wayofcrossdwl1


wayofcrossdwl1



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Suggested celebrations
Ali the celebrationsmusi be in harmony with the liturgicalspirit
of Lent. Hence, every liturgica! celebration and pious practice
should emphasize the aspect of conversion, in arder to benefit
from the salvificwork of Christ in bis death and glorious resur-
rection.
Special importance should begiven by the whole community
to the eucharistic celebration on Ash Wednesday, combining
it with the rite of the blessing and imposition of ashes, as
prescribed in the Romao Missal. Other celebrations which will
help to intensify the Lenten journey to Easter are:
* prayer services after the first Vespers of every Sunday in
Lent, or the,common recitation of the Office of Readings
'(see the Liturgy of the Hours);
* community-examination of consciencewithin a celebration
of the word of God;
* joining the local Church in its initiativesof penance, prayer,
and fasi to help the needy;
,
* common penitential services, during the monthly recollec-
tion, far the celebration of the sacrament 'ofreconciliation;
* the 'way of the cross';
* practice of reading andar silence duringmeals.
3.2. WAY OF THE CROSS
First Scheme
Rere we present a plan far the "way of tbc cross" which can
be used in various ways. The letters j<\\', 'B: 'C' showone
possibi?ity, but even that can be modified.
Plan j<\\'is a free translation from the work ofFrossard, offer-
ing us the possibility of a way of the cross with long texts far
128
meditation; each station could be concluded' with an 'Our
: Father " rather than with a prayer by the president. Plan B '
includes a short meditation on the events narrated. Plan 'C'
makes of the meditation a choral prayer. Between ODestation
and another, ODestanza of a hymn could be sung. lf there is
enough pIace and convenience, the assembly could accompany
the cross.
INTRODUCTORY HYMN
GREETING BY THE CELEBRANT
C In the name of the Father, and of the. San, and of the
Holy Spirito
A Amen.
C Brethren, together lei us go to' the mountain of
the Lord. Let us recognize, in Jesus' suffering,
the fulfilment of the promise of God who carne to
save uso The suffering Servant took upon himself
our iniquiti,es an'd he died far uso We afe consecrated
to be the presence of Christ in the world. Let us accept
our cross and meditate on the drama of the passion as
our own history.
C We adore you, O Christ, and we bless yoU.
A Be~ause by your holy cross you bave redeemed the
world.
C Let us pray: Great and faithful God, 100k mercifully
on us, who, together with Jesus our Redeemer, want to
follow, step by step, the so.rrowful way of the cross.
Through Christ Our Lord.
A Amen.
OR
C In the name of the Father...
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Chrlst, who offered himself during bis passion, as the
expiation of our sins, be with you ali.
A And also witb you.
G Let us prepare 6ur minds to meditate on the passion
and death of our Saviour. His death reveals the
greatness ofGod's lave far us and the gravity of our
sin. Let our feelings of sorrow be coupled with
gratitude and the resolution io. lead a lITeof lave.
C We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
A Because, by your boly cross, you bave redeemed
the world.
C Let us pray: O God, grani that we, who meditate on
the passion of Christ your San, may imitate in our lire
bis lave and self-donation to you and to bis brothers
and sisters. Through Christ Our Lord.
A Amen.
OR
C In the Dame of the Father, and of the San, and of the
Holy Spirit.
A Amen.
C We adore you, O Chrlst, and we bless you.
A Because, by your holy cross, you bave redeemed the
world.
G Let us re-live, together with Chrlst, the last hours of
bis lire, treading spiritually the road to Calvary. Jesus
suffered and died far us, to expiate our sins and to
reconcile mankind with the Father in heaven.
C Let us begin this meditation on the passion, with a
sincere act of contrition
(silent reflection).
130
C Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.
A Have mercy on uso
C Lamb of God, who. takes away the sins of the world.
A Have mercy on uso
C Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.
A Have mercy on uso
C All-powerful and eterna! God, grani that we may
celebrate with faith the mysteries of the passion of
Jesus, your San, so as to merit your forgiveness.
Through Christ Our Lord.
A Amen.
The First Statico: JESUS IS CONDEMNED
TO DEATH
C We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
A Because, by your holy cross, you bave redeemed tbe
world.
