First Station: Jesus is Condemned to Death
We Adore You O Lord and We Praise You. For by your Holy Cross you redeemed the world.
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.
(Mark 14:61-64).
The kings of the earth rise up and the princes conspire together against the Lord and against his Anointed.
I will proclaim the decree of the Lord; the Lord said to me: "You are my Son; this day I have begotten you. Ask of me and I will give you the nations for an inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession." (Psalm 2, 2 & 7-8).
Let us pray. All-powerful and eternal God, for being the Truth your Son, Jesus Christ, is condemned to death by crucifixion. He stands before Pilate, innocent yet condemned, we enter the mystery of His patient endurance.
Though the governor holds the power of judgment, Your eternal plan is never thwarted, and in this human tribunal, the truth of Your love is made manifest.
Lord Jesus, silent as a Lamb led to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7) before the accusations, You reveal the strength of humble obedience and the victory of mercy over violence.
Help us to trust in Your providence when confronted by injustice, to speak truth with courage, and to surrender our will to Yours, even when the world judges wrongly.
May our hearts unite with Yours in this moment of trial, offering all our fears and weakness in loving fidelity to Your redeeming love.
Lord Jesus, as we behold You unjustly condemned, we see in Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross a soul who, like You, stood innocent yet judged by the world.
In the face of hatred and persecution, she bore witness to Your truth and love, embracing her suffering with the same patient fidelity You showed before Pilate and the rulers.
Her martyrdom was a participation in the mystery of Your Passion, a sharing in the oneness of the innocent victim who trusts entirely in the Father’s will.
Born of the children of Israel, she carried the memory of a people often rejected, and in Your Cross she discovered the fulfilment of their hope.
Through her Carmelite vocation, she offered her life, her heritage, and ultimately her free will in solidarity with the persecuted, uniting all her trials with Yours.
May her courage and fidelity inspire us to stand for truth even when condemned, to endure injustice with patience, and to walk this Way of the Cross with hearts wholly united to Your redeeming love.
Stir up your love in our hearts so that we might be ever faithful to all that You have told us and fear nothing more than the loss of your friendship through sin. Amen.
Pray 1 x Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
Have mercy on us O Lord. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in Peace. Amen.
Together we sing in prayer: At the cross her station keeping, stood the mournful Mother weeping, close to Jesus to the last.
Fourteenth Station: Jesus is laid in the Tomb
We Adore You O Lord and We Praise You. For by your Holy Cross you redeemed the world.
“Joseph of Arimathea took the body of Jesus, and wrapping it in a clean linen 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.” (Matthew 27:59-60)
As the lifeless body of Jesus is tenderly laid in the tomb, we witness the finality of His earthly suffering. His body, so brutally tortured, now rests in the cold darkness of the tomb, sealed away from the world. In the stillness of this moment, we experience the profound sorrow of loss.
The tomb is a place of mourning, yet within it, there is a hidden promise of hope. The stone that seals the tomb becomes not a symbol of defeat, but a prelude to the triumph of the resurrection.
"I praise you, Lord, for you raised me up and did not let my enemies rejoice over me. O Lord, my God, I cried out to you for help and you healed me. Lord, you brought my soul up from Sheol; you let me live, from going down to the pit. Sing praise to the Lord, you faithful; give thanks to his holy memory" (Psalm 30:1-5)
In the darkness of the tomb, we find ourselves in the depths of grief. Yet, as the psalmist reminds us, this night of sorrow will pass, and the joy of resurrection will come with the morning. In the stillness of this moment, we are called to trust in the Father’s love and to surrender ourselves to His will, just as Jesus did in His final moments. Jesus' burial marks the end of His earthly life, but it is not the end of His mission. It is the prelude to the greatest victory the world will ever know.
We remember beloved Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, whose life reflects the profound mystery of Christ’s Passion and death, leading into the hope of resurrection. In her own suffering and martyrdom, she offered herself entirely to God’s will, uniting her life and death to the Passion of Christ.
Saint Teresa Benedicta's journey, marked by her persecution and ultimate sacrifice, mirrors Christ’s own journey to the tomb. Her martyrdom was not an end but a gateway to life, a participation in the redemptive work of Christ. Like Jesus, she embraced her suffering not as defeat but as an act of surrender to God’s plan. Just as Christ’s body was laid in the tomb with reverence, so too did Teresa Benedicta place her life, her suffering, and her death into the hands of the Father. In this final act of surrender, she embodied the truth that through death, God’s victory over sin and death is revealed.
In the tomb, Jesus’ body lay still, but it was not defeated. It was awaiting the triumphant resurrection that would break the chains of sin and death. Similarly, in the death of Saint Teresa Benedicta, there was no despair—only hope, for she knew that, like Christ, she would rise again in glory. Her trust in God's providence, even in the face of martyrdom, shows us that death is not the end but the entry into new life.
