First Station
Song:
"Were you there when they sentenced him to die?"
Leader:
First Station: Jesus Is Condemned to Death
Crossbearer:
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All:
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Leader:
They began conspiring against Jesus while he taught and healed the sick in the towns and villages of Galilee (Mark 3:6). Now he was teaching in Jerusalem. They tried to trick him. They tried to find testimony against him, but the witnesses did not agree (Mark 14:55-56). Still they condemned him as one deserving death (Mark 14:64).
John the Baptist:
I had been sent to prepare the way. I did it by preaching repentance and baptizing. I also did it by giving my life. In some ways we were very much alike. You know he came to me to be baptized, though he was far greater than I. I was not worthy to unloosen the thongs of his sandals (Mark 1:2-8).
Leader: Oppressed and condemned, he was taken away.
All:
Like a lamb led to slaughter, he opened not his mouth.
Isaiah 53:7-8
Leader:
Let us pray.
All:
Lord Jesus, Son of the Blessed One, You came to save us from sin and death. You came to bring life to people condemned by sin, and for that you were condemned to death. Open our hearts and give us the life only you can give. For this we pray to you, our Lord and savior, living and reigning for ever and ever. Amen.
Second Station
Song:
"Were you there when he lifted up his cross?"
Leader:
Second Station: Jesus Takes Up His Cross
Crossbearer:
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All:
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Leader:
As Jesus stood before Pilate with Barabbas in the distance, the crowd kept shouting, "Crucify him!" He had done no evil. Still the crowd shouted, "Crucify him!" To satisfy them, Pilate had Jesus scourged, and he handed him over to be crucified (Mark 15:12-15).
Simon Peter:
I was just a fisherman. My brother Andrew and I were casting nets one day on the Sea of Galilee. He said he would make us fishers of men (Mark 1:16-18). He kept saying it would lead to this, but it did not seem possible. I knew he was the Messiah, but this is not the kind of messiah we were expecting (Mark 8:27-30).
Leader:
In you our ancestors trusted and you delivered them.
All:
To you they cried, and they were not put to shame.
Psalm 22:5-6
Leader:
Let us pray.
All:
Lord Jesus, you asked us to take up our cross and follow you. Yours was a huge cross, heavy with the sins of the world. Ours is a small cross, but our shoulders are also small. Help us to carry our cross as we try to follow in your footsteps. For this we pray to you, our Lord and Savior, living and reigning for ever and ever. Amen.
Third Station
Song:
"Were you there when he fell beneath its weight?"
Leader:
Third Station: Jesus Falls Beneath the Cross
Crossbearer:
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All:
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Leader:
Tradition has it that Jesus fell beneath the weight of the cross three times. The sins of the world made for a heavy burden. Those who took up their cross and tried to follow him fell over and over again. But there was a difference. Jesus fell out of physical weakness. The disciples fell from spiritual weakness.
Simon's Mother-in-law:
I remember the first time he came to our home. He came with Simon, my son-in-law, and Andrew. James and John were with them. I was sick with a fever. He came to me, took my hand and raised me up. With that I began my ministry to them (Mark 1:29-31). He made our home his home in Capernaum.
Leader:
We thought him as stricken, smitten by God.
All:
But it was our infirmities that he bore, our sufferings he endured.
Isaiah 53:4
Leader:
Let us pray.
All:
Lord Jesus, you fell beneath the weight of the cross, but you held on to it firmly. We too fall, like Peter denying that he knew you. May we always hold on to your cross as we stumble and fall. For this we pray to you, our Lord and Savior, living and reigning for ever and ever. Amen.
Fourth Station
Song:
"were you there when Simon took the cross?"
Leader:
Fourth Station: Simon Is Forced to Take up the Cross
Crossbearer:
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All:
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Leader:
Simon came from far-off Cyrene in North Africa and was perhaps was living in Jerusalem. That morning, Simon happened to be coming into Jerusalem from the country.
Simon of Cyrene:
I did not know him then. I was going about my business when they pushed me into the center of the crowd and forced me to carry his cross. I had not idea what was going to happen. I was afraid. But then I saw his wounds and I saw the love burning in his eyes. It is only later that I met his disciples. Since then, my sons Rufus and Alexander and I (Mark 15:21) have taken up our own cross. We are followers now.
Leader:
Be not far from me, for I am in distress.
All:
Be near, for I have no one to help me.
Psalm 22:12
Leader:
Let us pray.
All:
Lord Jesus, you said, "Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the Gospel will save it." You carried the cross for all of us, and you asked us to carry it with you. Strengthen us as we try to bear the cross with Simon of Cyrene. For this we pray to you, our Lord and Savior, living and reigning for ever and ever. Amen.