~
G O Christ, you were without sin, among men who were sin-
ners. It was neccessary that you should die and they con-
demned you. And we werepresent in that hour of outrage.
O Christ, San of man, condemned by man, we afe taking
back the body which we gave you: your body is lacerated
and torn by the scourging and crowning with thorns.
O Christ, in this journey of your agony, it is we who need
your mercy. Who will be able to wipe out our shame in
frolli of your suffering? We.beg you to forgiveour offence!
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\\Bcl
R Mt. '1.7,24-25;Jn. 19,13-16. .
[i]
G With qur compromises we bave allied ourselves with those
who were shouting mbst; with our spirìtual indo1encewe
bave joined hands with those who bave abandoned Jesus
to deiision and to death.
~
G Have mercy on us, Lord!
A Bave mercyon us, Lord!
G - O Father, ,we bave not been able to understand the
crowning act of your lave, which afferro your San in
sacrifice.
- We bave unjustly judged our brothers without any
sympathy.
- Webave 'washed our hands' off the difficultie3 of our
brothers.
jABC\\
C Christ has given bis lire far uso
A Let us also give our life for our brotbers.
C Father, look with favour on this your people, far
whom Jesus Christ dici not he,sitate to qffer himself to
bis executioners and to suffer~the torment of the cross.
Through Christ Our Lord.
A Amen.
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OR
C Father, you loved the world so much that you gave
your only San far usoGrant that we may understand
the gravity of sin andthe demands of yòur lave.
Through Christ Our Lord.
A Amen.
The Second Station: JESUS ISWADED
WITH THE CROSS
C We adore rOti, O Christ, and we bless rOti.
A Because, by your ho)y cross, you have redeemed tbe
workl.
~
G O Jesus, you carne to dweIl among uso
Youbave taughtus that lave implies pardon ~andit is ready
to bear aHthings; that lave is the care of your revelation.
You havequestioned our heart and bere is the answer:
outrage and condemnation, with a heavy cross placed on
your shoulders, like a part of the scaffoldingof the universe
which has coHapsed because of our betrayal.
O Christ, we beg rOti, forgive uso
I Bcl
R Mt. 2~,27~31.
~.
G Our sin weighs on the shoulders of Christ. He has made
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us sons of God and proc1aimers of justice, but we afe afraid
of the weight of the cross.
[I]
G Lord, save us because of your mercy.
A Lord, sav;eus because of your mercy.
G - O Christ, you suffer the passion of the cross for the sake
of mankind.
- O Christ, you reveal to us in your cross divine justice
which is born of love .and fulfilled in love.
- O Christ, on Calvary you invite man to offer himself
up, so that he might share in your divine lire.
I A BC I
C Christ has given bis lire for uso
A Let us also give our lite for our brothers.
C AII-powerflÙand eternal God, in your goodness you
bave willed that our Saviour should become incarnate
and die on the cross, to give man an example of
humility. Grant that we may become disciples of bis
,passion and thus share in bis resurrection. Through
Christ Our Lord.
A Amen.
OR
C AII-powerful God, through the merits of the passion
and death of your Son, grani us the strength to take
up our cross daily and to follow our Saviour, who lives
and reigns for ever.
A Amen.
134
The Third Station: JESUS FALLS
THE FIRST TIME
C
A We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
wBeocrladu.sè, by your holy cross, you bave redeemed the
0
G
O Christ, you bave told us: "My yoke is sweet and my
burden Iight", but we do not possess your meekness. Our
yoke hurts us and our burden weighsus down.This burden
is sin, which makes us weary and estranges us frolli God;
it is the bundle of lies, violence and cruelty, which you ex-
piate in our stead. Youafe not able to carry the weight ali
alone, without falling down. Your knees dash against the
ground, echoing the first denial of Peter, almost in sup-
pliant prayer which we do not hear.
Christ, without sin, bave mercy on .us.
~
R Is. 53,4-5a.
0
G Outrage is added to the unjust verdict. Jesus is ali alone
among the hostile crowd, and he falls: the victim of our
sin and of Our indifference.
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@]
G Pardon us, o Lord.
A Pardon us, O Lord.
G - For our falls into sin.