Lord Jesus, as Your body is laid in the tomb, we contemplate Your ultimate surrender. You gave Your very self, body and soul, for our salvation. In this moment, we remember Saint Teresa Benedicta, who, in her own life and martyrdom, imitated Your surrender. Like Mary, and like You, she entrusted her suffering to the Father, knowing that through her own offering, Your redemptive love would shine forth.
Just as You entered the tomb with full surrender, knowing it was not the end, but the path to the resurrection, so we are called to surrender our lives in the face of trials, suffering, and death. We ask, Lord, for the grace to follow Saint Teresa Benedicta’s example of trusting You in the darkest moments, knowing that You will bring new life from all that we endure. Help us to embrace our own suffering as part of Your redemptive work, and to offer our pains, disappointments, and limitations as an act of love for You and for the salvation of the world.
Help us, Lord, to surrender our selfish concerns, so that we may see Your hand in all things. Even in defeat, may we trust that You are working through our lives, shaping us more fully into Your image. Like Saint Teresa Benedicta, may we find strength in Your Passion, and unite our own sufferings to Your Cross, knowing that through them, we are drawn into the mystery of resurrection.
May our hearts be open to Your grace, that we too may rise from the death of sin, fear, and selfishness, renewed and perfected in Your love. Just as You emerged from the tomb victorious, may we, with the hope of resurrection, live each day in the light of Your redeeming love.
Amen.
Pray 1x Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.
Have mercy on us O Lord, and may the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Together we sing in prayer: By the Cross with you to stay, there with you to weep and pray, is all I ask of you to give.
Closing Prayer, Hope of the Resurrection: Death, Where is Your Sting?
Lord Jesus, as we conclude our journey through Your Passion, we stand before Your tomb, the place of death, the place where all seemed lost. Yet, in Your burial, You have sown the seed of eternal life. Though You embraced death, You did not remain there.
The stone, once sealing the tomb, is now rolled away, a sign of the victory You have won over sin and death. "Death, where is your sting?" For in You, Lord, death is no longer the end, but the doorway to resurrection and life.
As You lay in the tomb, we remember Your holy Mother, Mary, whose heart was pierced with sorrow at the sight of her Son's death. She stood beneath the Cross in perfect union with Your suffering, and in the silence of the tomb, her grief remained.
Yet even in her sorrow, she clung to the hope of the resurrection, trusting in the Father's plan for salvation. Just as she had embraced Your life in the manger, now she embraces the mystery of Your death, knowing that You would rise again, fulfilling God's promise of eternal life.
In her example, we see the fidelity and hope that Mary offers to all who suffer. She entrusted her heart to God, and in doing so, she became the first to receive the fruits of Your resurrection. Her maternal sorrow transformed into a hope that carried her, and all of us, through the darkest hours. Her "yes" to God's will at every stage of Your life is now our model of perfect surrender.
We now reflect on Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, who, like Mary, embraced her suffering and martyrdom with profound trust in God's redemptive love. In the darkness of the gas chambers, she too, like You, embraced death, knowing that it would bring forth new life. She offered herself entirely to God’s will, just as Mary did, knowing that, just as Jesus rose from the dead, she too would rise with Him in glory. In her suffering, she united herself to Your Passion, and in her faith, she shared in the hope of the resurrection.
Lord Jesus, as Your body lay in the tomb, You entered into the depths of human despair, and You brought forth the dawn of new life. Help us to face our own suffering with the same courage and hope that You and Your Blessed Mother showed.
Just as You, O Lord, surrendered Your life to the Father, help us to surrender ourselves fully to You, trusting that from the tombs of our own struggles, we too will rise in the light of Your resurrection.
Mary, Mother of the Redeemer, guide us in our own journey of faith. Help us to say "yes" to God’s will, just as You did. In every trial, teach us to trust, as You trusted, that God’s plan is always leading us to new life. And like You, may we remain steadfast in hope, knowing that through Your Son, our Saviour, we too will rise from death to life.
Lord, empty us of our selfish concerns, that we might recognize Your presence in our sufferings, and see in them the path to Your resurrection. May we, like You, be strengthened by the hope that death is never the final word, and that through surrender, we participate in Your victory over sin and death.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
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Thirteenth Station: Jesus is taken down from the cross and placed in the arms of Mother Mary.
We Adore You O Lord and We Praise You. For by your Holy Cross you redeemed the world.
As Jesus' lifeless body is taken down from the Cross and placed in His Mother's arms, we witness the fullness of His surrender. His blood, His wounds and His exhaustion. Jesus' heart and soul are offered for the salvation and redemption of the world.
