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 The Daily Way of the Cross is a way of prayer. I walk, in spirit, with Jesus on His journey to Calvary and meditate on His suffering and death. Each meditation can be a personal meeting with Jesus and a new discovery of His presence in my life. Each meditation can be deeply personal by recalling specific persons places and experiences in my own life.
"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 him 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" (Luke 9: 22-24). |
 1. Jesus is condemned to die
 MEDITATION: Lord Jesus, often I judge others and fail to be understanding or loving. Help me to see
the people in my life through Your eyes, not the eyes of Pontius Pilate. |
 2. Jesus willingly takes up His Cross
MEDITATION: Lord Jesus, You embraced Your cross to redeem the world. Help
me to embrace the crosses in life-the hardships, struggles,
disappointments, and pain. Only by recognizing my own weakness, can I
discover Your strength.
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 3. Jesus falls for the First Time
MEDITATION: Lord Jesus, You know how often I fall trying to follow You.
Yet, You are always there to lift me up. Help me always to trust in Your
loving care for me.
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 4. Jesus meets His Blessed Mother
MEDITATION: Lord Jesus, Your mother Mary's grief was surpassed by her love
for you. So often You come to me in others and their love gives me new
life. Help me to see how often You love me through the people in my life.
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 5. Simon the Cyrene helps Jesus carry His Cross
MEDITATION: Lord Jesus, sometimes I am indifferent to the needs of others
in my life. I even neglect those whom I love. Help me to see that loving
others is the surest way to find You in my life.
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 6. Veronica wipes the Holy Face of Jesus
MEDITATION: Lord Jesus, at times I am afraid to reach out to others. I do
nothing when I should act; I say nothing when I should speak out. Give me
a deeper and more courageous faith. Help me to trust that You are with me.
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 7. Jesus falls for the Second Time
MEDITATION: Lord Jesus, failure and disappointment sometimes lead me to
despair. I hide behind my pride and self-pity, withdrawing from You and
others. Give me the hope I need and help me never to be afraid to begin
again.
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 8. Jesus comforts the Women of Jerusalem
MEDITATION: Lord Jesus, Your great compassion for others overwhelms me. I
feel petty and selfish when I think of You and the way You love. Help me
to pour out my love, that You might fill me with Your Love.
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 9. Jesus falls for the Third Time
MEDITATION: Lord Jesus, Your failing strength makes me see how helpless I
am. Without You, I can do nothing. Help me to rely on Your strength, to
see how much I need You.
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 10. Jesus is stripped of His garments
MEDITATION: Lord Jesus, seeing You so cruelly humiliated makes me realize
how I cling to my accomplishments, my possessions, my way. Help me to let
go of those things in my life that prevent me from growing closer to You
and others.
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 11. Jesus is nailed to the Cross
MEDITATION: Lord Jesus, I can never doubt Your great love for me when I
see You crucified. Help me to see Your cross as the great sign of Your
love for me.
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 12. Jesus dies on the Cross
MEDITATION: Lord Jesus, Your broken and lifeless body calls me to deeper
faith. You chose death, even death on the cross. Help me to see my
crosses as ways of loving You.
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 13. Jesus is taken down from the Cross
MEDITATION: Lord Jesus, seeing Your body taken from the cross reminds me
how fearful I am of letting go of my own life. I am frightened when I
think of being unimportant, useless, and helpless. Help me to place my
life in Your hands.
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 14: Jesus is Laid in the Tomb
MEDITATION:
Lord Jesus, when I see the great stone sealing Your tomb, I
feel alone and abandoned. Even though You sometimes seem distant or absent
in my life, help me always to believe in Your closeness and loving presence.
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"On the first day of the week, at the first sign of dawn, they went to the tomb with spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been
rolled away from the tomb, but on entering they discovered that the body of
the Lord Jesus was not there. As they stood there not knowing what to
think, two men in brilliant clothes suddenly appeared at their side.
Terrified, the women lowered their eyes. But the two men said to them,
'Why look among the dead for someone who is alive? He is not here; He has
risen. Remember what He told you when He was still in Galilee: that the
Son of Man had to be handed over to the power of sinful men, be crucified,
and rise again on the third day?' And they remembered His words" (Luke
24: 1-8).
Imprimatur: William Donald Borders, D.D.
Archbishop of Baltimore |