- For our lack of charity.
- For our weakness and impurity.
- For the neglect of our duties.
- For the betrayal of your holy lave.
[ABCI
C Christ has given bis lire far uso
A Let us also give our life far our brothers.
C Pardon, O Lord, your people who deservepunishment
on account of their sins, and grant them salvation
through your infinite mercy. Through Christ Our Lord.
A Amen.
OR
C All-powerful God, you bave loved us first, when we
were stilI sinners. Give us your grace to raise ourselves
from sin and to live in your grace. Through Christ Our
Lord.
A Amen.
Tbe Fourtb Station: JESUS MEETS BIS
M OfHER
C We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
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A Because, byyour holy cross, you bave redeemed the
world.
[!]
G Twopeople's gaze meet: one is that of the Passion that is
moving towards its inexorablecompletion, the other is that
of Compassion which looks up to heaven.
Your materna! pain, O Mary, upsets the arder of the world,
confronts hope; challenges faith. The wound, that opens
out in you, does not heal any more. This is the anguish
which we bave caused to your heart.
O womanof the beatitudes, lovjng and merciful, you afe
weeping aver the tempIe destroyed on earth byhatred but
'rebuilt in eternity by grace. Hail, full of grace! The Lord
is with you.
rB Cl
R Lk. 2,34-35.
0
G Every circumstance of the revelation of the mystery of the
san was in the heart of the mother. The promised sword
of pain was becoming a tormenting reality. Mary serenely,
yet with profound sorrow, shares in the lot of ber sono Her
gaze is on him and ber soul entrusts itself to the mystery
of the Eternal.
.
@]
G Pray far us, O Mary.
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A Pray for us, O Mary.
G - So that we may be faithful to your Jesus.
- So that we may share in the sufferings of our brotheys.!
- So that the trials of life may make us grow in love.-
IABCj
C Christ has givenbis life far uso
,.,
A I.etus also give our life for our brotbers.
C Lord Jesus Christ, may the saerifiee in wmeh we bave
participated, eelebrating devoutly the sorrows whieh
piereed your Virgin Mother, obtain far us from your
merey alI the graees we need far our salvation. You afe
Christ and Our Saviour.
A Amen.
'V
OR
C Hlther, you desired to associate the Virgin Mary with
the passion of your only Sono Grant that we, who
reeall ber sorrow, may participate together with ber in
the joy of the resurreetion. Through Christ Our Lord. J
A Amen.
.
~
Tbe fifthStatjon:
. . .
SIMON OF CYRENE
CARRIES THE,CROSS QF
JESUS
C We adore you, O Christ, and we bless yoU.
A Because, by your boly cross, you bave redeemed tbe
world.
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0
o O Christ, betrayal, ignoranee, seetarian hatred, injustiee
and oppression, alI these were present on that dar to eon-
demn you. But, in your goodness, you desired to associate
us with the rnysterious work of our salvation, through
Simon of Cyrene, ealled W your aid by your torturers.
Youbave never kept us awayfrom your passion. The Cyre-
nian followedyou by foree:far a moment, under the weight
of the eross, besides the Saviour, there is also the redeem-
ed. Lord, help us to bear the weight of our suffeJ;ings.
I B Cl
R ,Lk. 23,26.
[I]
G A stranger from Cyrene earries the eross of Jesus. Perhaps
he was foreed by the soldiers. However, he has a role in
the plan of God, who wants to associate alI of us in the
events of salvation and, through our erosses, in the salvifie
eross of the Sono
l£J
G We pray to you, O Lord.
A We pray to you, O Lord.
G '" For alI those who meet with the eross and afe foreed
to earry it.
-.For those who do noi understand that, through the eross
ofChrist, everyeross on màn' s shoulder beeomes the sign
of' saIvation.
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- For those who make of their suffering an offering to!
God, for the good of the Church.
.-
IA B C I
C Christ has givenhis life for uso
A Let us also' give our Jife for our brothers. LI
C Mercifully receive, O Lord, our offerings, and draw to
yourself our will, even when rebellious.
A Amen. ' ,
J
OR
C Father,
you call us to be disciples of your San. Grant us the
grace to carry joyfully the cross of your service, and to
soothen with our charity the sufferings of our
I
brothers. You who live and reign far ever and ever.
