Author: staff

The Way of the Cross
A Journey of Hope

April 18, 2025

7:30 PM

The Way of the Cross
A Journey of Hope

Opening Hymn
Were You There
#385, Journeysongs
Order of Each Station of the Cross
Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross,
you have redeemed the world.
Leader reads a reflection.
Leader reads reflection questions.
Leader: We pray...
All: Lord Jesus,
help us walk in your steps.

Sing:

(We adore you, O Christ.)

Permission to reprint the music in this booklet obtained from ONE LICENSE,
License # A-737449. All rights reserved.

Prayer: Darkness to Light - Based on the Beatitudes
Leader: May God bless the poor in spirit.
All: Ours is the kingdom of heaven.
Leader: May God bless all who mourn.
All: We will be comforted.
Leader: May God bless the meek.
All: We will inherit the earth.
Leader: May God bless those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
All: We will be filled.
Leader: May God bless the merciful.
All: We will receive mercy.
Leader: May God bless the pure in heart.
All: We will see God.
Leader: May God bless the peacemakers.
All: We are called children of God.
Leader: May God bless those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.
All: Ours is the kingdom of heaven.
Leader: May God bless us when people revile us and persecute us and utter all kinds of evil against us falsely on account of Jesus Christ.
All: Let us rejoice and be glad, for our reward is great in heaven, for in the same way, the prophets before us were persecuted.
Leader: May God bless us as we call upon the Light of Christ.
All: Illuminate our Good Friday shadows, O Holy Light. Amen.
Closing Prayer
response after each petition
Leader: We place our prayers…
All: Into Your Light, O Lord.

Questions for Your Reflection
First Station—Jesus Is Condemned to Death
Who are those in your community who may be unjustly condemned, in large or small ways? How is Jesus inviting you to respond?
Second Station—Jesus Carries His Cross
What cross seems heavy in your own life? What does it mean to imagine Jesus taking up his cross for you?
Third Station—Jesus Falls the First Time
What are the times in your life that you have stumbled under the weight of your burdens? How is Jesus inviting you to stand back up?
Fourth Station—Jesus Meets His Mother
Whom are you invited to care for? How do you help bear their pain?
Fifth Station—Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry the Cross
Who is someone in your life or in your community who is suffering right now? How can you help share that individual’s burden?
Sixth Station—Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
Who in your life may need their physical needs met? How can you extend compassion in a way that shows your love?
Seventh Station—Jesus Falls a Second Time
What stirs in your heart upon contemplating a fragile Jesus on his knees? What personal fragility or pain can you ask Jesus to help you carry? Where might this fallen Jesus be asking you to encounter him in today’s suffering humanity?
Eighth Station—Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem
In times of suffering, when have you experienced hope? Who has reached out to you to offer hope? Who might need a message of hope from you?
Ninth Station—Jesus Falls the Third Time
When have I experienced suffering that seems to never end? How can I take comfort in knowing Jesus is there with me?
Tenth Station—Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments
When have I witnessed an individual or group of people being dehumanized by society? How is Jesus inviting me to stand up in solidarity with them?
Eleventh Station—Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross
In times of suffering or loss, what has happened to your faith? How have you experienced Jesus there with you?
Twelfth Station—Jesus Dies on the Cross
What is the mission the Father has entrusted to you? Can you echo Jesus’ words, “It’s done”?
Thirteen Station—Jesus Is Taken Down from the Cross
How can you ensure that you do not turn your eyes away from suffering in your midst? How do you keep our hearts open to feel compassion for all the victims of our human cruelty and neglect?
Fourteenth Station—Jesus Is Laid in the Tomb
When have you experienced a loss that seemed like an end? How might this time have been a preparation for something new?
Stations of the Cross Reflections and Questions are from Members of the USA Midwest Province of the Jesuits. jesuitsmidwest.org/stations