Welcoming Remarks
Reader:
We contemplate Your sacred passion. Help us to understand that the sufferings in our world are the continuation of Your Passion. We ask for strength to go through our passion in the spirit in which You went through Yours.
All: Have mercy on us, O Lord.
All:
As we pray the Stations of the Cross, please help us to reflect on how we can follow in the footsteps of Christ in solidarity with those who are suffering. Empower us to aid our brothers and sisters with whatever means we have and help us choose the way of love, compassion and generosity.
Processional Hymn: Jesus, Remember Me
Jesus, remember me when you come into Your Kingdom.
Jesus, remember me when you come into Your Kingdom.
(Repeat as needed)
The First Station: Jesus is Condemned to Death (Sanctity of Life)
Narrator: As soon as it was morning the chief priests, with the elders and scribes, and the whole council held a consultation; and they bound Jesus and led him away and delivered him to Pilate. Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man whom you call the “King of the Jews?” And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” And Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas; and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Mark 15: 1, 9-15
Reader: Jesus, Pilate condemned you to death and then washed away his complicity.
Pope Francis said, “Every child who, rather than being born, is condemned unjustly to being aborted … bears the face of the Lord…. And every elderly person, even if he is ill or at the end of his days, bears the face of Christ. They cannot be discarded or thrown away!”
All: Lord, we pray for mothers and fathers who are tempted to abort a child. May they be given the good news that there are life-affirming alternatives. May they make use of the help that is available. We pray that they view adoption as a miracle of life they can offer to another family, especially one struggling with infertility. We pray for the parents of aborted children. May they find healing through the compassion of others.
Lord, help us respect the dignity of all by cherishing the weak and fragile. Don’t allow us to wash away our responsibility to speak out against abortion, assisted suicide, and euthanasia.
Processional Hymn: The Peace Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi
Refrain: O Master grant that I may never seek, So much to be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand, To be loved as to love with all my soul.
Make me a channel of your peace, Where there is hatred let me bring your love,
Where there is injury your pardon Lord, And where there’s doubt true faith in you.
Make me a channel of your peace, Where there’s despair in life, let me bring hope,
Where there is darkness, only light, And where there’s sadness, ever joy. Refrain.
Make me a channel of your peace; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
In giving of ourselves that we receive. And in dying that we’re born to eternal life. Refrain.
Make me a channel of your peace; It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
In giving of ourselves that we receive. And in dying that we’re born to eternal life.
The Second Station: Jesus Takes Up His Cross (Poverty and Homelessness)
Narrator: Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped off his clothes and threw a scarlet military cloak about him. Weaving a crown of thorns, they placed it on his head and a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat upon him, took the reed, and kept striking him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to crucify him (Matthew 27:27-31).
Reader: Lord, you are given the new burden of the heavy wooden cross. How do we react to those who bear the cross of poverty and homelessness?
Many of our neighbors live in poverty. The causes are complex, but the impacts are clear. Our sisters and brothers cannot feed their families, educate their children, secure health care, or find adequate housing. Homelessness invades downtown doorways and hides under interstate overpasses. Do we respond with sympathy or contempt? Why do we look away when walking past a homeless person? Do we fear recognizing their humanity? Perhaps we would see Christ.
All: Christ Jesus, our crosses are heavy and our bodies weak, but we want to follow you. Give us strength to continue. Although our burdens may be heavy, let us remember to stop and help those we encounter along the way especially the poor and homeless. Amen
Processional Hymn: The Cry of the Poor
Refrain: The Lord hears the cry of the poor. Blessed be the Lord.
I will bless the Lord at all times, with praise ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the Lord, who will hear the cry of the poor.
Let the lowly hear and be glad; the Lord listens to their pleas,
And to hearts broken God is near, who will hear the cry of the poor. Refrain.
Ev’ry spirit crushed God will save; will be ransom for their lives;
Will be safe shelter for their fears, and will hear the cry of the poor. Refrain.
We proclaim your greatness O God, Your praise ever in our mouth;
Ev’ry face brightened in your light, for you hear the cry of the poor. Refrain.
