THE WAY OF THE CROSS

* Asterisk, indicates pause

All: My Lord Jesus, * I believe that when You gave me the gift of faith in baptism, * divine life, your life filled my soul. * I believe that You dwell in me * and I in You * and that in a mysterious but real way * You have made me one with You. * Because You dwell in me, * what I do, I do through You * with You * and in You.

Thus, Your Way of the Cross two thousand years ago * and this way of the cross * that I am about to make, * are joined, * are one way. * Our way of the Cross.

Help me, Lord, to bear my small crosses today * as You bore Your great cross, * with love * and a total acceptance of Your Divine Will. Help me walk with You on the Way of the Cross.

Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.

Leader: My Jesus, * though Pilate is unjust, he is still a lawful authority. * In Pilate's washed hands, therefore, * You see Your Father's will * and You obey. * Adam's refusal to obey his God is now atoned for * by the Son of God's obedience to the son of Adam.

All: My Lord Jesus, * make me see that it is You that I obey * when I am called to responsible service * by Your obedience to Pilate * teach me to fulfill my daily duties with promptness and diligence * because this is Your will. * Lord, teach me to obey with love * with joy * and with a smile on my lips.

Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.

Leader: Lord Jesus your desire to respond to your Father led to the cross * My Jesus * it is a supreme act of Your love to accept the cross * because He wills it. My crosses are the product of my daily life * but nonetheless they are chosen for me by the Divine Will * and by Divine Love.

All: My Lord Jesus, * at this moment I accept willingly * the monotony of my daily work, the drudgery of my household duties, * every care and worry; * all my tensions, setbacks and failures * only remind me often * that in carrying these crosses * I truly help to carry Yours.

Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise You.

All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.

Leader: How strange it is that the God who made the universe * should be too weak to stand under the weight of a piece of timber.* My Jesus, how human You have made Yourself * You accept Your weakness * because it is Your Father's will * that You be like me in all things, except sin * How else could You be my Leader and Model?

All: My Lord Jesus, * I, too, accept every weakness You permit me to have; * my headaches, * my fatigue, * my irritability and moodiness, * all my defects of body, mind and spirit. * Only let my failings make me humble and give me strength to rise and struggle on with You.

Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.

Leader: How Mary's soul must have cried out at the sight of You. My Jesus! She watched You fall beneath the heavy beam, * saw You driven like an animal through the streets; * yet not one word of complaint escaped her lips. * She shared Your agony because this sorrow was Your Father's will.

All: My Lord Jesus, * to carry my cross after You * I, too, must be willing to see my dear ones in suffering and pain. * If this be Your will. * In union with You and Mary, * I offer all the disappointments * all the heartaches, sicknesses, grief’s. * Yes, all the hurts of my loved ones. * Help me never to rebel or lose my trust. * Make me understand that for those who love You. * All things work together unto good.

Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.

Leader: My Jesus. * Your strength is failing fast. * You can no longer drag the cross. * That is why the soldiers force Simon to help You * As Simon was chosen to assist You then, * so I am chosen to help You now. * What I do to the least of my fellowmen, * I do to You, my God.

All: My Lord Jesus. * I thank You for the privilege of serving You in my fellowmen. * Every time I wipe a dish, * pick up an article from the floor, * hold open a door, * defer to others in traffic, * every time I lend my hand in aid of another, * I, too, am Simon * and the kindness I extend to them I really offer You.

leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.

leader: My Jesus, * as I look at You, * I seem to hear You ask, * "Are you brave enough to wipe My face as Veronica did?" * Where is Your face, Lord? * It is in the home, * on the playgrounds, * in the slums, * in the courts, hospitals and jails, * wherever suffering exists * or where injustice reigns * and there You wait for me to soothe You * with acts of kindness and love.

All: My Lord Jesus, * I know that when I make a sacrifice * to ease my brother's suffering * a flood of grace sweeps over me * and peace and joy fill my soul. * But I am weak. * So many times I fear to act the way I know I should * Lord, give me courage. * Make me strong * Never let me turn aside because I fear what some may think or say. * Help me overcome human respect with divine respect.

Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.

Leader: Through this second fall You teach me another lesson of humility. * It is human to hide our weaknesses and defects from the eyes of others. * In this second fall You lie at the feet of Your executioners, * humiliated for me.

All: My Lord Jesus, * help me understand that suffering is a result of the ancient sins of human beings. By accepting it as You do, I recreate myself in Your image. * Because Your name is Jesus * You must give me strength to bear and rise above * whatever suffering You permit to come to me. * Alone I can do nothing; * with You I can do everything. * Knowing this, I can take up my cross daily and carry on.

Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.