This final act of love reveals the depth of His sacrifice, as He offers Himself completely for humanity.
In Mary's embrace, we see the perfect communion of love and suffering. Her tears, her care, and her grief unite with Christ's sacrifice, making His death a source of life for the world. His blood and water, poured out from His side, are now given to the Church to sanctify and nourish all believers.
This is the price of redemption: the Lamb of God, laid in His Mother's arms, embodying sacrificial love that transforms suffering into grace
es her Son's broken body with reverent sorrow. The Mother who once cradled Him in the manger now holds Him once again on this time not in the joy of His birth, but in the sorrow of His death.
The contrast between the infant Jesus in her arms and the lifeless, broken body she now cradles is stark, yet both moments reveal the same truth: She has always been chosen to be the hand that nurtures and the heart that suffers with Him. Mary’s love for her Son is pure, undivided, and unconditional. She does not recoil from His wounds; rather, she embraces them, knowing they are the wounds of salvation. In this act of love, she unites herself entirely to the will of God, just as her Son did, surrendering her own grief and anguish to the Father.
We see the totality of His surrender: His blood, His wounds, His exhaustion, all offered in love for the salvation of the world.
At the foot of the Cross, Jesus gives His final breath. Every drop of blood, every tear shed by both Him and His Mother, speaks of a love beyond measure. Jesus, who gave His life for His friends, now gives it for all of humanity. His blood and water, poured out from His side, become the source of life and grace for all who would believe. This is the price of redemption—the suffering of the innocent Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.
In Mary’s embrace, the suffering of the Son is met with the compassionate suffering of the Mother, forming a perfect image of tender mercy and the communion of saints in grief and hope.
As Mary cradles the lifeless body of her Son, we are confronted with the profound mystery of how suffering and love are closely together in the Christian faith.
Mary’s grief is not one of despair, but of love, a love that understands the divine plan of salvation.
In this moment, the two hearts of the heart of the Son and the heart of the Mother and are united in a profound communion of sorrow and hope.
Mary, in her maternal grief, shares in the redemptive work of Christ. Her suffering, though incomprehensible to the human heart, is not without purpose.
It is through her suffering that the hope of resurrection is held in trust. She bears the sorrow of the world, but she also holds within her the promise of glory, knowing that in this moment of death, new life is about to emerge.
This is the communion of saints is where the suffering of one is not isolated but shared, and through it, the hope of resurrection is made manifest.
In the tender embrace of Mary holding her Son’s body, we see the tenderness of God, who enters into our pain and suffering, not to leave us in it, but to transform it.
Mary's sorrow becomes a gateway to the joy of the resurrection, for in the depths of her sorrow, she knows that Jesus’ sacrifice will bring life to all.
We turn to our prayerful gaze to beloved Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross who in her own life entered deeply into this mystery of surrender.
She, like Mary, embraced the Cross in faith and love, offering her body, mind, and soul in union with Your Passion. In the darkness of the world’s injustices, she became one with Your suffering, offering herself as a vessel of grace for the redemption of all. Through her martyrdom, she taught us the power of surrendering to God’s will, even in the face of unimaginable suffering.
Mary, full of grace, cradles Your broken body with tender love, uniting her suffering to Yours. She holds You, not as a mother who mourns in despair, but as one who knows that, through Your death, the seeds of resurrection are already planted. In her embrace, we see the fullness of what it means to surrender in faith to offer all, even in the most painful moments, trusting in the Father’s plan.
Lord, help us to imitate this surrender in our own lives. May we, like Mary, hold all that is dear to us with love, even when it causes us pain. May we, like Saint Teresa Benedicta, offer our own sufferings in union with Yours, trusting that through such offering, we are drawn into the redemptive power of the Cross.
Help us, Lord, to surrender our hearts, our desires, our weaknesses, and our limitations into Your hands, knowing that through such surrender, we participate in the mystery of Your Passion and Resurrection. May we rise from the death of sin, fear, and selfishness, renewed in love and hope, and become witnesses of Your mercy to the world.
Amen.
Pray 1 x Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
Have mercy on us O Lord. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in Peace. Amen.
Together we sing in prayer: Let me mingle tears with you, mourning Him who suffered so true, all the days that I may live.
Opening Prayer Reflection
Jesus came with His disciples to a country place called Gethsemane, and He said to them, "Sit down here, while I go over yonder and pray."
Then He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be saddened and exceedingly troubled. He said to them,
"My soul is sad, even unto death. Wait here and watch with me."
He went forward a little, and falling prostrate He prayed, saying,
"Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; yet not as I will but as You will." (Matthew 26:36-39)
Almighty and eternal Father, accept our prayer of thanksgiving for Your Beloved Son, our Saviour and Lord.
