The Way of the Cross
Composed By: Fr. Bill Quinlivan The
Sung Refrain:
WE ARE BOUND…TO THE SAVING CROSS OF CHRIST
MAY WE BE INSPIRED…TO FOLLOW WHERE HE TROD THE WAY OF THE CROSS…TELLS HOW JESUS PAID THE PRICE O HOLY CALV’RY’S LAMB…THE LORD, THE SON OF GOD!
Opening Prayer
Lord, may we rise today to accompany Our Blessed Savior on His way to Calvary and deepen our resolve to take up and carry our crosses. With the prayer of St. Patrick’s Breastplate as an inspiration, may this journey be grace-filled. Through a mighty strength
The invocation of the Trinity Through belief in the Threeness Through confession of the Oneness of the Creator, Through the strength of Christ’s birth and His Baptism, Through the strength of His crucifixion with his burial...
Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.
I. Jesus Is Condemned to Death
All: We adore you, O Christ and We Praise You Because by your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.
With the obedience of angels who accompanied you, Jesus may we ponder prayerfully your condemnation: With God’s strength to pilot You, the Passion began. May all who follow you know Christ with them in moments when we experience condemnation from others or ourselves.
Quote:
“I am Patrick, a sinner most uncultivated and best of all the faithful and despised in the eyes of many.”
II. Jesus Takes Up His Cross
All: We adore you, O Christ and We Praise You
Because by your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.
In the service of archangels, all Heaven paused in awe as you took up your cross. St. Patrick prayed for God’s might to uphold him. With Christ before him, and like each of us who carry life’s crosses, may we be forever humbled by the one we are privileged to follow, the Son of God who willingly took up His Cross.
Sing Refrain: “We are bound to the saving cross of Christ...”
III. Jesus Falls the First Time
All: We adore you, O Christ and We Praise You
Because by your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.
With the prayers of the patriarchs and all who have handed down the story of Jesus’ suffering, we see our dear Lord fall under His Cross. St. Patrick prayed for God’s wisdom to guide him, and divine wisdom shows us the greatest love in the Paschal sacrifice: In retrospect, it is Christ behind us in history that impels our ongoing walk.
IV. Jesus Meets His Mother
All: We adore you, O Christ and We Praise You
Because by your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.
In the predictions of prophets we heard that the Virgin would conceive and bear a son. Through Our Lady’s maternal glance as Christ advanced on the Way, she had to trust in her Lord as St. Patrick prayed for “God’s eye to look before me.” Our discipleship can also benefit from meeting Jesus’ Mother. She who bore Him experienced uniquely the phrase in the Breastplate of St. Patrick “Christ in me.” And He is in us as well…
Sing Refrain: “We are bound to the saving cross of Christ...”
V. Simon Helps Jesus Carry the Cross
All: We adore you, O Christ and We Praise You
Because by your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.
In the preaching of Apostles, the call of Simon of Cyrene reminds us to become servants-with no helpful task beneath our dignity. St. Patrick prayed for “God’s ear to hear me.” Certainly Simon was close enough to the Savior of the World to hear His voice. Our opportunity to accept and offer others who bear their crosses a helping hand can be mystically supported by the grace of Christ beneath us, a manifestation of His wondrous grace all around those who call on Him!
VI. Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
All: We adore you, O Christ and We Praise You
Because by your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.
In the faith of confessors, the words and deeds of those like Veronica give witness to belief in Jesus’ true identity. St. Patrick prayed for “God’s word to speak for me.” St. Veronica’s action, though silent, spoke volumes of compassion that mirror the tenderness of Our Lord. The veil that she used to wipe the suffering Messiah’s face left an icon of Christ above us. That holy imprint directs our attention toward praise to Christ who died for us.
Sing Refrain: “We are bound to the saving cross of Christ...”
VII. Jesus Falls the Second Time
All: We adore you, O Christ and We Praise You
Because by your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.
St. Patrick’s Breastplate prayer “In the innocence of holy virgins.”
The second fall of Christ on the Way to his death is an efficacious sign of what He desired for us; that the virtuous might not fall! God’s hand to guard us when we do fall into sin is also simultaneously the priestly hand of Jesus absolving sin. The two thieves had “Christ on my right, and …on my left” and they symbolize our fundamental choice to accept or reject the salvation the Lord Jesus offers!
