277 STATIONS OF THE CROSS

YOUCAT Lesson 277

YOUCAT the catechism for Catholic youth

277  What are the Stations of the Cross?

Following Jesus on his way of the Cross by praying and meditating on the fourteen Stations is a very ancient devotion in the Church which is practiced especially in Lent and Holy week.  [1674-1675]

Photo: A modern replica of Jesus' crown of thorns.  

El Greco painting: .....The crowning of thorns on Jesus’ head (a modern replica) was a completely unnecessary act on the part of the soldiers who mocked Jesus.  Jesus already had received his death sentence.  Likewise, it is completely unnecessary for us to berate, scorn,  burden, or in any other way make life difficult for our fellow men.  We each have our cross and that is enough.  Rather, let is be a “Veronica” or a “Simon of Cyrene” and give relief to our neighbor whom you can be certain has his own cross to bear.  
 --Don L. Bragg  …..277

The fourteen stations are: 1. Jesus is condemned to death; 2. Jesus takes up his Cross; 3. Jesus falls the first time; 4. Jesus meets his sorrowful Mother; 5. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the Cross; 6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus; 7. Jesus falls the second time; 8. Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem; 9. Jesus falls the third time; 10. Jesus is stripped of his garments; 11. Jesus is nailed to the Cross; 12. Jesus dies on the Cross; 13. Jesus is taken down from the Cross and presented to his Mother; 14. Jesus is laid in the tomb.

“The Lord’s Cross embraces the world; his Via Crucis crosses continents and epochs.  In the Way of the Cross, we cannot merely be spectators.  We too are involved, so we must seek our place: Where are we?”  Pope Benedict XVI, April 14, 2006

“Your Cross.  The everlasting God has in his wisdom foreseen from eternity the cross that He now presents to you as a gift from His inmost heart.  This cross He now sends you He has considered with His all-knowing eyes, understood with His divine mind, tested with His wise justice, warmed with loving arms and weighed with His own hands to see that it be not one inch too large and not one ounce too heavy for you.  He has blessed it with His holy Name, anointed it with His consolation, taken one last glance at you and your courage, and then sent it to you from heaven, a special greeting from God to you, an alms of the all-merciful love of God.”  St. Francis of Sales (1567-1622)

Popular piety

…….1674   Besides sacramental liturgy and sacramentals, catechesis must take into account the forms of piety and popular devotions among the faithful. The religious sense of the Christian people has always found expression in various forms of piety surrounding the Church's sacramental life, such as the veneration of relics, visits to sanctuaries, pilgrimages, processions, the stations of the cross, religious dances, the rosary, medals,(Compare Council of Nicaea II: Denzinger-Schönmetzer 601; 603; Council of Trent: DS 1822.)¹⁸⁰ etc.  –Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition

…….1675   These expressions of piety extend the liturgical life of the Church, but do not replace it. They "should be so drawn up that they harmonize with the liturgical seasons, accord with the sacred liturgy, are in some way derived from it and lead the people to it, since in fact the liturgy by its very nature is far superior to any of them."(Sacrosactum Concilium 13 § 3.)¹⁸¹ --CCC