Lord God, as we contemplate the anguish of Gethsemane, we also remember Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, who sought to unite her entire life to the mystery of Christ’s Passion.
Formed by the search for truth and fulfilled in the light of the Cross, she embraced the suffering of her people and the sorrows of the world with a heart surrendered to Your will.
Grant that, like her, we may learn to dwell in the depths of contemplative trust, allowing Your grace to shape our minds and hearts, and to follow Christ with a love purified through silence, sacrifice, and fidelity.
May her example teach us to offer our lives as a hymn of truth and charity, abiding with Christ in His redemptive love for all humanity.
Lord God, we beg You to send the Spirit of Christ into our hearts, so that whether we pray or work, we might do all in union with Christ our Redeemer. Amen.
Twelfth Station: Jesus Dies on the Cross
We Adore You O Lord and We Praise You. For by Your Holy Cross you redeemed the world.
It was about the sixth hour, and darkness covered the whole land until the ninth hour. The sun was darkened, and the curtain of the temple was torn in the middle. Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “It is finished. Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit.” Then, bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. (Luke 23:44-46; John 19:30b)
My people, what have I done to you, or in what have I offended you? Answer me. What more should I have done, and did not do? I led you out of the land of Egypt, and you have prepared a cross for me. I opened the Red Sea before you, and you have opened my side with a lance. I gave you a royal sceptre, and you have given me a crown of thorns. With great power I lifted you up, and you have hung me upon a cross. My people, what have I done to you, or in what have I offended you? Answer me. (from the Improperia, Catholic Liturgy. Good Friday)
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus, in Your death on the Cross, You revealed the fullness of love, surrender, and mercy. You gave everything, body and soul, for our salvation, embracing the weight of human sin and the depth of divine justice, so that life might rise from death and hope from despair.
Grant that we may unite our own lives struggles, our suffering, our joys, and even our failings to Your perfect sacrifice. May each burden we bear, each act of patience, each small offering of love, become a participation in Your redeeming work.
Teach us, Lord, to see in our daily crosses the opportunity to surrender our will to Yours, to forgive as we are forgiven, and to give freely as You have given. Transform our hearts with Your perfect obedience and unfathomable love, so that our lives may radiate Your mercy and truth.
May we carry Your compassion into the world, bringing consolation to the afflicted, courage to the weary, and self-giving love to all whom we meet, reflecting in our living the mystery of Your Passion and the glory of Your resurrection.
Lord Jesus, as we contemplate Your supreme act of love in death on the Cross, we recall Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.
In her life and martyrdom, she bore the nails of suffering, not only in body but in spirit, uniting herself wholly to Your Passion. In the face of injustice, hatred, and the persecution of her people, she opened her heart to Your Cross, offering every trial, every fear, and every weakness as a living participation in Your redeeming sacrifice.
Her fidelity teaches us that to be “nailed” with Christ is not simply to endure suffering, but to surrender completely to the will of the Father. In her silent witness, we see that true discipleship calls us to love without reserve, to transform our weaknesses into instruments of mercy, and to allow the Cross to shape our hearts into conformity with Your love.
May her example strengthen us in our own trials, so that when we are pressed down by the burdens of life, we may rise in faith, courage, and hope. Help us, Lord, to offer every suffering, every sorrow, and every failure in union with Your sacrifice, so that through us Your redeeming love may reach a world in need of healing, consolation, and salvation.
Pray 1 x Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.
Have mercy on us O Lord. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in Peace. Amen.
Together we sing in prayer: Let me share with You His pain, who for all our sins was slain, who for me in torments died.
Eleventh Station: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross
We Adore You O Lord and We Praise You. For by Your Holy Cross you redeemed the world.
When they came to Golgotha, the place called the Skull, they crucified Jesus and 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.” (Luke 23:33-35; John 19:18)
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me, far from my prayer, far from the words of my cry? O my God, I cry out by day, and you answer me not; I cry out by night, and there is no relief for me. All my bones are racked. My heart has become like wax melting away within my chest. My throat is dried up like baked clay, my tongue cleaves to my jaws; they have pierced my hands and my feet; I can count all my bones. (Psalm 22:2-3, 15-16, 17b)
Let us pray.
Lord and Saviour, You have shown us the reality of being nailed to the Cross, the utter helplessness, the searing pain, the humiliation before friend and foe, and the surrender of all that is human, body, mind, and spirit, into Your loving hands. In this supreme act of obedience and love, You revealed the depth to which God’s mercy will go for the salvation of the world.