Fifth Station
Song:
"Were you there when they stripped him of his clothes?"
Leader:
Fifth Station: Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments
Crossbearer:
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All:
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Leader:
The soldiers stripped him of his garments, dressed him in royal purple, and placed a crown of thorns on his head. They mocked him: "Hail, King of the Jews!" They knelt before him in homage. Afterwards, they dressed him in his own garments, and led him out to be crucified (Mark 15:16-20).
Bartimaeus:
I was beside the road begging the day he came by with his disciples (Mark 10:46). I kept shouting, "Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me." He heard me. Going up to him I threw aside my old cloak, ready to put on the new. He said my faith had saved me, and I immediately began to follow him (Mark 10:47-52).
Leader:
They look on and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my cloak they cast lots.
All:
But you, O Lord, be not far from me; O my help, hasten to
aid me.
Psalm 22:19-20
Leader:
Let us pray.
All:
Lord Jesus, in baptism we put on Christ. We put on the garments of the Christian life, to walk in faith, charity and hope. But remnants of our former self still cling to us. Strip us of our sin. For this we pray to you, our Lord and Savior, living and reigning for ever and ever. Amen.
Sixth Station
Song:
"Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?"
Leader:
Sixth Station: Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross
Crossbearer:
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All:
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Leader:
They brought Jesus to Golgotha, and they crucified him. That was around nine o'clock in the morning (Mark 15:22-25). Pilate had asked him if he was King of the Jews. He had answered, "You say so." When they crucified him, they put up the inscription, "The King of the Jews." They crucified him between two thieves.
A Syrophoenician Woman:
He knew I was a Gentile, and a woman besides. When I begged him to heal my daughter, he tested me with a popular saying about not giving the food of the children to the dogs. I replied, "Even the dogs under the table get the crumbs." He liked the answer and healed my daughter.
Leader:
But he was pierced for our offense, crushed for our sins,
All:
Upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we were healed.
Isaiah 53:5
Leader:
Let us pray.
All:
Lord Jesus, faithful to the end, fixed with nails to the cross you bore, your blood poured out means life for us all. Give us that life. Hold the cup of blessing to our parched lips. May our own little wounds be sign of your love for all. For this we pray to you, our Lord and Savior, now living and reigning for ever and ever. Amen.
Seventh Station
Song:
"Were you there when he breathed his dying breath?
Leader:
Seventh Station: Jesus Dies on the Cross
Crossbearer:
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All:
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Leader:
At noon darkness descended over the whole land. At three o'clock, Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" He was quoting Psalm 22. His dying words were a prayer. When Jesus breathed his last, the veil of the sanctuary was torn from top to bottom. Even the centurion was moved by the way he died.
Centurion:
It was my responsibility to see to it that the execution was duly carried out. I had to stand there to the very end. I have done this before. Jesus was different. "Truly this man was the Son of God" (Mark 15:39).
Leader:
My God, my God why have you forsaken me, far from my
prayer, from the words of my cry?
All:
He did not turn his face away from him, but when he cried
out to him, he heard him.
Psalm 22:2,25
Leader:
Let us pray.
All:
Lord Jesus, though in the form of God, you accepted to be human like us, accepting even death. Abandoned by all, you died for us. Be with us now as we face our own weakness and eventual death, that our lives be united in your supreme gift. For this we pray to you, our Lord and Savior, now living and reigning for ever and ever. Amen.
Eighth Station
Song:
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?"
Leader:
Eighth Station: Jesus Is Placed in the Tomb
Crossbearer:
We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
All:
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Leader:
Joseph of Arimathea laid the body of Jesus in the tomb. It was the Day of Preparation for the Sabbath. That year it coincided with the Passover.
Joseph of Arimathea:
I have been waiting and preparing for the kingdom of God. I knew that with Jesus the kingdom had arrived. Little matter that it appeared like a tiny mustard seed and would take all of history to grow. The kingdom was already in our midst (Mark 4:30-32). I laid him in the tomb, but I knew the tomb would never be able to contain him (Mark 15:42-46).
Leader:
A grave was assigned to him among the wicked and a burial
place with evildoers,
All:
Though he had done no wrong nor spoken any falsehood.
Isaiah 53:9
Leader:
Let us pray.
All:
Lord Jesus, they laid your body in a tomb. Many thought it was the end. Not so! Mortal like us, you had to die and be buried among us. There is so much in us that needs to die and be buried. Be with us always as we live out our baptism and offer our lives in service. For this we pray to you, our Lord and Savior, now living and reigning for ever and ever.
Amen.