Way of the Cross on the Inner Life
Way of the Cross on the Inner Life
(Cf. God, who is rich in mercy)
"I grant most graces to souls who devoutly contemplate My suffering." [737]
Opening prayer
Merciful Lord, my Master, I will follow You faithfully, I will imitate You in my life in ever more perfect ways. Therefore I ask You to grant me through the contemplation of Your suffering the grace to understand the mysteries of the spiritual life ever better.
Mary, Mother of Mercy, lead me on the paths of the bitter suffering of Your Son and obtain for me the necessary graces for a fruitful experience of this Way of the Cross. I offer it especially for the sanctification of priests and religious and for all who strive for true interiority and perfection.
Prayer before each station
We adore You, O Lord Jesus Christ, and praise You.
For by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
I. Station
Jesus is condemned to death
The chief priests and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus so they could condemn Him to death.
(Mt 26:59-60)
Jesus:
"Do not wonder that you are sometimes unjustly exposed to suspicion. Out of love for you I drank the chalice of innocent sufferings first." [289]
"When I stood before Herod, I asked for you the grace to rise above the contempt of men and to follow My paths faithfully." [1164]
Sister Faustina:
"We are accustomed to reacting to speech and think we must always answer at once, without paying heed to whether it is God's will that we speak. A silent soul is strong; all adversities harm it not when it perseveres in silence. A silent soul is capable of uniting itself with God most intimately." [477]
Merciful Jesus, help me to be able to accept every human judgment, and do not allow me ever to condemn You in my neighbour.
II. Station
Jesus takes His Cross upon Himself
"He carried His cross and went out to the so-called Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha."
(Jn 19:17)
Jesus:
"Do not be afraid of suffering, I am with you." [151]
"The more you grow to love suffering, the purer your love for Me will be." [279]
Sister Faustina:
"Jesus, I thank You for the daily little crosses, for the obstacles to my plans, for the burden of community life, for the misinterpretation of intentions, for humiliations by others, for harsh treatment, for groundless accusations, for weak health and exhaustion, for the denial of my own will, for the effacement of my own self, for the lack of recognition in all things, for the thwarting of all plans." [343]
Merciful Jesus, teach me to value the burden of life, illness and every suffering and to carry this daily cross with love.
III. Station
Jesus falls the first time under the Cross
"Upon Him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by His wounds we were healed."
(Is 53:5)
Jesus:
"Involuntary faults of souls do not hold Me back in My love for them (…) and do not prevent Me from uniting Myself with them; but even the smallest faults, voluntarily committed, hold back My graces; such souls I cannot overwhelm with My gifts." [1641]
Sister Faustina:
"O my Jesus, how much I tend to evil. This compels me to constant vigilance over myself. But I let nothing discourage me. I trust in the grace of God, which is abundantly present in the greatest misery." [606]
Merciful Lord, preserve me from every, even the very smallest, but voluntarily committed and conscious infidelity.
IV. Station
Jesus meets His Mother
"A sword will pierce through your own soul also."
(Lk 2:35)
Jesus:
"Although all works that arise from My will are exposed to great sufferings, consider whether any of them was exposed to greater suffering than My direct work, the work of redemption. You should not grieve too much over adversities." [1643]
Sister Faustina:
"I heard the voice of the most holy Mother: 'Know, my daughter, although I was raised to the dignity of Mother of God, seven swords of sorrow have pierced my heart. Do nothing to defend yourself, bear all in humility, God Himself will defend you.'" [786]
Mary, Mother of Sorrows, be always with me, especially in suffering, as You were present at the Way of the Cross of Your Son.
V. Station
Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the Cross
"As they led Him away, they seized a man from Cyrene named Simon (…) They laid the cross on him to carry behind Jesus."
(Lk 23:26)
Jesus:
"I allow difficulties so that your merits may be multiplied. I reward not the good outcome but the patience and effort undertaken for Me." [86]
Sister Faustina:
"O my Jesus, You reward not for the good outcome of a deed but for the sincere will and the efforts. Therefore I am quite calm, even if all my efforts and exertions remain fruitless or should never be realised. If I do everything that is in my power, the rest no longer belongs to me." [952]
Jesus, my Lord, may every thought, every word and every action be done solely out of love for You. Purify my intentions.
VI. Station
Veronica offers Jesus the cloth
"Many were appalled at Him, so disfigured did He look, no longer like a man, His form was no longer that of a man."
(Is 52:14)
Jesus:
"Know that when you do something good to any soul, I accept it as if you had done it for Myself." [1768]
Sister Faustina:
"From Jesus I learn to be good, from Him who is goodness itself, that I may be called daughter of the Heavenly Father." [669]
"Great love can transform small things into great, and love alone gives value to our deeds." [303]
Lord Jesus, my Master, bring it about that my eyes, my hands, my mouth and my heart be merciful. Transform me into mercy.
VII. Station
Jesus falls the second time under the Cross
"He has borne our infirmities and carried our sorrows."
(Is 53:4)
Jesus:
"The cause of your defeats is that you rely too much on yourself and too little on Me." [1488]
"Know that you can do nothing of yourself." [639]
"Without My special help you are not even capable of receiving My graces." [738]
Sister Faustina:
"Jesus, do not leave me alone. (…) You, Lord, know how weak I am. I am the abyss of misery, I am sheer nothingness; is it then surprising if You leave me alone, that I fall." [1489]
"So You must, Jesus, constantly be with me, like a mother with her weak child, even more." [264]
May Your grace assist me, Lord, that I do not continually fall into the same errors. And when I fall, help me to rise and praise Your mercy.