You invite us to share in this mystery, to be crucified with Christ, not by our own choosing, but in trustful surrender to Your will. Teach us to accept our own crosses, whether in hardship, injustice, weakness, or failure, not as meaningless burdens, but as opportunities to unite our lives more fully to Your redemptive love.
Grant us the grace to lay down our pride, our comfort, and our control, offering each wound, each limitation, and each trial to You, so that, like You on the Cross, we may transform suffering into mercy, weakness into strength, and humiliation into a witness of faith. May our hearts be so joined to Yours that every act of endurance becomes a participation in Your Passion, drawing us ever closer to the glory of resurrection and the fulfilment of Your eternal plan.
Lord Jesus, as we reflect on this supreme act of love, we remember Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. In her life and martyrdom, she embraced the nails of suffering, not only in body but in spirit, united entirely to Your Passion. She allowed the injustices and persecutions of her time to enter her heart, offering herself as a living participation in the redemptive power of the Cross.
Her fidelity teaches us that to be “nailed” with Christ is not only to endure suffering but to surrender fully to God’s will, to love without reserve, and to transform weakness into mercy. May her example inspire us to accept our crosses with courage, to remain steadfast in faith when life presses us down, and to offer every trial in union with Your redeeming love for the salvation of the world.
Amen.
Pray 1 x Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
Have mercy on us O Lord. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in Peace. Amen.
Together we sing in prayer: Holy Mother, pierce me through, in my heart each wound renew, of my Saviour crucified.
Tenth Station: Jesus is Stripped of His Garments
We Adore You O Lord and We Praise You. For by Your Holy Cross you redeemed the world.
As Jesus is stripped of His garments, He is laid bare before the world, utterly vulnerable, yet entirely obedient to the will of the Father. In this moment, we see the depth of His humility and the totality of His self-giving love. He endures shame and exposure not for Himself, but for the salvation of all, showing us that true freedom comes through surrender.
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 fulfil what was spoken through the prophet: "They divided my clothes among them, and upon my garment they cast lots." (Mt 27:34-35)
Stripped of all worldly protections, He relies solely on the Father’s strength. As Job teaches, God’s chastisement is a refining love: He wounds yet heals, He humbles yet restores. Jesus’ nakedness before His persecutors calls us to reflect on the ways we cling to pride, possessions, or worldly security rather than placing our trust wholly in God.
Lord Jesus Christ, stripped of everything, You endured the contempt of those You came to save. Clothe our hearts with humility, charity, and detachment from all that separates us from You. May nothing we suffer lead us to bitterness, and may every trial draw us closer to Your redemptive love.
Lord Jesus, as we reflect on Your being stripped of Your clothes, we remember Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.
Like You, she embraced the loss of all that was familiar and secure in this world, surrendering her life entirely to the will of the Father. In her final days, forced to leave her home, separated from her beloved community, and ultimately led to martyrdom, she experienced the vulnerability and exposure that mirrors Your own on the road to Calvary.
Her soul remained unclothed in pride, fear, or resentment, and yet richly adorned in love, humility, and obedience. In her suffering, she showed that to be emptied of worldly protections is to be filled with divine strength; to be stripped is to be clothed with grace.
Through her life, we learn that true courage is found not in resistance to suffering but in complete surrender to God’s redemptive plan. Teresa Benedicta teaches us that the moments in which we are most exposed, most weak, and most vulnerable are the very moments in which God’s love can most fully shine through us.
May her witness inspire us, Lord, to accept our own vulnerabilities and trials with patience, to clothe ourselves in charity and humility, and to unite every loss and suffering to Your Passion, so that our lives may become a reflection of Your love for the world.
Amen
Pray x 1 Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory Be.
Have mercy on us O Lord. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in Peace. Amen.
Together we sing in prayer: Make me feel as you had felt; make my soul to glow and melt, with the love of Christ, my Lord.
Ninth Station: Jesus Falls the Third Time
We Adore You O Lord and We Praise You. For by Your Holy Cross you redeemed the world.
My soul clings to the dust; give me life in accord with your word.
I disclosed my ways and you answered me; teach me your statutes.
Make me understand the way of your precepts; I will ponder your wondrous deeds.
Psalm 119: 25-27
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear?
The Lord is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid?
When evildoers come at me to devour my flesh,
These my enemies and foes themselves stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me, my heart does not fear;
Though war be waged against me, even then do I trust.
Psalm 27: 1-3
As Jesus falls the third time under the weight of the Cross, we behold His full humanity and divine obedience. He bears the weight of the world’s sin and our own weakness, yet His will remains steadfast, transforming suffering into redemption and weakness into grace.
In His fall, we see that even in moments of failure or fatigue, we are called to trust, rise, and unite ourselves to Him. Each collapse becomes an act of love, teaching us patience, humility, and perseverance.