The Third Station: Jesus Falls the First Time (Hunger and Food Insecurity)
Narrator: As he went ashore, he saw a great throng; and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” Jesus said, “They need not go away, you give them something to eat.” (Matthew 14: 14-16)
Reader: Weak from hunger and thirst, Jesus is now brought to his knees. It takes all of his strength to stand back up. No one offers him help. We all know someone who has fallen on hard times, felt alone or been hungry. What kind of help did we offer?
What if ensuring food security became a priority for us, especially when 1 in 6 people in Louisiana struggle with hunger. Perhaps we’d recognize how our excess consumption and wastefulness affects others. Perhaps wholesome fresh food could become accessible for all.
All: Dear God, conscious of how far we have fallen from your ideal, we are blessed to be part of your plan for eliminating injustice. Jesus showed great concern for the hungry, miraculously preparing a banquet for thousands of people with five loaves and two fish. May we, along with all of the world’s citizens, work to end the scandal of hunger and malnutrition. Let us share what we have with our neighbors. Help us to generously support the food pantries, soup kitchens, faith communities, and individuals who are actively feeding the hungry. Amen
Processional Hymn: Jesus Walked this Lonesome Valley
Jesus walked this lonesome valley.
He had to walk it by Himself;
O, nobody else could walk it for Him,
He had to walk it by Himself.
We must walk this lonesome valley,
We have to walk it by ourselves;
O, nobody else can walk it for us,
We have to walk it by ourselves.
You must go and stand your trial,
You have to stand it by yourself,
O, nobody else can stand it for you,
You have to stand it by yourself.
The Fourth Station: Jesus Meets His Mother (Family Life & Domestic Violence)
Narrator: Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” (John 19: 25 – 26).
Reader: Mary watches as violence destroys her family. Do we ignore signs of spousal and child abuse? Do we see how street violence destroys families? There are mothers and fathers who worry daily about bullets ending their children’s lives.
The family is the fundamental unit of society and is a sanctuary for the creation and nurturing of children. It should be defended and strengthened. What if respect for the family was reflected in every policy or program?
All: Lord, help us be aware of the issues of violence and abuse that surround us. Help us have strength to share our convictions, compassion for the abused, and courage to defend the defenseless. We ask you to protect families against attacks on marriage, purity, commitment, and community. Amen.
Processional Hymn: At the Cross, Her Station Keeping
At the cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.
Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
All His bitter anguish bearing,
Now at length the sword had pass’d.
Oh, how sad and sore distress’d
Was that Mother highly blest
Of the sole-begotten One!
Christ above in torment hangs;
She beneath beholds the pangs
Of her dying glorious Son.
Is there one who would not weep,
Whelm’d in miseries so deep
Christ’s dear Mother to behold?
Can the human heart refrain
From partaking in her pain,
In that Mother’s pain untold?
Bruis’d, derided, curs’d, defil’d,
She beheld her tender child
All with bloody scourges rent.
For the sins of His own nation,
Saw Him hang in desolation,
Till His spirit forth He sent.
The Fifth Station: Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry His Cross (Dignity of Work)
Narrator: As they led him away, they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian who was coming in from the country; and after laying the cross on him, they made him carry it behind Jesus (Luke 23:26).
Reader: The wood of the cross is heavy, and the job of moving it forward is given to Simon. Sharing this final labor is an act of charity for both. Do we value our work and use it to serve others? Do we uphold the dignity of people by creating meaningful jobs?
It is difficult to have dignity without work. We must ensure that all workers receive a living wage, have safe working conditions, and can participate fully in society.
All: St. Joseph, Patron Saint of Workers, help us to learn and care for those who do not receive fair wages, just benefits, or safe working conditions. Help us to raise our voices for justice and ask our government to develop policies that create jobs with dignity. Guide us in our own work. Amen.
Processional Hymn: Just a Closer Walk with Thee
Refrain: Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
I am weak, but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I’ll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee. Refrain.
Through this world of toil and snares,
If I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee. Refrain.
When my feeble life is o’er,
Time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o’er
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore. Refrain.
The Sixth Station: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus (Racism)
Narrator: For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free person, there is not male and female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3: 27-28)
Reader: Veronica ignores the danger, the taboos, and reaches out to Jesus in his suffering. She does what she can to give him comfort.
Do we recognize that our relationship with others brings us healing and creates a community capable of seeing the sacred in our neighbor?
We are one human family regardless of our national, ethnic, economic, and political differences.
