How do I pray the stations of the cross?

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SueKrum

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my mom got me this stations of the cross bead set. it sort of looks like a roser, only it has all the stations on it and three beads between each station. what prayers am I supposed to say on the beads that are between the stations? anyone know? I was thinking of doing it with my husband. he’s not catholic though, so if it’s only hail mary’s, he probably won’t like that. he doesn’t mind the hail mary once. could I do like a hail mary, an our father and a glory be? I was just wondering.
thanks
 
I have never seen the beads, they sound beautiful, somebody will jump in about 2 seconds and give you an on-line link, but most churches will have a pamphlet on the stations in the back of church during Lent, they are also in the missalettes. You can do this with a group that meets regularly, check your parish bulletin, or on your own any time the church is open. Go online to the diocesan website or even your town’s tourist info and see if there is a shrine someplace with outdoor stations you can visit any time.

Basically you walk to each station in order, recite the name of the station:
Jesus is condemned to death.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless You, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world (genuflect if you are able)

The various published guides have either the scripture quote that applies, or a short meditation or prayer on the event.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be. (you can pray, your husband can listen our join in has he wishes.) It is also good to begin by reading a gospel account of the passion so that the scripture has already been called to mind for meditation as you walk.

traditionally one verse of Stabat Mater (At the Cross her station keeping, stood the mournful mother weeping, close to Jesus to the last) is sung as you move on after each station.

No reason you could not pray using your beads as you walk between stations. It sounds like they are meant to be used when you can’t get to a church or location that has stations erected.
 
I have a Stations of the Cross booklet. It is long so bear with me.
Here is what it says:

Make the sign of the Cross and say the opening Scripture reading:

The Son of Man is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected, and to be raised up on the third day. If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let hin renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it, but anyone who loses his life for my sake, that man will save it.

Then you say the opening prayer:

Out of the depths I cry to you O lord! Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications! If You O Lord, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stanf? But there is
forgiveness with You, that You may be revered!

Before Each Station:

I adore You, Lord Jesus, and I praise You. Because by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world.

After each station, you say: 1 Our Father, 1 Haily Mary, and 1 Glory Be.

After you are done with the 14 Stations of the Cross, you say a prayer to Jesus Christ Crucified, here is that prayer:

Behold, O kind and most sweet Jesus, I cast myself on my knees
in your sight, and with the most fervent desire of my soul, I pray and beg You to impress upon my heart lively sentiments of faith, hope and charity, with true repentence for my sins, and a firm desire of amendment, while with deep affection and grief of soul I ponder within myself and mentally contemplate Your five most precious Wounds: having before my eyes that which David spoke of in prophecy: “They pierced My hands and My feet: they have numbered all My bones.”
 
note that Mari gives as the closing prayer the prayer before the crucifix, which like the Stations, has a plenary indulgence attached to it under certain conditions. somebody jump in here and give those conditions, I am out of touch with reference works right now.
 
Station One:

Pilate condemns Jesus to die:

Say this:

Again the high priest began to ask Him, and said to Him, " are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" And Jesus said to him. “I am, And you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.” But the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further need have we of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?”
And they all condemned Him as liable to death.

You reflect on this:

At the Cross her station keeping, Stood the sorrowful Mother weeping, Close to Jesus to the last.
 
marilena,
thanks. that helps a lot. I think I will see if my husband will do that with me. I’ve never doen it before and I was thinking it would be a nice devotion to do at home. and yes, if anyone knows about the indulgance, let me know. I need all the help I can get 🙂
 
I can finsih all of them for you here if you want? I really don’t mind! 🙂
 
Station 2: Jesus accepts His Cross:

And Pilate said to the Jews, “Behold, your king!” But they cried out, “away with Him! Away with Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your king?” The chief priests answered, “We have no
king but Ceaser.” Then he handed Him over to them to be crucified. And so they took Jesus and led Him away, bearing the cross for Himself.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing, All His bitter anguish bearing, Lo! the piercing sword had passed!
 
