress, His face bathed in sweat and blood, she presented Him with her veil. Jesus wiped His face and left upon the cloth the image of His sacred countenance. (Kneel)
R:         Jesus, call forth numerous men and women to see Your face on all whom they meet. Help Your servants to truly understand that whatever good is done to the least of Your brothers and sisters is done to You. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
 
Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled / She beheld her tender Child / All with bloody scourges rent.
 
THE SEVENTH STATION: JESUS FALLS THE SECOND TIME
V:        We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R:        Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)

V:        Consider how the second fall of Jesus under His cross renews the pain in all the wounds of the head and members of our afflicted Lord. (Kneel)
R:        Jesus, teach those You call to the priesthood and consecrated life to accept their own and others’ limitations, relying on God’s merciful grace. Help them in these times of darkness to reach out especially to those whom the world calls “fallen”—persons who are addicted, imprisoned, poor, aged, of ill health. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
 
For the sins of His own nation / Saw Him hang in desolation / Till His spirit forth He sent.
 
THE EIGHTH STATION: JESUS SPEAKS TO THE WOMEN
V:        We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R:        Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)

V:        Consider how the women wept with compassion seeing Jesus so distressed and dripping with blood as He walked along. Jesus said to them, ``Weep not so much for Me, but rather for Your children.'' (Kneel)
R:        Jesus, remove any prejudices or biases from all whom You call to walk with You as priests or in the consecrated life. Let those who follow You see that all God’s people are created equal, male and female, regardless of race or culture, and that our heavenly Father has no favorites. Let their words and example speak of Christ’s justice, peace and joy. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
 
O sweet Mother! Fount of Love / Touch my spirit from above / Make my heart with yours accord.
 
THE NINTH STATION: JESUS FALLS THE THIRD TIME
V:        We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R:        Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)

V:        Consider how Jesus Christ fell for the third time. He was extremely weak and the cruelty of His executioners was excessive; they tried to hasten His steps though He hardly had strength to move. (Kneel)
R:        Jesus, help those You call to know that all vocations are grace-filled; that priests, sisters, brothers, deacons, consecrated men and women, married and single are all favored by God. Instill in them the understanding that nothing can separate them from the love of God who is actively present in good times and in bad. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
 
Make me feel as You have felt / Make my soul to glow and melt / With the love of Christ, my Lord.
 
THE TENTH STATION: JESUS IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS
V:        We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R:        Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)

V:        Consider how Jesus was violently stripped of His clothes by His executioners. The inner garments adhered to his lacerated flesh and the soldiers tore them off so roughly that the skin came with them. Have pity for your Savior so cruelly treated. (Kneel)
R:        Jesus, grant that all those being called to the priesthood and consecrated life will clothe themselves with sincere compassion, humility, kindness, gentleness and patience, forgiveness and thankfulness…and over all these virtues, let them put on love. May they understand that their vocation discernment is their deepest response to Your love. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
 
Holy Mother, pierce me through / in my heart each wound renew / of my Savior crucified.
 
THE ELEVENTH STATION: JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS
V:        We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R:        Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)

V:        Consider Jesus, thrown down upon the cross, He stretched out His arms and offered to His eternal Father the sacrifice of His life for our salvation. They nailed His hands and feet, and then, raising the cross, left Him to die in anguish. (Kneel)
R:        Jesus, instill in youth today a deep desire to make a difference in the world no matter what the cost. Let the courageous example of modern martyrs inspire them to meet all challenges with faith, hope and love. Fill them with Your presence and the grace to respond to the call to “go out to all the world.” (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
 
Let me share with you His pain / Who for all our sins was slain / Who for me in torments died.
 
THE TWELFTH STATION: JESUS DIES UPON THE CROSS
V:        We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R:        Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)

V:        Consider how Jesus, after three hours of agony on the cross, is finally overwhelmed with suffering and, abandoning Himself to the weight of His body, bows His head and dies. (Kneel)
R:        Jesus, give to all who are considering their vocation a deep love of the Eucharist, the Most Holy Sacrament of Your passion, death and resurrection. Let them find in the Mass a daily renewal of Your invitation to live their lives through You, with You, and in You, giving glory and honor to God our Father. (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
 
Let me mingle tears with thee / Mourning Him who mourned for me / All the days that I may live.
 