All: Gracious Lord, who loves and delights in all people, enlighten me so that I may recognize racism. Keep watch over my heart, Lord, and remove any barriers to your grace that might oppress and offend my brothers and sisters. Fill my voice with the strength to fight institutional discrimination. Free my spirit to celebrate similarities and differences among all people. Clear my eyes, Lord, to see the spark of Your divine light in my neighbor. Finally, remind me that “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” Amen.
Processional Hymn: Peace Is Flowing Like a River
Peace is flowing like a river,
Flowing out from you and me,
Flowing out into the desert,
Setting all the captives free.
Joy is flowing like a river,
Flowing out from you and me,
Flowing out into the desert,
Setting all the captives free.
Love is flowing like a river,
Flowing out from you and me,
Flowing out into the desert,
Setting all the captives free.
Hope is flowing like a river,
Flowing out from you and me,
Flowing out into the desert,
Setting all the captives free.
The Seventh Station: Jesus Falls a Second Time (Refugees and Immigrants)
Narrator: Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me. (Matthew 25: 34-36)
Reader: In Jesus’ second fall, we recognize those who come to our country for a second chance. The Gospel mandate to welcome the stranger requires us to care for and stand with immigrants, both documented and undocumented. Comprehensive immigration reform is urgently needed. As faithful citizens, we must seek human protection for immigrants, including due process rights. We believe our nation must remain a place of refuge by welcoming those who flee persecution and exploitation.
(Hispanic part to be rewritten)
Hispanic Reader: En la segunda caída de Jesucristo, reconocemos a todos los que vienen a nuestro país buscando una segunda oportunidad. El Evangelio manda a dar la bienvenida a los desconocidos, requiere que cuidamos y estamos al lado de los inmigrantes, tanto documentados como indocumentados, especialmente niños inmigrantes. Las naciones tienen el derecho y la responsabilidad de controlar sus fronteras y mantener las reglas de la ley que realzan la dignidad humana, mantienen las familias unidas y les ayudan a proveer del uno para el otro. La reforma comprensiva de inmigración se necesita urgentemente. Como fieles ciudadanos debemos buscar protección para los inmigrantes, incluyendo los derechos al debido proceso. Nosotros creemos que nuestra nación debe permanecer un lugar de refugio acogiendo a los que huyen de persecución y explotación.
All: Lord Jesus, you call us to welcome the members of God’s family who come to our land to escape oppression, poverty, persecution, violence, and war. Like your disciples, we too are filled with fear, doubt, and even suspicion. We build barriers in our hearts and in our minds. Help us to banish fear of immigrants and refugees from our hearts. Let us embrace each of your children as our own brothers and sisters with joy and generosity. Amen.
Processional Hymn: Be Not Afraid
Refrain: Be not afraid,
I go before you always,
Come follow me,
And I will give you rest.
You shall cross the barren desert, But you shall not die of thirst.
You shall wander far in safety, Though you do not know the way.
You shall speak your words in foreign lands,
And all will understand,
You shall see the face of God and live. Refrain.
If you pass through raging waters. In the sea, you shall not drown. If you walk amidst the burning flames,
You shall not be harmed.
If you stand before the power of hell
And death is at your side,
Know that I am with you, through it all. Refrain.
Blessed are your poor,
For the Kingdom shall be theirs. Blest are you that weep and mourn,
For one day you shall laugh.
And if wicked men insult and hate you, All because of Me, Blessed, blessed are you! Refrain
The Eighth Station: Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem (Human Trafficking)
Narrator: A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him. Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.’ At that time people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall upon us!’ and the hills, ’Cover us!’ for if these things are done when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry?” (Luke 23:27-31).
Reader: Jesus disregards his own suffering to speak to the mourners. They weep for Jesus’ undeserved suffering. We grieve for those who suffer human trafficking. It is a reality that affects the most vulnerable: women of all ages, children, the disabled, the poorest, and those who come from difficult situations. Even here, victims suffer from this form of slavery.
All: St. Josephine, Patron Saint of Human Trafficking Victims, you were sold into slavery as a child and endured untold hardship and suffering. Once freed you found true redemption in your encounter with Christ and his Church.