A A~en.
1
!' 'L
The Sixth Station: VERONICA WIPES
TUE FACE O}' JESUS
C We adore you, O Christ, and we bless yoU.
A Because, by your holy cross, you bave redeemed the
world.
0
. f('~
G O suffering woman, you had the cour.ageto recognizeand
approach Truth, ill-treated, misunderstood and outlawed
by meli. In the midst of that insolent and ho stile crowd,
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you proved the invincible courage of your lave. Veronica,
you who held the face of the Saviour in your hands in a
gesture of compassion, the beauty of which tradition has
never forgotten, pray far us that we may boldly express our
faith and lave.
O Christ, teach us to listen, to thecries of those weighed
down by the forces of condemnation ",ad death!
[TI]
R Is. 53}-3.
)
0
G In the disfigured face of Christ, we see his gratuitous lave
far mano The gesture of Veronica expresses the affection
of a sincere heart, shaken by the unjust condemnation. Our
freedom is best shown through solidarity with the perso n
who is most abandoned: he is Jesus who climbs Calvary
today.
@]
G Lord, bave mercy.
A Lord, bave mercy.
G - For all the times we bave been indifferent before in-
justice.
" -=--P"'o1''r a11the times we bave failed fo recognize you in the
poor.-
---'"F()~ dI the tinlesLbur pride prevented us frolli reflecting
. your' presence.
ù -It y.'
'l.
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I AB cl
C Christ has given bis lire for uso
A Let us also give our lite for our brothers.
C Father, you created us according to your image. Grant
that we may reflect the irnage of your Son in our lire.
Through Christ Our Lord.
A Amen.
C O God, you tUffi everything to good for those who
lave you. Grant us your invincible lave. May no
temptation ever lead us away from our desire to serve
you alone. You who live and reign for ever and ever.
A Amen.
The Seventh Station: JESUS FALLS
THE SECOND TIME.
C We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
A Because, by your holy cross, you bave redeemed the
world.
0
G O Christ, you did noi come to conquer kingdoms) because
your history is noi written with the blood of others, bui
with your own. You did noi come to judge and punish, bui
to give your lire far those who wouÌd, without ,your help,
die and disappear. Youcarneto gather to the last speck this ()
dust, of which we afe made. so that nothing that ydu
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created may be lqst;that what is corrupted and destroyed
by sin. may revive throughyour love; that there may be
nothing on earth so.low, so 'bopelesss, and so miserable,
which is beyond your uplifting lave.
Pardon, O Lord, our acts of fear and condemnation!
~
R JeI. 11,19;
".'
[!]
G Occasionai acts of compassion afe noi enough. The joumey
to Calvary is painful and every suffering musi be prompt-
ly accepted and soothened. Christ faIlsagain and we make
bis joumey more difficuIt by making a habit out of sin.
@]
G iòrd, come to our aid!
A Lord, come toour aid!
G -"-So that wemay be able to righi and conquer temptations.
- So that wemaybe able to rise again after webave sinned.
c-z-:S' p that we may be able 10 support those who afe
:,}fdiscouraged.
.'
.;-~So that we may be ableto lave the brothers whb bave
'i
sinned.
I~~B.C[
-~
C Christ has given bis lire far uso
A Let us also give our lite 'for our'brothers.
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c o Lord, you bave redeemed us, noi with gold or silver,
bUi with the precious blood of Christ. Give us the
grace to see in every ODea brother or sister for whom
Christ dieci. Through Christ Our "Lord.
A Amen.
OR
c O Lord, I bave sinned against you alone and
committed what is evil in your sight. Your word is just
and your judgement is irreproachable. O God, bave
pity on me because of your mercy and purify me from
my sin.
A Amen.
The Eighth Station: TRE WOMEN OF
JE~USALEM WEEP
FOR JESUS
C We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
A Because, by your boly cross, you bave redeemed !be
world.
'
0
G O Christ, your prophecy will soon be fulfilled. Jerusalem
will soon be destroyed. There will be left of the TempIe only
a broken wall, the object of lament, down the centuries,
of the sons of Israel, like a dam which gathers their sup-
plications and tears. And, even today, there is no pe.ace in
that Holy Land where you spoke to your disciples those
words which alone cali silence weapons: "Love yout
enemies" !