THE THIRTEENTH STATION: JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS
V:        We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R:        Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)

V:        Consider how, after Our Lord had died, He was taken down from the cross by two of His disciples, Joseph and Nicodemus, and placed in the arms of His afflicted Mother. She received Him with unutterable tenderness and pressed Him close to her bosom. (Kneel)
R:         Jesus, touch the minds, hearts and spirits of those You call to serve the people of God. Fill them with the assurance of our Blessed Mother’s love and care for them, especially as they grow to embrace their vocations. Enable them to respond to Your call to bring Your redeeming presence to a world grieving, fearful and hungry for Your Truth through prayer and service.
(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
 
By the cross with you to stay / There with you to weep and pray / Is all I ask of you to give.
 
THE FOURTEENTH STATION: JESUS IS PLACED IN THE SEPULCHER
V:        We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. (Genuflect)
R:        Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. (Rise)

V:        Consider how the disciples carried the body of Jesus to its burial, while His holy Mother went with them and arranged it in the sepulcher with her own hands. They then closed the tomb and all departed. (Kneel)
R:        We thank you, Jesus, for the infinite power of Your death and resurrection which brought salvation and healing to the world. We thank You for all whom You have called to follow You in the past 2000 years, men and women formally dedicating their lives to the building up of Your Church. We pray for all seminarians and novices in formation. Let all young men and women today reflect on the lives of the saints, and let them come to meet and know priests, religious, and lay ministers in our times who continue to respond to Christ’s call, “Come, follow me.” (Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)
 
Virgin of all virgins blest / Listen to my fond request / Let me share your grief divine.
 
PRAYER TO JESUS CHRIST CRUCIFIED
All: My good and dear Jesus, I kneel before You, asking You most earnestly to engrave upon my heart a deep and lively faith, hope, and charity, with true repentance for my sins, and a firm resolve to make amends. As I reflect upon Your five wounds, and dwell upon them with deep compassion and grief, I recall, good Jesus, the words the Prophet David spoke long ago concerning Yourself: ``They pierced My hands and My feet; they have numbered all My bones.''
 
The faithful who, after receiving Communion, recite this prayer before a picture of Christ Crucified may gain a plenary indulgence on any Friday in Lent and a partial indulgence on other days of the year, with the addition of prayers for the Holy Father's intention. (Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, no. 22) A Plenary indulgence is grated to the faithful who make the pious exercise of the Way of the Cross. Those who are impeded can gain the same indulgence if they spend at least one half an hour in pious reading and meditation on the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Enchiridion Indulgentiarum, no. 63)

Praying the Eucharistic Stations of the Cross
by Father Patrick Briscoe
February 23, 2024

Do you want to know and love God? The medieval Dominican mystic St. Catherine of Siena says that there is no better means than prayer. “For by such prayer the soul is united with God, following in the footsteps of Christ crucified, and through desire and affection and the union of love he makes of her another himself,” she explains.
 
We retrace Our Lord’s final steps in praying the Stations of the Cross. But this prayer is more than a casual recollection. Through the stations, we can know a tremendous and intimate union with him. Dominican Father A.G. Sertillanges says, “We can make our own the sphere of vision and the emotions that were his, seeing with his eyes and feeling with his heart, remembering, judging, and foreseeing with him, so that, still in this same sense of imagining that we have changed places with him, it is no longer we who live, but Christ who lives in us.”
 
The Stations of the Cross help us to better understand the Eucharistic mystery. In praying them, may we come to love Jesus all the more, and run to him, who is truly present in the sacrament of his body and blood.

First Station: Jesus is condemned to death
R. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (Genuflect)
 V. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
 
“So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple cloak. And [Pilate] said to them, ‘Behold, the man!'” (Jn 19:5).
 
Jesus is condemned and powerless in the eyes of the world. Beaten and scourged, he stands before Pilate, who questions him. A king? This man? Jesus is defenseless. There is no army attending him. Where is his kingdom? “Crucify him,” the crowd shouts. And Jesus does not turn away. He has never turned away from his mission to save those the Father has given him.
 
And this is the way of Jesus. He comes to us, making himself vulnerable. Behold, this is our king. He surrenders himself to the cross. It is always this way with love. It is fragile. Love means risking injury and scorn.
 