St. Josephine, assist all those who are trapped in a state of slavery. Intercede with God on their behalf so that they will be released from their chains of captivity. Provide comfort to survivors of slavery and help them find healing. Amen
Processional Hymn: You are Mine
Refrain: Do not be afraid, I am with you. I have called you each by name.
Come and follow me, I will bring you home, I love you and you are mine.
I will come to you in the silence.
I will lift you from all your fear.
You will hear my voice,
I claim you as my choice.
Be still and know I am near.
I am hope for all who are hopeless,
I am eyes for all who hope to see
In the shadows of the night,
I will be a light.
Come and rest in me. Refrain.
I am strength for all the despairing.
Healing for the ones who dwell in shame.
All the blind will see,
the lame will all run free,
and all will know my name. Refrain
I am the Word that leads all to freedom,
I am the peace the world cannot give
I will call your name, embracing all your pain.
Stand up now walk and live. Refrain.
The Ninth Station: Jesus Falls a Third Time (Care for God’s Creation)
Narrator: The Lord God then took the man and settled him in the Garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it. (Genesis 2:15)
Reader: Jesus once again stumbles and falls under the weight of the world–the world he created. Yet we continue to be indifferent.
Care for the environment is a moral issue. God entrusted His creation to us. Our stewardship of the Earth is participation in God’s plan for salvation.
All: Dear God, we understand this living Planet Earth is here to fulfill the needs of more than just our generation. We know we are here for a moment in time, and we should leave this Earth with riches that will sustain our children and the generations to come.
God, help us to be in tune with nature, the miracle of your creation. Amen
Processional Hymn: How Great Thou Art
Refrain: Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!
O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars; I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed. Refrain.
When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze. Refrain.
And when I think of God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin. Refrain.
The Tenth Station: Jesus is Stripped of His Clothes (Dignity of people who are elderly or those with disabilities)
Narrator: When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four shares, a share for each soldier. They also took his tunic, but the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top down. So they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be,” in order that the passage of scripture might be fulfilled: “They divided my garments among them, and for my vesture they cast lots.” (John 19:23-24).
Reader: Jesus is stripped of dignity and left with nothing. By our disinterest or disrespect, do we rob the dignity of those who are aging or have disabilities? Despite laws mandating equal access, many Americans with disabilities who want to work are unemployed or underemployed. Without meaningful employment, the elderly and those with disabilities risk social isolation and loneliness.
All: Loving God, you teach us that the power of the Holy Spirit is greater than any human limitation or weakness. Let us bear witness to the truth that the source of our human dignity is not the outward condition of the body, but our likeness to the Creator.
Help us to show respect for people who have disabilities or are elderly. Teach us to advocate for just hiring practices. Amen.
Processional Hymn: Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
T’was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.
The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.
The Eleventh Station: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross (Healthcare)
Narrator: “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the son of God.'” (Matthew 27:42-44)
Reader: Jesus does not come down — He does not leave the cross. He stays there, obedient to his Father’s will to the very end. He loves and forgives. Many of our brothers and sisters carry the cross of pain and illness. Sickness tests our hope, but it can bring us closer to God. The redeeming light of Christ, crucified and risen, can be redemptive for the one who suffers and for the caregiver who comforts the sick.
Along with care, we offer healing. We must be attentive to those who need decent, affordable healthcare–an essential safeguard of human life and a fundamental human right. We must work to ensure access to healthcare for all, while also preserving the rights of conscience for those who provide it.
All: Dear Lord, we pray for all those involved in healthcare ministry and pledge our prayerful support to all caregivers. Renew their compassion, and give them grace and courage to share in your healing work. Inspire our leaders to continue to strive for creative and effective means for making healthcare available for everyone. Help us to remember how the sick and dying reflect the image of Christ. Amen.
Processional Hymn: There is a Balm in Gilead
Refrain: There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul.
Sometimes I feel discouraged, and think my work’s in vain,
But then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again. Refrain
If you cannot sing like angels, if you can’t preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus, and say He died for all. Refrain
The Twelfth Station: Jesus Dies on the Cross (Those in prison and the Death Penalty)
Narrator: When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left. It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit;” and when he had said this he breathed his last. (Luke 23: 33; 44-46)
Reader: In darkness and alone, Jesus cries out from the depths of despair. What consideration do we give to those imprisoned in our own community? Our prisons are marked by bureaucratic nightmares and justice delayed. Then, when one of our brothers or sisters is released, we still see them as ex-convicts, blocking the doors of social and economic redemption. Our nation’s reliance on the death penalty is shameful.