You, God of love, give peace to our hearts.
144
~
R-H Lk~23;27-28.
).
0
G Along with the spontaneous gesture of Veronica and the
forced help of the Cyrenian, the lament of the women of
Jerusalem is a new sign of humanity's participation in the
drama of Christ' s passion. Weafe pari of that event to the
extent we receive the word of Jesus and keep it.
@]
I(
G Lord,hear us!
A Lord, bear usI
'1"' " ~n.," .1.,
G - Teach us to be aware of the miseries of humanity
and help us to righi against them.
. =-, Teaçh ,us noi yield to a sterile sympathy, bui Jo feci
'. c,o-responsiqle for the sin in and ,outside>of us," tq over-
comeit withcourageandholines.s. - .
- T~a.chus DOttO be ,discouraged in the face of op-
pressipn, b\\!t to trust ~nyour j.]lsticç..JffiQ.
.,
C Christ has given bis lire for uso
A Let us also give our lite for our brotbers.
C O God, you desire to be mercifui rather than be angry
with those who trust in you. Grant us the grace to
weep over tbe sins we bave committed and to merit the
grace of your joys. Through Christ Our Lord.
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A Amen.
OR
C Father, you willed to associate human compa~si09 with
the passion of your only Sono Grant us the grace to
partic. ipate in the joy of the resurrection. Through ;-.-,-l I
Chnst Our Lord.
-I
A Amen.
-,.
'-'
The Niitth Station: JEStJS FALLS
'
TRE" THIRD-TIME
C We adore you, O Christ, and we bless yoU.
.j
A Because, by your holy cross, you bave redeemed the
world.
0
G The human béing, which comes from lbve,'returrls to lave
through suffeiing ana:death. The wholenumanity and aH
things on earth and in heaven, arid eventhe last raybf light,
afe aHdu-eto 10ve.Love,which manifests itself in creation,
~e ~
man tobring us salvation, bui we made
him silent. O Chr~s()ldiers force,you to t':!.epIace of
unjust execution and under the weight of your'gifts, that
we bave spurned, you faHdown the third time. Lord, bave
mercy on those who do noi know what they do.
~
R Is.53,7-8.
146
0
G Let us behold Jesus on this painful journey. He presents
himself to us as a man of sorrows, and participates in our
weakhuman nature. Jesus faHsagain far us, to make us .
rise alwayswith new hope of salvation, illumined and sus-
tained by the "wisdom of the cross".
@]
.,:,
G Thank you, Lord Jesus.
A Thank you, Lord Jesus
G -Because you aHowedyourself to be condemned, to free
us from the slavery of death.
'"7'"Because.you (elhunder the weight of the cross, to lift
,us up from our sins.
-c Because youshowed 'your lave for,mankind, by suffer-
ing intensely in the flesh'.
lAB C I
C Christhas given his lire for uso
A." Let us also give our lire fd!-our brothèrs.
C O God, our protector, tUffiyour eyes of pity onus~
weighed down by our sins, and grani us your pardon,
so that we may serve you with undying fidelity. You
who live and reign far ever and ever.
A Amen.
OR
C O God, comforter of the afflicted and liberator of the
oppressed, patir out ()n us the Spirit of your San, and
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grani that every mali may experience the strength and
sweetness of your fatherlyhand. Through Christ Our
Lord.
A Amen.
The Tenth Station: JESUS IS STJtIPPF:D
OF ms CLOTHES
C We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
A Because, by your boly cross, you bave redeemed tbe
world.
0
'I
o They afe abolii to divide yourgarments. They will casi lot
overyour seamlesstunic. As the SacredScripturethat, [rom
the first day ofcreation, gradual1yand incessantly reveals
and hides the presenceof God, so your garments, the words
of your message, O Christ, proc1aim and hide your per-
sonoWeshould seekyou alone, Lord, becausewe know that
you afe the infinite Truth. There is no truth without you
and there is no falsehood with yoU. Lord, througl). the
mystery of .y.our incarnation'1,. f..orgive us such an.outrage!
I BCI
R ML 27,33-37.