Leader: In all the journey to Calvary * the only words You speak are to these pitying women, * "Weep not for Me, but for yourselves and your children." * You appreciate the sorrow they have for You * and You break Your silence to show Your gratitude.

All: My Lord Jesus, * Your compassion surpasses even Your passion. * Teach me Your patience. * When I am tempted to snap at those who add to my burden, * at those who misunderstand, * who get in my way, * make me gentle like You. * Help me to be considerate * and grateful for kindnesses as You were. * Jesus, meek and gentle of heart, * make my heart like unto Thine.

Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.

Leader: Utterly drained of strength * You lie stretched on the ground. * Your muscles are totally incapable of obeying the commands of Your brain. Then after more blows and kicks, * You rise to Your feet and stagger on. So I can do, * with the help of Your grace * no matter what my sin or burden.

All: My Lord Jesus, * in times to come when I have no reserves of strength to call upon, * when worry and grief assault me * and the weight of my sins seems to press me to earth and hold me there, * protect me by Your strength. * Never let me feel that any sin of mine is greater than Your mercy. * I may fall as I have before * but lift me up, Lord God * forever more.

Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.

Leader: My Jesus, * though You own the world, * You came into it possessing nothing, * born in a stable, laid in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. * You leave the world even poorer, naked. * Not even Your deathbed, the cross is Your own.

All: My poor Jesus, * stripped of everything, * I offer You all that I am and all that I have. * Detach me from the wants of earth. * Root out of me all trace of envy of my neighbor who possesses more than I. * Release me from the longing to be first * and lead me to the lowest place. * From bitterness at any loss of goods or reputation, Lord, deliver me. * Make me poor in spirit, Lord, * so that I may be rich in You.

Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.

Leader: My Jesus, * Your executioners seize You and lay You on the cross. * They stretch out Your arms, * mark the spot with the nail * and with one heavy blow of the hammer, drive it through. * Pain bursts like a bomb of fire throughout Your body. * Yet this is only the beginning of agony. * You suffered for me * how God suffered for us and to show me that with Your presence I too can bear the sufferings of my life.

All: My Lord Jesus, * I look at You and I think, * "My God, is my soul worth this to You?" * Must You suffer so * for me?" * Here and now I accept for all my life * whatever sickness, torment or trouble that may come. * I know that in my moments of suffering * You will extend to me Your choicest blessings. * O blessed cross that lets me be with You * a co-redeemer of my fellowmen.

Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise You.

All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.

Leader: O Jesus, it is from Your cross that you speak Your sermon: * Father forgive them Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit. * And then when You have borne enough, * have suffered to the end, * have emptied Your humanity, * You let Your mortal life depart.

All: My Lord Jesus, * You laid down Your life for me. * I shall lay down my life for You. * I offer You my death with all the pains that may surround it * accepting at this moment * whatever kind of death You have in store for me. * I give You my life and death, my body and soul, * my whole being, now and forever.

Leader: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.

Leader: My Jesus, the Sacrifice, the mass, the Ransom, now is done. * You can suffer no more. * But Your Mother must still cradle in her arms * the lifeless Body of the Son she bore within her womb * and cared for through the years. Can a mother, * any mother, * bear bereavement such as this without bitterness? * Mary did. * She offered her sacrifice to the Father in union with You.

All: My Lord Jesus, * help me to accept all the partings You have destined for me, * partings from my children as they go into the world * or the religious life and marriage, * and especially partings from my dear ones who depart in death. * Help me to offer You the grief of separation * accepting all of Your will for me.

Leader; We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

All: Because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.

Leader: Buried in a borrowed tomb, * even as You were born in a borrowed cave, * so You end Your mortal life. * Your work in your-self is finished. * But Your work in Your Church is only beginning. * The teaching that You could not impart, * the sufferings that You could not endure in the short span of Your life. * You must now impart and bear in the members of Your Mystical Body.

All: My Lord Jesus, * I will be Your apostle. * I will introduce You by example and word * to those who know You not * sharing with them the great gift of faith. * Help me to be Your eyes, Your hands, Your heart, * thinking Your thoughts, * doing Your work * so that others looking at me may see You in me. * Thus may I give back to You that unique love * that from all eternity You have desired of me.

All: My Jesus, * I have followed You on the Way of the Cross. * And I have noticed as we struggle to Calvary * that Your every step was united to the will of Your Father. * Let His will be my rule also. * Help me to see in the happenings of each moment of my life * the Hand, the Voice, the Presence of God. * Help me to recognize that this moment * is given to me to show my love for God * by uniting my will with His. * Let this be my daily prayer * as I walk my life in union with You * "Father, Your will be done, regardless of the cost."