O Lord, let this vision of Your fall strengthen us to endure our trials with courage, to rise after every fall, and to offer our weakness in union with Your saving Cross.
Each fall reveals the intimate connection between human frailty and divine perseverance, the way suffering, when consciously embraced, can become a source of interior growth and faithful endurance.
Lord Jesus, as we reflect on this third fall, we remember Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.
Like You, she bore the weight of trials, persecution, and human weakness in union with the suffering of the world. She experienced moments of spiritual and moral struggle, yet in every fall she returned to You with fidelity, allowing her weakness to be transformed by Your grace.
Her life shows us that even in repeated weakness, the soul can rise again through trust, patience, and love. In her steadfastness, we see that the path of suffering is also the path of union with You, where every fall becomes an opportunity to surrender more fully to Your redemptive plan.
May her example inspire us to rise after each fall, to carry our crosses with courage, and to unite our weaknesses with Your suffering for the salvation of the world. Amen.
Pray 1 x Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
Have mercy on us O Lord. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in Peace. Amen.
Together we sing in prayer: O sweet Mother! fount of love! Touch my spirit from above, Make my heart with your accord.
Eighth Station: Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem
We Adore You O Lord and We Praise You. For by your Holy Cross you redeemed the world.
As Jesus walks the path of suffering toward Calvary, He meets the women of Jerusalem, who weep for Him. In His words, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children" (Luke 23:27-28), we see the depth of His compassion and His call to recognize sin, injustice, and human frailty.
These women respond with tears of pity, their hearts moved by His suffering. In their lament, we see a reflection of the sorrow and empathy that Christ awakens in all who witness His Passion. Their grief becomes a mirror for our own hearts, showing us the call to see Christ in the broken, the oppressed, and the suffering of our world.
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus, as we reflect on Your meeting with the women of Jerusalem, we recall Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.
Like You, she opened her heart to the suffering of others, recognising in their grief the call to compassion and conversion. She witnessed the trials, injustices and afflictions of her people, yet did not turn away. Instead, she offered herself in silent intercession, uniting her sorrow to Your Passion, and weeping with hearts burdened by suffering.
Your encounter with the women reminds us that even amid our own trials, we are called to see, to mourn, and to bear one another spiritually. Teresa Benedicta lived this call. She allowed her soul to enter into the grief of the world, offering prayer, fidelity and contemplative love as a means of bringing hope and consolation to those in pain.
Her life teaches us that true contemplation is not withdrawal from the world but a participation in its sorrows in love and obedience. Through her witness, we see how the soul can embrace suffering in union with You, interceding for the afflicted, offering presence and compassion, and drawing others toward Your redeeming grace.
May her example inspire us to walk with You on the path of suffering, attentive to those who mourn, ready to weep with compassion, and willing to turn our own crosses into instruments of consolation, care, and solidarity for the world.
Amen.
Pray 1 x Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
Have mercy on us O Lord. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in Peace. Amen.
Together we sing in prayer: For the sins of His own nation, saw Him hang in desolation, till His spirit forth He sent.
Seventh Station: Jesus Falls the Second Time
We Adore You O Lord and We Praise You. For by your Holy Cross you redeemed the world.
Jesus, weighed down by the burden of the Cross, falls once more under the weight of our sins and sufferings.
It was our weaknesses that He carried, our faults and failings that He bore, while the world looked on, misunderstanding and rejecting Him.
"But He was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins; upon Him was the punishment that makes us whole, 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." (Isaiah 53:4-6)
Though harshly treated, He submitted without complaint: silent as a Lamb led to the slaughter, as a sheep before its shearers, He opened not His mouth (Isaiah 53:7,9).
Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, in this moment of weakness and human frailty, grant us the grace to see our own limitations as opportunities to be united to Your strength.
Teach us to accept our struggles with humility, to rise again through Your power, and to carry the burdens of life with patient courage.
Lord Jesus, as we reflect on this fall, we recall Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.
In her silent endurance, steadfast faith, and complete surrender to God’s will, she shows us how a soul can rise again after every fall, united to Christ in love and obedience.
Like You, Lord, she bore the weight of suffering and trial, through persecution, through the burdens of faith, and through the struggles of conscience, but she did not succumb.
In her moments of human frailty and spiritual struggle, she carried the crosses of life with patient fidelity, embracing the weight of injustice and sin in conformity with Your will. In this, she mirrors Your Passion, rising after each fall with courage and trust.
Her witness teaches us that even when weakness overwhelms us, grace can lift the soul into union with God’s redemptive love. She shows the beauty of yielding fully to God’s plan, rising from the weight of trial, and participating in the saving work of the Cross.