0
o The ancientprophecy is fulfilled: Christ assists at the divi-
148
sion of bis own garments. To follow Christ is to renounce
ali material security and to bear, with courage, the conse-
quences of a radical testimony.
@]
J~
o Lord, bave mercy on uso
A Lord, bave mercy on ns.
O - When we find that the poverty we bave freely chosen
costs uso
-When we long for material seclIrity, forgetting yourex-
ampie of extreme poverty.
- When our lire is noi consistent with the spirit 9f the
gospel and we do noi witness against the idolatry of riches
and power.
IABcl
C Christ has given bis lire for uso
ALet us also give ourlife for our brotbers.
C Father, Christ your SOliloved the Church and gave
himself up for ber. Grani us the grace to'love ber and,
overcoming ali divisions, to work for the genuine unity
of ali Christians. Through Christ Our Lord.
A Amen.
OR
C O Ood, through the passion of Chris't Our Lord, YOll
bave freed us from death. Grani that, having become
like hini; we may strive to carri within ourselves the
image of the new mano Through Christ Our Lord.
A Amen.
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The Elev~nth Station: JESUS IS NAll.,ED TO
THE CROSS
C We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
A Because, by your holy cross, you bave redeemed the
world.
0
G Lord, your hands which blessed so many, which cUl:edthe
sick, which restored sight to the blind, which removed
lepfosy from faces, which scribbled on the sand while the
flliseaccu~ersof the adulterous woman left one by one, your
hancls which broke the bréad and poured the wine so that
the invisible truths of faith might nourish the uncertain
realities of this visible world, your generous hands which
gave so much and receivedso little, now violently fixed to
the wood of the cross, will remain for ever open. Sharp
iron piercesyour feetwhich sanctifiedthe earth. The wicked
plan of man has reached its completion and everything is
now ~readyto lift up the crucified Christ.
~
R Mt. 27,39-44.
[~:l
G Christ is bound forever,.Butthe galIowsdestined for death
wilt' become the instrument of salvat~onfor eyer. And
Christ, raised upon the cross, will be the courage of every
missionary, in the proclamation of salvation to the ~orld.
150
@]
G We pray to you, o Father!
A We pray to you, O FatJter!
G - That the Lord Jesus, n~led to the cross for our salva-
tion, may be an incentive for us to be obedient to,sour will.
- That we may leam to embrace the cross with joy, ac-
cepting it as the means far our interior purification and
sharing in the lire of Christ.
- That we may a:lways be humble andcolJrageous
witnesses of your IÒngd<?m.
jAM:l
/' £
.
l"-'
c , Christ has given bis Jife forus.
1\\ Let us alg~ give our life far our brothers. l'
e o Lord; with the sign of'the holycross, protect your
people from the snares of the evil one, so 'that alI of us
may be the sign~"pjh:Y.oulorve and a pleasing oblation
to you. In, Christ Jes~s Our Lord.
'
A Amen.
OR
~
C O Father, Christ your San emptied hirnself, becoming
obedient unto death. Grant us the grace to live in
fidelity and obedience to your will. Through Chrisf
Our Lord.
A Amen.
~d-=~
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Tbc Twelftb Station: JESUS DIES ON
THE CROSS
C We adore you, a Christ, and we bless you.
A Because, by your holy cross, you bave redeemed the
world.
0
G And now, Lord, you afe a bundle of sufferings,-each parI
adding up to the whole. There is no breath in you that does
noI breathe destruction and ruin, there is no fibre in your
body that does noI vibrate with paia. Stili you pray:
"Father, forgive them, for they know noI what they do".
Those who mock you, do noI understand that, in your
tremendous immobility, you go to seek them tili the end
or their misery and sin, till the end of their final. refusal
and, evenfurther stilI, in the confusion of their indifference.
a Christ, you did not know darkness, and still we hear the
forlorn words of the psalm: "My God, my God, why bave
you forsaken me?" lt was necessary that you uttered these
words, so that no ODewould dare to say that you did noI
experiencethe supreme agonyof human condition. Youdie
on the cross to èonquer for everthe lonelinessof our death.