What would happen if we encouraged a response to crime that reflected the dignity of the human person, and prison became a pathway to rehabilitation and redemption?
All: Lord Jesus, cast off by society and sentenced to death by judicial authorities, you respond with immense love and forgiveness. Help us to have compassion for people who are incarcerated. Free the innocent, and parole the trustworthy. Make those in prison ministry bearers of your light. Help us to remember that you have given us another chance. May we follow your example. Amen.
Processional Hymn: Jesus, Remember Me
Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.
Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.
(Repeat as needed).
The Thirteenth Station: Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross (Solidarity)
Narrator: When they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. (John 19:33-34, 38-39)
Reader: Jesus’ followers did not know how they would retrieve his body from the Roman guard until a good man reached out.
We are a powerful Nation in a world marred by violence and conflict. We have become used to the suffering of others. Our commitment to solidarity requires us to prioritize community rather than personal gain and promote peace and justice.
All: God, create in us a desire to act in solidarity, surrendering our self-interest for the sake of the Common Good. We join our voices with Pope St. John Paul II and pray, “Loving God, You have given all peoples one common origin, and your will is to gather them as one family in yourself. Fill the hearts of all with the fire of your love and the desire to ensure justice for all our sisters and brothers.” Amen.
Processional Hymn: Here I Am, Lord
Refrain: Here I am, Lord.
Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.
I, the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard my people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin, my hand will save.
I who made the stars and night, I will make the darkness bright
Who will bear my light to them. Whom shall I send? Refrain.
I, the Lord of snow and rain, I have borne my people’s pain.
I have wept for love of them. They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone. Fill their hearts with love alone.
I will speak my word to them. Whom shall I send? Refrain
The Fourteenth Station: Jesus is Laid in the Tomb (Addictive Disorders and Mental Health)
Narrator: The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment (Luke 23:55-56).
Reader: Jesus, you were sealed away from your loved ones with armed guards preventing access. Addiction and mental illness make us guarded and shut off from those we love and want to help. Those addictions seal us in a tomb of destruction.
ALL: Christ, your lifeless body was placed in a tomb after Your last breath had been surrendered to our Loving Father. Give us the grace to surrender, ask for help, and move toward recovery. Lord, we are desperate in our addictions. Help us advocate for effective, compassionate care for those suffering with mental illness or addiction. Amen.
Processional hymn: Were You There?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Conclusion: Jesus Rises from the Dead (Young People, Our Hope for the Future)
Narrator: “We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. This man God raised (on) the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10: 39-43)
Reader: Jesus, you rose on the third day, destroying death. After mourning and waiting, your followers share in your triumph. The mystery of our faith is that Christ wins and darkness ends. On our worst days, when we are ready to give up, we can draw strength from Jesus.
We see in our youth the hope for a better tomorrow. We must recognize and support their promise by ensuring that services aimed at improving education are available to students in all schools. By giving every child what they need to meet the potential God has planned for them, we recognize and support their promise.
All: Lord Jesus, we acknowledge our sinfulness as a people in not loving every child as our own, in not ensuring equal access to education, and in often refusing to let ourselves be taught. Help us to share in your victory by opening the way for others to “grow in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” Amen
Processional Hymn: We Remember, We Celebrate, We Believe
Refrain: We remember how you loved us to your death,
And still we celebrate for you are with us here.
And we believe that we will see you
when you come in your glory, Lord.
We remember, we celebrate, we believe!
Here, a million wounded souls
Are yearning just to touch you and be healed;
Gather all your people, and hold them to your heart. Refrain.
Now we recreate you love,
We bring the bread and wine to share a meal;
Sign of grace and mercy, the Presence of the Lord. Refrain.
Christ, the Father’s great “Amen”
To all the hopes and dreams of every heart;
Peace beyond all telling, and freedom from all fear. Refrain.
See the face of Christ revealed
in every person standing by your side.
Gift to one another and temples of your love. Refrain.
Please return this booklet
at the conclusion of this Way of the Cross
so we may reuse it next year.
Thank you!