“Behold him who takes away the sins of the world,” says the priest at Mass as he holds the sacred host for all to see. In the Eucharist, Jesus comes before us again. We know it’s him. Faith allows us to see our king.
 
He is defenseless. He is vulnerable in that sacred host. He has handed over his life for us.
 
It is the way of love.

 
Second Station: Jesus carries the cross
R. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (Genuflect)
 V. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
 
“Carrying the cross himself he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull” (Jn 19:17).
 
He stooped under its weight. The mast of death had been thrust upon him. It was a burden too heavy for any other man.
 
But it was not his. It was ours.
 
“Bear one another’s burdens” his life preached. How he often bent to lift the weight of sin! To bring calm to the stormy seas of our hearts. To bestow a healing grace. To forgive.
 
Those same graces come in the Eucharist. It is the very food of mercy. It renews and strengthens. And because we have the Eucharist, we can struggle on through this world of sin.
 
His cross? It was ours. But only Jesus could manage its weight. And because he carried that cross, no cross that comes our way is too great.
 
 
Third Station: Jesus falls for the first time
R. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (Genuflect)
 V. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
 
“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit” (Jn 12:24)
 
Beaten and weary, he stumbles. He falls. The cross tumbles down, pressing his precious body to the earth. But there was another fall. There was a fall before this one. The very reason that we need a redeemer is the fall of Eden, the fall in the garden when our first parents fell from grace.
 
The grain falls to the ground. Jesus, too, falls. In the order of nature, a seed falls to the ground and dies so that it might bear fruit. The seed’s demise leads to the harvest. And to redeem us, Jesus falls to the ground and gives his life that we might have life abundantly. Our Lord has won for us the ultimate harvest.
 
The Eucharist is the food of our redemption, the fruit of the seed that has fallen to the ground and died.

 
Fourth Station: Jesus meets his mother
R. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (Genuflect)
 V. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
 
“(And you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Lk 2:35).
 
She was the first to follow him. And on the way to the cross, she follows him still.
 
Does Mary speak as she looks upon her son? How many times did she gaze upon his holy face? And now she sees her beloved son carrying a cross, condemned to die.
 
Her heart is crushed by sorrow, pierced as Simeon prophesied. And yet she accepts the unfolding tragedy with a strength that silences any cry of protest.
 
The Virgin Mary and her son are inseparable. After his death, what was her consolation? The Eucharist. She was the first tabernacle, the first to have borne his holy body, and in the Eucharist, she remained united to him.
 
Her mother’s heart anguished. How she must have wept! But mother and son both know the Father’s will. His pain was hers. His suffering was hers. And his love was hers. That same love is veiled in the gift of the tiny host.

 
Fifth Station: Simon helps Jesus carry the cross
R. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (Genuflect)
 V. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
 
“As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross” (Mt 27:32).
 
Everyone can see that the cross is too much for him to carry on his own. He has already fallen once. Who will step in to help Jesus? No one steps forward willingly.
 
Soldiers grab Simon of Cyrene and force him to help Jesus carry the cross. He could have carried it on his own. God could have arranged things otherwise. But in his wisdom, it was ordained that Simon would help Jesus.
 
All of us are called to be servants, to bear Jesus, to carry the cross into the world. What better service is there than to live in service to the Blessed Sacrament? Christ dwells in us! Every Christian, through Baptism, is claimed for Christ and committed to this mission.
 
 
Sixth Station: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
R. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (Genuflect)
 V. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
 
“He was spurned and avoided by men, a man of suffering, knowing pain, Like one from whom you turn your face, spurned, and we held him in no esteem” (Is 53:3).
 
Joseph and Mary gazed with wonder upon his face in Bethlehem. The woman at the well discovered the truth when she looked into his eyes. Zaccheus climbed a tree to glimpse him. His closest disciples marveled when they beheld the glory of his face on Mount Tabor.
 
And now? His face, bruised and raw, is a pitiful sight. Veronica runs to wipe his blood-stained brow. And his face leaves an image on her holy veil.
 
The Eucharist builds up that image of Christ in us. People should look upon us and see him. We are called to be other Christs, and by the grace given in the holy sacrament, it is made so. The veil is a true image, a true icon. But a greater icon still is the heart conformed in love to him.
 