May her fidelity inspire us to rise with You after each fall, to take up our own crosses with patience, and to unite our weakness with Your redeeming love for the salvation of the world.
Amen.
Pray 1 x Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
Have mercy on us O Lord. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in Peace. Amen.
Together we sing in prayer: Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled, she beheld her tender Child, all with bloody scourges rent.
Friday Stations with Stein
Meditations of Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
Society of Edith Stein
Third Station: Jesus Falls the First Time
We adore You, O Lord, and we praise You. For by Your Holy Cross, You have redeemed the world.
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 persecute You also. (John 15:18-20)
Why are Your clothes red, and Your garments like those of the wine presser?
"The wine press I have trodden alone, and of My people there was no one with Me.
I trod them in My anger, and trampled them down in My wrath; their blood spurted on My garments and I stained all My clothes.
I looked about, but there was no one to help, I was appalled that there was no one to lend support; so My own arm brought about the victory." (Is. 63:2-5)
Let us pray. O God, to free us from sin and weakness, Your Son, Jesus Christ, embraced His fearful passion and crucifixion.
Strengthen us to live our baptismal resolutions, by which we renounced sin and Satan, so that through the passion and trials of this life we might rise to a new life of joyful service, free of all selfishness.
Lord Jesus, as You bore the weight of rejection and persecution, we remember Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.
Like You, she endured hatred not of her own doing, and in her suffering she shared in Your Passion.
Through her fidelity and courage, she teaches us that even in isolation and opposition, one can remain united to You in love and obedience.
In her martyrdom, she trod her own winepress of suffering, offering her will, heritage and life in solidarity with the oppressed, sharing fully in the mystery of Your redeeming love.
May her witness strengthen us to endure trials patiently, to embrace suffering with trust, and to unite all our struggles with Yours in faithful, loving surrender.
Amen.
Pray 1 x Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
Have mercy on us O Lord. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in Peace. Amen.
Together we sing in prayer: Oh, how sad and sore distressed, was that Mother highly blessed, of the sole-begotten One!.
Second Station: Jesus Takes Up His Cross
We adore You, O Lord, and we praise You. For by Your Holy Cross, You have redeemed the world.
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 Caesar."
Then he handed Him over to them to be crucified.
And so they took Jesus and led Him away, bearing the cross for Himself. (John 19:14-17)
Who would believe what we have heard?
To whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
He grew up like a sapling before Him, like a shoot from the parched earth;
there was in Him no stately bearing to make us look at Him, no appearance that would attract us to Him.
He was rejected and avoided by men, a man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity, one of those from whom men turn away, and we held Him in no esteem. (Is. 53:1-3)
Let us pray. Almighty and eternal Father, in this moment of carrying the Cross, Your Son Jesus Christ reveals the weight of suffering borne in love.
Though the world mocks and the powers of judgment oppress, You sustain Him in patient fidelity, showing us that even the heaviest burdens can be embraced in obedience and trust.
Lord Jesus, as You carry the wood of Your Cross, we remember Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, who, like You, bore the weight of suffering not of her own making.
In her life and martyrdom, she embraced the trials of faith, heritage, and the will, offering all in union with Your Passion.
Through her, we see the profound truth that to carry the Cross in love is to participate in the redemption of the world, to share in the innocent suffering that reveals God’s mercy.
Born of the children of Israel, she carried within her heart the story of a people often judged and rejected, and in Your Cross she discovered their hope fulfilled.
Through her Carmelite vocation, she united her mind, her heritage, and ultimately her life with Yours, standing in solidarity with the persecuted.
May her witness inspire us to bear our own crosses with courage, patience, and fidelity, uniting all our sufferings with Yours in loving trust.
Stir up Your love in our hearts, Lord, so that we might faithfully carry the burdens set before us, and fear nothing more than the loss of Your friendship through sin. Amen.
Pray 1 x Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
Have mercy on us O Lord. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in Peace. Amen.
Together we sing in prayer: At the cross her station keeping, stood the mournful Mother weeping, close to Jesus to the last.
Fourth Station: Jesus meets His Mother
We Adore You O Lord and We Praise You. For by your Holy Cross you redeemed the world.
As Jesus walks the way of the Cross, He meets His mother, Mary, whose heart is pierced with sorrow.
This encounter reveals the profound unity of maternal love and divine suffering, showing how love remains steadfast even amidst unbearable pain.
In the shared gaze of mother and Son, the mystery of compassion, obedience, and faithful surrender is revealed a model for all who follow Him in trials.
Now there were standing by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, 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. (John 19:25-27)
Along the way of the Cross, the eyes of mother and Son met.
In that brief encounter, love and sorrow intertwined: the suffering of the innocent Son and the grief of the mother who had carried Him from birth.
