Stations of the Cross | Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption

hello i'm bishop reed i invite you now to join me in walking with jesus along the way of the cross it is for us a powerful way to contemplate and enter into the mystery of jesus gift of himself for us you know from the earliest days followers of jesus told the story of his passion death and resurrection when pilgrims came to visit jerusalem they were anxious to see the places where jesus walked these sites became sacred connections with the lord eventually following in the way of his passion and cross became a central part of any pilgrimage visit and over time villages all over europe created replicas of the way of the cross and these became the 14 stations we see now in almost every catholic church in the world here at the majestic cathedral basilica of the assumption the mother church of the diocese of covington kentucky a particularly beautiful way of the cross will be our inspiration for prayer today along the nave and the transept walls fourteen stations of christ passion and death are reproduced in mosaic art created in tiny porcelain and ceramic tiles and mother of pearl the artwork brings to light the original paintings of bavarian redemptorist brother max schmelzel and so as disciples have for centuries let us walk the way of the lord jesus the way of his passion death and burial [Music] [Music] [Laughter] the first station jesus is condemned to die we adore you o christ and we praise you because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world in matthew's gospel we read the chief priests and the entire sanhedrin kept trying to obtain false testimony against jesus in order to put him to death but they found none though many false witnesses came forward jesus you aren't guilty of any crime or sin how can you be condemned but the unthinkable happens the people yell crucify him crucify him finally pilate agrees r [Music] the second station jesus carries his cross we adore you o christ and we praise you because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world the gospels relate then pilate took jesus and had him scourged and the soldiers wove a crown out of thorn and placed it on his head and clothed him in a purple cloak and they came to him and said hail king of the jews jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple cloak and pilate said to them behold the man when the chief priest and the guards saw him they cried out crucify him crucify him the cross is heavy and it hurts much when slung across his back jesus back is raw from the beating lord jesus you begin to carry your cross [Music] the third station jesus falls the first time we adore you o christ and we praise you because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world the prophet isaiah writes we had all gone astray like sheep each following his own way but the lord laid upon him the guilt of us all and he shall take away the sins of many and win pardon for their offenses you fall to the ground beneath your heavy burden pain pierces every part of your body the bystanders mark you o jesus [Music] the fourth station jesus meets his sorrowful mother we adore you o christ and we praise you because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world in the gospel of luke we read behold this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in israel and to be a sign that will be contradicted and you yourself a sword will pierce your heart breaks lord jesus when you see the face of your own mother she feels the pain you feel you say goodbye to her the fifth station simon helps jesus carry his cross we adore you o christ and we praise you because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world we read in the gospel of luke as they led him away they took hold of a certain simon a serenian who was coming in from the country and they laid the cross on him making him carry it behind jesus simon of cyrene doesn't want your cross o lord the soldiers make him help you you are grateful and struggle to move up the hill a little faster [Music] the sixth station veronica wipes the face of jesus we adore you o christ and we praise you because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world the prophet isaiah records these words there was in him no stately bearing to make us look at him nor appearance that would attract us to him he was spurned and avoided by men a man of suffering accustomed to infirmity one of those from whom men hide their faces spurned and we held him in no esteem this woman called veronica wipes away the bloody sweat on jesus suffering face it is an act of kindness and lord jesus you are so grateful the image of your pain stains her cloth [Music] the seventh station jesus falls a second time we adore you o christ and we praise you because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world the prophet isaiah writes yes it was our infirmities that he bore our sufferings that he endured while we thought of him as stricken as one smitten by god and afflicted that narrow street up the steep hill called golgotha is difficult lord jesus you fall again on your bloody knees it is so difficult to get up again but you do [Music] the eighth station jesus meets the women of jerusalem we adore you o christ and we praise you because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world the evangelist luke records these words 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. do you know all these weeping women lord jesus they know you as the man of sorrow as an innocent lamb being led to slaughter you try to console them [Music] the ninth station jesus falls a third time we adore you o christ and we praise you because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world the prophet isaiah has these words though he was harshly treated he submitted and opened not his mouth like a lamb led to the slaughter or a sheep before the shearer he was silent and opened not his mouth but the lord was pleased to crush him in infirmity this time lord jesus your face hits the hard stone street your head throbs with pain and you are dizzy with it obediently you get up once again to travel up the hill of your crucifixion the 10th station jesus is stripped of his garments we adore you o christ and we praise you because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world john in his gospel rights when the soldiers 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 top down so they said to one another let us not tear it but cast lots for it to see whose it will be in order that the passage of scripture might be fulfilled no care no dignity is given to you now lord jesus even your clothes are taken you have nothing left nothing to give except suffering and your final breaths [Music] the 11th station jesus is nailed to the cross we adore you o christ and we praise you because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world in matthew's gospel we read those passing by reviled him shaking their heads and saying you who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days save yourself if you are the son of god and come down from the cross likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said he saved others he cannot save himself he trusted in god let him deliver him now if he wants wrists first and then your feet long iron spikes nail you to the cross lord jesus and then the cross is hauled up for all to see [Music] the 12th station jesus dies on the cross we adore you o christ and we praise you because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world in the gospels we read it was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon 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 but when they came to jesus and saw that he was already dead they did not break his legs but one soldier thrust his lance into his side and immediately blood and water flowed out in your final hours your suffering is so great lord jesus you call out to your father you feel abandoned and with a few more words you breathe your last [Music] the 13th station jesus is taken down from the cross we adore you o christ and we praise you because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world we read in the gospel of luke the centaurian who witnessed what had happened glorified god and saying this man was innocent beyond doubt when all the people who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had happened they returned home beating their breasts but all his acquaintances stood at a distance lord jesus now you feel no pain no hateful statements or lies can wound you soldiers pull out the spikes and release your body from the cross [Music] the 14th station jesus is laid in the tomb we adore you o christ and we praise you because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world we read in the gospel of saint john they took the body of jesus and bound it with burial cloths along with the spices according to jewish burial custom now in the place where he had been crucified there was a garden and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been buried so they laid jesus there because of the jewish preparation day for the tomb was close at hand in a hurry your body is wrapped and laid on a cold stone you have a borrowed grave lord jesus the sun goes down and your body grows cold in the darkness thank you for joining me in walking the way of jesus passion and death on the cross meditating on these beautiful mosaic stations here at the cathedral basilica of the assumption the mother church of the diocese of covington kentucky may we who have followed the way of jesus passion and death experience one day the joy of his resurrection [Music]

Channel: The CatholicTV Network

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Keywords: Catholic devotions, stations of the cross, way of the cross, good friday, lenten devotions, good friday prayers, passion of christ, via dolorosa

Id: ik8bBQJn7xw

Length: 18min 12sec (1092 seconds)

Published: Fri Mar 04 2022