 
Seventh Station: Jesus falls the second time
R. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (Genuflect)
 V. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
 
“He emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:7-8).
 
Our Lenten pilgrimage begins in dust. “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,” we pray during the distribution of ashes. And now, Jesus falls again. The cross topples over. Simon jumps away. Our Lord lies face down, his cheek against the dust. The Word who created the earth meets it again.
 
Before all the world was made, the Son rejoiced in communion with the Father and the Holy Spirit. “All things came to be through him” (Jn 1:3). The same Son agreed to the Father’s plan to enter that creation. So low has he stooped that his face now rests against the sand and stone.
 
And even that was not close enough. In his lowliness, he consents to come to us in the form of bread and wine. His true nature hidden from our senses; the Lord empties himself still. He comes to us in all humility in the holy Eucharist.
 

Eighth Station: Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem
R. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (Genuflect)
 V. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
 
“A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him. Jesus turned to them and said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children’” (Lk 23:27-28).
 
Jesus embraces his mother. He accepts Simon’s help. He allows Veronica to wipe the sweat and blood from his face. But when he encounters his friends who weep for him, he refuses their 
compassion. “Do not weep for me,” he commands.
But is that all there is? Weep for yourselves, he says, for your children. What could this mean?
 
In these words, Jesus warns the holy women that the cross will come to their hearts too. Evil and suffering will come again and again. We must weep then for ourselves and those we love that we might embrace the cross when it comes. We must weep for our sins and seek forgiveness and conversion.
 
The Eucharist brings about sorrow for our sins. We should then run to the confessional, cleanse our hearts, and having confessed, be ready to receive Our Lord.

Ninth Station: Jesus falls the third time
R. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (Genuflect)
 V. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
 
“I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me; insofar as I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who has loved me and given himself up for me” (Gal 2:20).
 
Jesus is now well beyond the walls of the Holy City. He climbs Golgotha, the hill where he will breathe his last. A crowd has gathered, following Jesus from the moment Pilate handed him over. Each step brings him closer to the place of execution. He stumbles on the uneven path. He falls one last time.
 
Why three falls? Our minds recall the three temptations Jesus faced in the wilderness. The devil’s allure offered power and pleasure. And three times Jesus overcomes his seduction. Three times Our Lord stands up again, rising to overcome defeat.
 
We are always tempted to disbelieve Jesus’ words. He has told us the Eucharist is his own very flesh. Again and again, we have to overcome the temptation to believe otherwise, to abandon him, to doubt what he has promised. Again and again, we must rise, placing ourselves before him, professing our faith in this sacred mystery.

 
Tenth Station: Jesus is stripped of his garments
R. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (Genuflect)
 V. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
 
“When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself” (Jn 12:32).
 
Having arrived at the place of the crucifixion, soldiers tore off his tunic. The wounds from his scourging were revealed to all. He stood bare and exposed before the murderous crowd.
 
How completely he identifies with us! He stands, naked, in solidarity with every sinner whose secret shame has been revealed.
 
Did the crowd jeer? Was he further mocked? Were any hearts moved with compassion?
 
In our day, we must ask, how often is the holy Eucharist stripped of its meaning? How often is Jesus neglected, ignored and profaned? How often does he stand before us in the sacred host, unprotected, uncovered, only to be forsaken?

 
Eleventh Station: Jesus is nailed to the cross
R. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (Genuflect)
 V. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
 
“He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Pt 2:24).
 
His broken body is stretched over the great tree of Calvary. His extended arms, stretching to the ends of the earth, show the totality of his sacrifice.
 
How completely he gives of himself! He gives himself for every disciple, every convert who adopts his teaching, every sinner who comes to him.
 
“He saved others; he cannot save himself,” the crowds cried. But he had not come to save himself. He came to give of himself. This is the great meaning of the Eucharist, the gift of himself, poured out for us.
 

Twelfth Station: Jesus dies on the cross
R. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (Genuflect)
 V. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
 
“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn 15:13).
 
The time has come. The pivotal moment of history is, at last, upon all of humanity. The veil of the temple is rent. The earth trembles. Jesus cries out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit,” and Our Lord breathes his last.
 
It is not an hour of defeat. Just as it seems his plan of love has failed; the final workings have been accomplished. This is the sacrifice he had intended. This is the great moment of love!
 
