Introduction
Let us glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ
in whom is salvation, life, and resurrection.
First station
Jesus is condemned to death
We adore you o Christ and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the whole world.
Scripture reading
The chief priests with the elders and the scribes, that is, the whole Sanhedrin, held a council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate questioned him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He said to him in reply, “You say so.” The chief priests accused him of many things. Again Pilate questioned him, “Have you no answer? See how many things they accuse you of.” Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed…. Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barrabas… and handed Jesus over to be crucified. (Mark 15: 1-5, 15)
Oblate reading
Oblates are called to be “ready to sacrifice goods, talents, ease, self, even their life, for the love of Jesus Christ, the service of the Church and the sanctification of their brethren.” (Preface)
Moment of contemplation
Second station
Jesus takes up his cross
We adore you o Christ and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the whole world.
Scripture reading
When the chief priests and the guards saw Jesus they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him. I find no guilt in him.” … They cried out, “Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your king?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and carrying the cross himself he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha. (John 19: 6, 15-17)
Oblate reading
Called to follow Jesus, we too listen attentively for the Father’s voice so that we may spend ourselves without reserve to accomplish his plan of salvation. (C24)
Moment of contemplation
Third station
Jesus falls the first time
We adore you o Christ and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the whole world.
Scripture reading
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)
Oblate reading
“We come before (the Lord) bearing with us the daily pressures of our anxiety for those to whom he sends us.” (C32)
Moment of contemplation
Fourth station
Jesus meets his mother
We adore you o Christ and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the whole world.
Scripture reading
Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed — and a sword will pierce your own soul too. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.” (Luke 2:34-35, 51b)
Oblate reading
“We shall always look on her as our mother . In the joys and sorrows of our missionary life we feel close to her who is the Mother of Mercy.” (C10)
Moment of contemplation
Fifth station
Simon helps Jesus carry the cross
We adore you o Christ and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the whole world.
Scripture reading
As they led him away, the soldiers seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus. (Luke 23:26)
Oblate reading
“Our choice of poverty compels us to enter into a closer communion with Jesus and with the poor…, to proclaim the coming of a new world… open to sharing.” (C20)
Moment of contemplation
Sixth station
Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
We adore you o Christ and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the whole world.
Scripture reading
Of you my heart has spoken: “Seek his face.” It is your face, O Lord, that I seek; hide not your face. (Psalm 27:8)
Oblate reading
“The desire to cooperate with (Christ the Saviour) draws us to know him more deeply, to identify with him, to let him live in us . We strive to reproduce in ourselves the pattern of his life.” (C2)
Moment of contemplation
Seventh station
Jesus falls the second time
We adore you o Christ and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the whole world.
Scripture reading
All who see me deride me. They curl their lips, they toss their heads. Do not leave me alone in my distress; come close, there is no one else to help. (Psalms 22:8,12)
Oblate reading
“Whatever their work, Oblates will collaborate…in changing all that is a cause of oppression and poverty . They thereby help to create a society based on the dignity of the human person created in the image of God.” (R9a)
Moment of contemplation
Eighth station
Jesus speaks to the women of Jerusalem
We adore you o Christ and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the whole world.
Scripture reading
A crowd of people followed him, including many women who grieved and lamented over what was happening to him. But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.” (Luke 23:27-28)
Oblate reading
“To present Gospel demands in all clarity should never intimidate us.” (C8)
Moment of contemplation
Ninth station
Jesus falls the third time
We adore you o Christ and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the whole world.
Scripture reading
Lord, I know you will never stop being merciful to me. Your love and loyalty will always keep me safe. May all who come to you be glad and joyful. May all who are thankful for your salvation always say, “How great is the Lord!” I am weak and poor, O Lord, but you have not forgotten me. You are my saviour and my God — hurry to my aid! (Psalm 40)
Oblate reading
“Faith moves us to accept for love of the crucified Lord our personal sufferings, the various trials of our ministry…” (C34)
Moment of contemplation
Tenth station
Jesus is stripped of his garments
We adore you o Christ and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the whole world.
Scripture reading
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.” This was to fulfil what the scripture says, “They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.” And that is what the soldiers did. (John 19: 23-24)
Oblate reading
We strive to bring all people — especially the poor — to full consciousness of their dignity as human beings and as sons and daughters of God.” (C8)
Moment of contemplation
Eleventh station
Jesus is nailed to the cross
We adore you o Christ and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the whole world.
Scripture reading
Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they crucified him, and with him two others —one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross; it read: “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” (John 19: 17-19)
Oblate reading
“Through the eyes of our crucified Saviour, we see the world… those in whom he continues to suffer…” (C4)
Moment of contemplation
Twelfth station
Jesus dies on the cross
We adore you o Christ and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the whole world.
Scripture reading
From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. Now when the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw what took place, they were terrified and said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”(Matt 27:45-46, 50, 54)
Oblate reading
“In all our ministries, prophetic voices must not be stifled.” (R9b)
Moment of contemplation
Thirteenth station
Jesus is taken down from the cross
We adore you o Christ and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the whole world.
Scripture Reading
After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body. (John 19:38)
Oblate reading
“In our hope for the coming of God’s reign, we are united with all those who, without acknowledging Christ as Lord, nevertheless love what he loves.” (C6)
Moment of contemplation
Fourteenth station
Jesus at the resurrection tomb
We adore you o Christ and we bless you,
because by your holy cross you have redeemed the whole world.
Scripture Reading
Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. (John 19:41-42; Luke 23:55-56)
Oblate reading
Mary “received Christ in order to share him with all the world whose hope he is. In her we recognize the model of the Church’s faith and of our own.” (C10)
Moment of contemplation
Conclusion
Lord Jesus, Christ and Saviour, we have enriched our Oblate charism through contemplating your paschal mystery; we thank you for having united us so closely to yourself. We beseech you, with the very force of our weakness and our fear, to fill us with the power of your love so that we may be strong witnesses of this new world which you have revealed through your success in failure. Open us more and more to your Spirit so that we may be truly present to your Body which is today suffering and dying before our eyes. Give us also a strong awareness of the resurrection made possible through the daily work we do in hope. Amen.
Novitiate Liturgy of the Hours 