Sation 3: Jesus falls the first time

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before you. If you were of the world, the world would love what is its own. Because you are not of the world, but i have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I have spoken to you: No servant is greater than his master. If they have persecuted Me, they will presecite you also.”

O, how sad, and sore distressed, Now was she, that Mother Blessed of the sole-begotten One.
 
Station 4: Jesus meets His Mother

Now there were standing by the cross of Jesus His mother and His mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus, therefore, saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple
took her into his home.

Woe-begone, with heart’s prostration, Mother meek, the bitter Passion, saw she of her glorious Son.
 
Station 5: Simon helps carry the Cross

And when they had mocked Jesus, they took the purple cloak off and put His own clothes on Him, and they led Him out to be crucified. Then they forced a certain passerby, Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, to take up the cross. They brought Jesus
to the place called Golgotha, a name meaning “the place of the Skull”.

Who could mark, from tears refraining, Christ’s dear Mother uncomplaining, In so great a sorrow bowed?
 
Station 6: Veronica wipes the Face of Jesus

“Lord when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?” And answering the king will say to them, “Amen, I say to you, as long as you did it for one of these, the least of my brethren, you did it for me.”

Who, unmoved, behold her languish, Underneath His cross of anguish, "Mid the fierce, unpitying crowd?
 
Station 7: Jesus falls the second time

It was our weakness that He carried, our sufferings that He endured. while we thought of Him as stricken, as one struck by God and afflicted. But He was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins; upon Him was the punishment that makes us whole, and by His stripes we were healed. We had all gone astray like sheep, each following his own way; but the Lord laid upon Him the guilt of us all.

For His people’s sins rejected, She her Jesus unprotected, Saw with thorns, with scourges rent.
 
Station 8: Jesus speaks to the women

There was following Jesus a great crowd of people, and among them were some women who were bewailing and lamenting Him. Jesus turning to them said. “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.”

Saw her Son from judgement taken, Her beloved in death forsaken, Till His Spirit forth He sent.
 
Station 9: Jesus falls the third time

I lie prostrate in the dust; give me life according to Your word, I declared my ways, and you answered me; teach me Your commands, Make me understand the way of Your precepts, and I will meditate on Your wondrous deeds. My soul weeps for sorrow;
strengthen me with Your words.

Fount of love and holy sorrow, Mother, may my spirit borrow Somewhat of your woe profound.
 
Station 10: Jesus is stripped of His gamrents

They gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall; but when He had tasted it He would not drink. Then after they had crucified Him, they divided His clothes, casting lots to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet, “They divided My clothes among them, and upon My garments they cast lots.”

Unto Christ, with pure emotion, Raise my contrite heart devotion,
Love to read in every wound.
 
Station 11: Jesus is nailed to the Cross

When they came to Golgotha, the place called the Skull, they crucified Jesus abd the robbers, one on His right and the other on
His left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

Those five wounds on Jesus smitten, Mother! in my heart be written, Deep as in your own they be.
 
Station 12: Jesus dies on the Cross

It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the curtain on the temple was torn in the middle. Jesus cried out with a loud voice and said, “It is finished. Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit.” Thereto bowing His head, he died…"

You, my Savior’s Cross who bear, and your Son’s rebuke who share, Let me share them both with you!
 
Station 13: Jesus is taken from the Cross

When the soldiers came to Jesus, they saw that He was already dead. but one of them opened His side with a lance and immediately there came out blood and water. Joseph of Arimathea, because he was a disciple of Jesus ( although a secret one for fear of the Jews). besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. And Pilate gave permission.

In the Passion of my Maker, Be my sinful soul partaker, Weep till death, and keep with you.
 
Station 14: Jesus is laid in the tomb

Joseph of Arimathea took the body of Jesus, and wrapping it in a clean cloth he laid it in his new tomb., which he had hewn out of rock. Then he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and departed.

Mine with you be that sad station, There to watch the great Salvation Wrought upon th’ atoning Tree.
 
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