St. Patrick wrote: to give me perseverance and to design that I be a faithful witness to Him to the end of my life, for my God”
VIII. Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem
All: We adore you, O Christ and We Praise You
Because by your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.
In the decades of the righteous we have been bound O Lord. The holy women of Jerusalem who gathered by the roadside on the Via Dolorosa. Their tears were a consolation, and your glance an acknowledgement of their righteousness. God’s shield to protect us from the schemes of the un-righteous stands upon our relationship with you, O Loving Savior. Christ when we lie down to rest. May our bond with you bring peace even on the darkest days.
IX. Jesus Falls the Third Time
All: We adore you, O Christ and We Praise You
Because by your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.
In the strength of Heaven we place all our trust. Under the weight of gravity you fall a third time, sweet Jesus.. Unseen strength from heaven gave you enough power to persevere and rise again despite the exhaustion of this journey. But with Love beyond our imagining . St. Patrick prays for “God’s host to save me.” Jesus, the host of angels watched as you saved US. Christ when we sit down, be near when our human limitations sometimes make getting back up seem impossible, but for you amazing grace.
X. Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments
All: We adore you, O Christ and We Praise You
Because by your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.
Sing Refrain: “We are bound to the saving cross of Christ...”
In the light of the sun and radiance of the moon as clouds gathered for this drama’s concluding act, those for whom you would soon die tore your garments off your bruised, bleeding body. In the polar opposite of your swaddling clothes at Bethlehem, now cruel humanity, often caught up in the snares of devils, seem to have its way. O Christ, you offer us garments of dignity when we arise to seek you.
A quote from St. Patrick: “Sufficient for me is that honor which is not seen of men but is felt in the heart, as faithful is He who has promised and who never lies.”
Sing Refrain: “We are bound to the saving cross of Christ...”
XI. Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross
All: We adore you, O Christ and We Praise You
Because by your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.
Holy Lord, your Sacred Heart still burned with the splendor of fire, your thoughts of love like the speed of lightening as the nails are pounded, and your hands and feet are pierced, this perfect and eternal sacrifice will offer us protection from the temptation of vices. By your cross. We are so bound to you that we might find you. Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of us.
XII. Jesus Dies on the Cross
All: We adore you, O Christ and We Praise You Because by your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.
With the swiftness of wind, your last breath was carried away. In the fact that “it is finished.” Because of your death, Jesus, mercy and grace can now turn the stony hearts of everyone into wishes us ill, afar and near. No one at Calvary, in that 3:00 hour could see what the suffering servant would win- since it appeared to be a loss. Among the fruits of this death could be Christ in the mouths of all who speak of us. Your One death offers every soul the fullest life!
Sing Refrain: “We are bound to the saving cross of Christ...”
XIII. Jesus Is Taken Down From the Cross
All: We adore you, O Christ and We Praise You Because by your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.
The profound impact of your Passion, Lord affected all creation, to the ends of the earth and the depths of the sea. Death has lost its sting, as we can now summon all the powers between ourselves and destructive evils for you to transform Jesus. In our daily attempts to offer Sacrifices of praise, may we reach out to love even our enemies, and therefore find Christ in every eye that sees us.
XIV. Jesus is Laid in the Tomb
All: We adore you, O Christ and We Praise You Because by your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.
St. Patrick’s prayer as we are bound to your cross, Lord, mentions the stability of the earth, the firmness of rock. Your disciples laid your body in a rock-hewn tomb, one in which no else had lain. In the silence of the sepulchre, we summon the graces of our Salvation against every cruel and merciless power that may oppose our bodies and souls. And we commit ourselves to be a force for proclaiming Christ in every ear that hears us as we bind ourselves to you.
Sing Refrain: “We are bound to the saving cross of Christ...”
Closing Prayer
Holy Lord, may Divine Love arise in us today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the oneness of the creator of creation:
As faith, hope and love arise today, we find ourselves in awe of your Passion Lord. We were marked with the sign of the cross at our Baptism and we continue to bless ourselves at the start and end of our prayers. May we unite every sacrifice in our lives to your Saving Passion, and like St. Patrick, endure this life with firm trust in your presence on our way.
We make all these prayers through Christ, Our Lord. Amen
we adore you, O Christ, and we praise You because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