~
R ln. 19,25-30(Pause)
~
G A cry of paia and then the silence of death. We too bave
shouted: "Let him be crucified!" anly now, faced with the
152
destruction of the tempIe, do we understand the horrible
effect of our every sin.
@]
G a Lord, give us your strength.
A Lord, give us your strength.
G - When obedience runs counter to our desire for in-
dependence and egoismo '
~ When we afe alone to carry the cross,in the hour
of suffering.
~ When the mystery of death will grip our lire:
~I
[ABCI
.
'r G
ç Chri~t has given bis lire forus.
A Let us also give our lire for our 'br()thers.
C a God, our Father, in Jesus' you' bave revealed yourself
as love that offers itself even to the sacrificing of lire.
Grant that we may remain in your love, so that you
will be in us and we in you.Through Ohrist aur Lord.
A Amen.
OR
C a omnipotent and mercifuI God, you bave redeemed
us with the blessed passion and death of your Christ.
Preserve in us the work of your mercy and, through
our sharing in this mystery, give us the grace to live in
continuous thanksgiving. Through Christ aui" Lord.
A Amen.
~ .~
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The Thirteenth Station: JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN
~.J'FROM THE C~OSS
C We adore you, a Christ, and we bless you.
A Because, by your boly cross, you bave redeemed tbe '
world.
'" 1
0
q
G Everythingis accomplished. Yourgaze,a Lord, whichbap-
tized the earth, your gaze which renders eternal and clothes
with a new light aHbeings and the little things of lire, that
gale is no more far usoEverything is accomplished. AlI
those you met in the parabie of your lite will never go out
of human memory, theyare fixed far ever:the apostleand
the sinner; the rich young man and the woman at the weH
of Jacob; Filate who will continue to wash bis hands till
the end of time; Caiaphas with bis finger raised to pro-
nounce the unjust verdict, rising from the avarice of bis
heart; th.e blind man who had bis vision restored by the
waters; Lazarus, alive again,having escaped the claws of
death;.Martha who did not bave even a minute far herself,
and Mary, ber contemplative sister, whohad chosen the
better patì; Nicodemus who wanted to understand and the
Centurion who did not doubt at alI! Everything is ac-
complished. Your lacerated body, taken down from the
cross, slips into the hands of your mother, of lohn whom
you had entrusted to ber, ofMagdalen who is beside herself
with sorrow.a Mary, to be blessedamong alIwomen meant
that yoll would be asked to suffer aH this, to learn to ac-
cept aH this. Everything is accomplished. There is no ODe
around you, exceptthose few,strong inJaith and lave, who
. will shine out till the end of days, but who now bewailyour
101.
154
~
R Jn. 19,3!-34.38.
0
G Everything is accomplished. The ODe who betrayed him
mourns bis insane deed aH through eternity. The ODewho
denied him sheds tears and asks far hope. And the afflicted
mother wraps up, in lave and sorrow, the body of ber san,
taken down from the cross.
@]
G Forgive us, a Lord.
A Forgive_us,o Lord.
G - Because we had little faith in the power of your death.
- Because we did not bave hope and we were pessimistic
in our lire.
- Because, cIosed in on ourselves, we were not able to
understand and console others in their suffering.
IABCI
C Christ has given bis lire far others.
A Let us also give (,mrlife for our brotbers.
C O God, our Father, Christ your San has destroyed
death and sin by becomingobedientunto death. Grant
us the graçe to draw continuaI benefits from the
sacraments, the perennial source of lire and lave.
Through Christ aur Lord.
A Amen.
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OR
c O Lord, in your passion the'sword of sorrow pierced
the loving heart of the glorious Vir&in ard,Mot~er
Mary. Through the merits and praye'fs of tlie faitnful
one at the foot of the cross, grani us, who now recall
with devotion ber sorrows, the saving fruits of your
redemption. Through Christ Our Lord
-A Amen.
rI
The Fourteenth Station: JESUS IS BURIED
C We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
A Because, by your holy cross, you bave redeemed the
world.
0'0
0
G It is aH aver. This hour, in which aH seems lost, is the hour
of faith far mali, and only that. God looks atman with
tenderness, like the spouse his beloved. God waits to enter
Jerusalem. And Jerusalem asks if it will stilI have faith,
because of the doubt expressed by Christ before its walls
which had to disappear for the expansion iuta the univt:r-
sal Church.