In the Eucharist, we are there. We access the graces of Calvary. Sacramentally, we stand again at the foot of the cross when our great high priest is offered as the victim on the altar.
 
In his death, we have died to sin. Our every communion is union with him, the one who has died for us.
 
Thirteenth Station: Jesus is taken down from the cross
R. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (Genuflect)
 V. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
 
“After this, Joseph of Arimathea, secretly a disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. And Pilate permitted it. So he came and took his body” (Jn 19:38).
 
He has given his life for us. And now his weary corpse, taken down from the cross by Joseph of Arimathea, is placed in the arms of his mother. How tenderly she must have received her son. She cradled him as a babe, now she holds him close once more.
Imagine how she wept and prayed over him. She held him for all of us, reverently, filled with love. And drawing him near, she draws us near, bringing us, through him, close to her heart.
 
In our communions, we, too, receive the body of Jesus. Do we receive him with the same love that his mother showed at the foot of the cross?

Fourteenth Station: Jesus is laid in the tomb
R. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you. (Genuflect)
 V. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
 
“Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it [in] clean linen and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb and departed. But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary remained sitting there, facing the tomb” (Mt 27:59-61).
 
John gently leads the Virgin Mary away. Mary Magdalen and the other Mary remain. They stay with Jesus.
 
Were they simply shocked? Unable to believe what they had seen with their own eyes, were they lost in their grief? Were they waiting? Through their tears, could they see glimmers of the extraordinary event to come?
 
Perhaps they knew they simply needed to be near to Jesus, to be as close to Our Lord as they could manage.
 
We, too, should remain with him. For our sake he was willing to face even death itself and be hidden in a tomb. Now he hides under the guise of bread. Near him still, let us keep watch and pray.


Father Patrick Briscoe, OP, is a Dominican friar and the editor of Our Sunday Visitor. Along with his Dominican brothers, he is host of the podcast Condesplaining and a co-author of "Saint Dominic’s Way of Life: A Path to Knowing and Loving God." He is also the author of the OSV seasonal devotional, "My Daily Visitor."

PRAYER IN THE STEPS OF THE PASSION
Most dear Jesus,
 filled with sorrow during the agony in the garden,
 covered with a sweat of blood while praying,
 have mercy on us, O Lord.
 
 Most dear Jesus,
 delivered into the hands of the wicked by a kiss,
 bound like a robber,
 and abandoned by your disciples,
 have mercy on us, O Lord.
 
 Most dear Jesus,
 condemned to death by an unjust Council,
 taken as an evildoer before Pilate,
 and ridiculed by the wicked Herod,
 have mercy on us, O Lord.
 
 Most dear Jesus,
 publicly shorn of your garments,
 and most cruelly scourged at the pillar,
 have mercy on us, O Lord.
 
 Most dear Jesus,
 crowned with thorns,
 beaten and blindfolded,
 clothed in rich purple and mocked,
 have mercy on us, O Lord.
 
 Most dear Jesus,
 likened to the infamous Barabbas,
 rejected by your people,
 and unjustly sentenced to death,
 have mercy on us, O Lord.

15 BREATHTAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL PRAYERS FOR THE VIRTUES OF PURITY AND CHASTITY
By Joan Carey
 
These prayers are rooted in a centuries-old tradition of the Catholic Church arising from the persecution St. Thomas Aquinas suffered at the hands of his own family who opposed his desire to join the Dominicans. They imprisoned him in their own castle dungeon and sent a prostitute to tempt him to sexual sin. St. Thomas drove her from the room and then had a vision of two angels coming to his aid. To the Dominicans, he became a powerful symbol of the possibility of victory when striving to live the virtues of purity and chastity. (Art: Temptation of St. Thomas, Velazquez)
In the 1400’s some of the Dominicans banded together to begin a confraternity that they called “Angelic Warfare” in memory of the two angels who came to Thomas’ aid. They wore a cord around their waists with 15 knots corresponding to 15 prayers for purity. In 1727, Pope Benedict XII broadened the Confraternity to include the whole Church. Now, anyone may be enrolled. I have pasted in a current form of the 15 prayers below. They include 15 specific intentions, Scripture verses in which the intentions are rooted, followed by a Hail Mary