VIII. Station
Jesus instructs the women of Jerusalem
"A great crowd of people followed Him, including women who bewailed and lamented Him."
(Lk 23:27)
Jesus:
"O how dear to Me is living faith." [1421]
"I wish that in the present time there were more faith among you." [353]
Sister Faustina:
"I earnestly ask You, Lord, to strengthen my faith, that I may not be led by human moods in the grey daily routine but by the Spirit. O how everything draws man to earth, but living faith keeps the soul in higher spheres and assigns self-love its proper place, the very last." [210]
Merciful Lord, I thank You for holy Baptism and for the grace of faith. Again and again I cry: Lord, I believe, increase my faith!
IX. Station
Jesus falls the third time under the Cross
"He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth."
(Is 53:7)
Jesus:
"Know that the greatest obstacle to holiness is listlessness and groundless anxiety. They take from you the possibility of exercising virtue. (…) I am always ready to forgive you. Whenever you ask Me, you praise My mercy." [1488]
Sister Faustina:
"My Jesus, despite Your graces I feel and see my whole misery. I begin and end the day in battle. Scarcely have I overcome one difficulty when ten new ones spring up in its place to be fought. But I do not grieve over this, for I know that now is the time of strife and not of peace." [606]
Merciful Lord, I give You what is my sole property, that is sin and human weakness. I beg You that my misery may be submerged in Your inexhaustible mercy.
X. Station
Jesus is stripped of His garments
"So the Scripture might be fulfilled: 'They divided My garments among themselves and cast lots for My tunic.'"
(Jn 19:24)
Sister Faustina:
"Jesus suddenly stood before me, stripped of His garments, covered with wounds all over His body, His eyes filled with blood and tears, His whole face disfigured, covered with spittle. Then Jesus said to me:"
Jesus:
"The bride must be like the bridegroom."
Sister Faustina:
"I understood these words deeply. There is no room for doubt here. My likeness to Jesus should be through suffering and humility." [268]
Jesus, who are silent and pure of heart, form my heart according to Your Heart.
XI. Station
Jesus is nailed to the Cross
"They brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha. It was the third hour when they crucified Him."
(Mk 15:22.25)
Jesus:
"My disciple, harbour great love for those who inflict suffering on you; do good to those who hate you." [1628]
Sister Faustina:
"O my Jesus, You know what effort it takes to be honest and sincere with those before whom our nature recoils, or with those who have consciously or unconsciously wronged us; humanly speaking it is impossible. In such moments I strive more than ever to discover Jesus in the person in question and for the sake of this Jesus I do everything for the persons in question." [Cf. 766]
O purest love, rule my heart in full measure and help me to love what exceeds every human measure. [Cf. 328]
XII. Station
Jesus dies on the Cross
"Jesus cried out in a loud voice: 'Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit.' After saying this He breathed His last."
(Lk 23:46)
Jesus:
"All this for the redemption of souls. Consider what you do for their salvation." [1184]
Sister Faustina:
"I saw whole multitudes of crucified souls just like Jesus. I saw a second and a third multitude of souls. The second multitude was not nailed to the cross, but the souls held the cross firmly in their hands. The third multitude was neither crucified nor did the souls hold the cross in their hands, but they dragged it behind them and were discontented."
Jesus:
"Do you see the souls who are like Me in suffering and contempt, they will also be like Me in glory; those who resemble Me less in suffering and contempt will also have less likeness to Me in glory." [446]
Jesus, my Redeemer, hide me in the depths of Your Heart, that strengthened by Your grace I may become like You in love for the Cross and have a share in Your glory.
XIII. Station
Jesus is taken down from the Cross and laid in His Mother's arms
"Joseph of Arimathea (…) asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission."
(Jn 19:38)
Jesus:
"A soul who firmly believes in My goodness is dearest to Me. I give her My trust and give her all she asks." [453]
Sister Faustina:
"I take refuge in Your mercy, kind God, for You alone are good. Though my misery is great and my guilt numerous, I trust in Your mercy; for You are the God of mercy, of whom no one has heard for centuries that Heaven and earth remember, that a soul was disappointed who trusted in Your mercy." [1730]
Mary, Mother of Mercy, lead me on the path of the inner life. Teach me to suffer and to love in suffering.
XIV. Station
Jesus is laid in the tomb
"Joseph took Him and wrapped Him in a clean linen shroud. Then he laid Him in a new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock for himself."
(Mt 27:59-60)
Jesus:
"You are not yet in the Father's house. Go then, strengthened by My grace, and fight for My kingdom in the souls of men. Fight like a king's child and remember that the days of exile pass quickly and with them the possibility of gathering merits for heaven. I expect from you (…) a great number of souls who will praise My mercy for all eternity." [1489]
Sister Faustina:
"Every soul You have entrusted to me, Jesus, I will support through prayer and sacrifice, that Your grace may become effective in them. O great Friend of souls, my Jesus, I thank You for Your great trust in graciously placing the souls under our care." [245]
Bring it about, merciful Lord, that not one of the souls You have entrusted to me perish.
Prayer after the Way of the Cross
My Jesus, my only hope, I thank You for the book You have opened before the eyes of my soul. The book is Your suffering, which You took upon Yourself out of love for me. From this book I have learned to love God and souls. It contains inexhaustible treasures for us.
O Jesus, how few souls understand You in Your suffering for love! (…) Happy the soul that has understood the love of the Heart of Jesus. [304]