She, the new Jerusalem" waits withgre~tpadence, wakeful
among the soldiers who bave [allen asleep before the
sepulchre, where the body of Christ has been buried:<This
narrow new tomb where you.lie, O Lord, is for het'tl1e ark
of the new covenant, bui it is no more the ILaWthàt iVcon-
tains, it is holiness, the principle of.the'èhurchrarH:l fùture
fulifilments: she knows thatyou wIn rise<on the tliird day.
156
Lord, hidden in this world even more than in the sepulchre,
break the stalle in us, with which we bave placed aseal aver
you. We ask you this in our weak faith. Even in the pro-
found grief of Good Friday, something irPus hums a
melody, because this night, which envelopes us, is nothing
bui thebeginning of a day. And that day, O Christ, is you!
",.- '- Il
"
I B O'!,"' ~
R Mt. 27,57-60.
;i!"'
i",
[!]1
G We.afe stilIwaiting. Our faith is sure. This tempIe, that was
ctestroyedby rhèn, will be rebuilt by God. And down the
centuries, we will be witnesses of Christ, dead buttruly
risen. The scandal of the cross is the wisdom of the new
victory.
I A BCI
C
Christ
".
k
has
given bis
.,
~I
life
far
.
uso~
'"
A Let us àlso give our life for our brothers.
C O Lord, in baptism you 'bave united us to Christ your
San. Give us the grace to die to sin always, so as to
rise with him in lave. You who live and reign for ever
and ever.
A Amen.
,.
OR
C O almighty God, you afe our only good and, we have
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-
nothing besides you. Preserve in us the work of your
mercy and the fmit of our participation in these
mysteries. In Christ Jesus Our- Lord.
A Amen
CONCLUSION
C Vveadore your cross, O Lord.
A And we praise and glorify your holy resurrection, becal!.se
through the cross joy has entered the whole world'J 'i i
C The Lord be with you.
A And also with you.
C Father, your only San has destroyed our death through
bis death, and has renewed our lire through bis
resurrection. Give us the grace to live o,!r lire in the
expectation of the joy of heaven. Through Ch.rist"O'J ur
Lord.
A Amen.
OR
C We adore your cross, O Lord
A And we praise and glorify your holy resurrection~
C We bless you, O Christ.
A With your Cross, you bave redeem~d mankind from
sin.
C The Lord be with you.
A And also with you.
; ;,
.t
C Father, your only San has vanquished our death
through bis death, he has renewed our lire through bis
resurrection. Teach us to live as children, obedient to
your will, awaiting the marriage of the Lamb.
Through 'Christ Our Lord.
A Amen.
158
OR
R The passion ofJesus is not"over. Re tontinues to suffer
in the peoplewho s_ufferbecause of sin,.because 6:fìn-
justice, because or their striving for tme freedom. Today,
it is up to us, bis Church, the members of bis mysticalbody,
to "complete in us bis passion" for the redemption of the
worlcl, carryingjn ou~ heart and iJ:lour flesh, the suffer-
ings of alI menoThe death of Christ is noi the end; it opens
itself to the resurrection. Our lire is illumiÀedby the hope
that we, and with us the whole world, will be traÌlSformed
tostare in the glorious .life of the risen Lord.
C Christ has given bis lire far uso
A Let us also give our lire for our brothers.
C Let us pray: Loid Jes'us, teach ùs to carry otu cro~s
daity and to fofIo\\\\!you with generous will, to maké
reparation far our sins and those o( the world. You
who saved us., m,oaR.,e~-ùs sa~i81irsci ou~r-, brothers. As
yoli gave your life far' lis, 'so"ma)' ...vegiye ours for
Jothets. M~kr:>KIoyful witnesses ofyòur resurrection
a'nd preservirali~e in us the hope of thejoy which you
bave promised to your faithful people. You who live
glorious through alI ages.
A Amen.
At the end of the service, the celebrant cali give the last bless-
ing in the usuaI wayor with the cross in silence and then dismiss
the people.
t ~OLf!1.rist,
dead far our~sa~o
A Thanks be to God.
who died and rose frolli the
in peace!
FINAL HYMN
159