Mary’s heart, pierced as Simeon had foretold (Luke 2:35), mirrors the prophecy of Isaiah:
"He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" (Isaiah 53:3).
Their meeting stands as a model of contemplative union with Christ in suffering: a silent, faithful presence that witnesses love’s endurance even in the face of injustice and cruelty.
Let us pray.
O blessed Lord, at Your passion a sword of sorrow pierced the heart of Your mother, yet she remained with courage and love, sharing in Your suffering.
Grant that we, who reflect on her sorrow, may be strengthened to walk our own paths of trial with patience, compassion, and trust in Your redeeming will.
Lord Jesus, as You meet Your mother along the way of the Cross, we see in Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross a soul who, like Mary, stood near You in sorrowful love, sharing in Your suffering with steadfast faith. Like Mary, Saint Teresa loved with an undivided heart and bore the weight of grief and persecution with courage.
Her life and martyrdom were a participation in Your suffering; she embraced injustice, hatred, and death in union with You, offering herself for the salvation of the world and in solidarity with the persecuted.
May her fidelity and love inspire us to face our own crosses with patience, to unite our sorrows with Yours, and to support others in their trials with hearts full of courage, compassion, and trust in Your providence.
Amen.
Pray 1 x Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
Have mercy on us O Lord. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in Peace. Amen.
Together we sing in prayer: Christ above in torment hangs, she beneath beholds the pangs, of her dying glorious Son.
Fifth Station: Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry the Cross
We Adore You O Lord and We Praise You. For by your Holy Cross you redeemed the world.
As Jesus bears the weight of the Cross, He is weakened by suffering and cruelty. Yet in His humanity, He encounters the reluctant aid of Simon of Cyrene, a passer-by compelled to share in His burden. This act reveals the mysterious communion of suffering: the innocent can invite others into the work of redemption, and in helping Him, we participate in His saving mission.
And when they had mocked Jesus, they took the purple cloak off and put His own clothes on Him and led Him out to be crucified. Then they forced a certain passer-by, Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, to take up His Cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha, a name meaning "the place of the skull." (Matthew 27:31-33)
With a loud voice I cry out to the Lord; with a loud voice I beseech the Lord. My complaint I pour out before Him; before Him I lay bare my distress. Before Him You know my path. In the way along which I walk they have hidden a trap for me. I look to the right to see, but there is no one who pays me heed; I have lost all means of escape; there is no one who cares for my life. (Psalm 141:2-5)
Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, as You allow Simon to lift the Cross, teach us that even in our weakness, the love and mercy of God can work through the hands of others. Help us to recognise moments when we are called to share in another’s suffering, and to receive help with humility and gratitude.
Lord Jesus, as we behold this moment, we reflect upon Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. She, too, bore the weight of trials and persecution not of her own making, yet allowed herself to be carried spiritually in union with You. Through her free will, faith, and ultimate martyrdom, she shared in Your Cross, offering herself for the salvation of others and the suffering of the world.
May her example strengthen us to bear the burdens of our lives with courage, to accept the help of others when our strength falters, and to unite our trials to Yours in patient, loving fidelity. Amen.
Pray 1 x Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
Have mercy on us O Lord. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in Peace. Amen.
Together we sing in prayer: Is there one who would not weep, whelmed in miseries so deep, Christ's dear Mother to behold?
Sixth Station: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
We Adore You O Lord and We Praise You. For by your Holy Cross you redeemed the world.
As Jesus walks the way of the Cross, He meets Veronica, whose compassionate heart moves her to offer consolation and relief.
In her simple act of mercy, she reveals the power of human kindness united to divine love, showing that even the smallest gesture of care can honour God.
"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." (Matthew 25:37-40)
A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure.
A faithful friend is beyond price, no sum can balance his worth.
A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy, such as he who fears God finds; for he who fears God behaves accordingly, and his friend will be like himself. (Sirach 6:14-17)
Let us pray.
Almighty and ever-loving God, in Veronica we see the gift of courageous compassion.
May we, like her, dare to bring comfort and support to the suffering and marginalized.
Grant us the courage and dedication to sacrifice with those in need, to reflect Your mercy through acts of love, and to see Your presence in the faces of the poor and afflicted.
Lord Jesus, in this moment of encounter, we also remember Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross.
Through her life and martyrdom, she offered herself in union with the suffering of the innocent, embracing the hardships of her people with a heart surrendered to You.
May her witness inspire us to accompany the suffering with patience and courage, uniting our acts of mercy with Your redeeming love.
Amen.
Pray 1 x Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
Have mercy on us O Lord. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God, rest in Peace. Amen.
Together we sing in prayer: Can the human heart refrain, from partaking in her pain, in that Mother’s pain untold?
