First Station: Jesus is condemned to die

“It is morning and he is delivered over to Pilate. There, charges are brought against him and he says nothing, because he is led to slaughter like a sheep, and like a lamb before the shearer he has not opened his mouth. Mark well how he stands in the presence of the governor: his face serene, saying little, ready for insults and scourging.”

St. Aelred “Rule for a Recluse” CF2 pg. 88

Second Station: Jesus takes up his Cross

“The judge has taken his place at the judgement seat, the sentence has been pronounced and already the doomed man is led off to death carrying his own cross. O what a sight! Do you see? Behold princely power is upon his shoulder. This is the sceptre of justice, the sceptre by which he reigns.”

St. Aelred “Rule for a Recluse” CF2 pg. 89

Third Station: Jesus falls the first time

“Will not he the Son, troubled by so sudden and complete a reversal of fortune, be seen to call upon the Father:” God my God why have you forsaken me? Certainly it was your hands that made me, in your will you have led me on.” And again “with glory you have borne me up, and so do you suddenly cast me down?”

Blessed Guerric “Third Sermon for Palm Sunday”
CF32 pg. 68- 9

Fourth Station: Jesus meets his Mother

“A polished arrow is that special love of Christ which not only pierced Mary’s soul but penetrated through and through, until the tiniest space in her virginal heart was permeated by love. Thenceforth she would love with her whole heart her whole soul and be full of grace.”

St. Bernard “Songs of Songs” Sermon 29 CF65 pg. 293

Fifth Station: Simon helps Jesus

 “...Listen to St. Paul’s advice:” let this mind be in you which you have known to have been first in Christ Jesus.” That is, let no one be lifted up above himself, but rather brought down below himself. Let him who is greater serve others: if anyone is injured let him be the first to make satisfaction in common: let everyone obey even to death. These are the footsteps in which we may follow Christ in the form of a slave, and come in the end to see him in the form of God.”

Blessed Guerric “Third Sermon for Palm Sunday”
CF32 pg. 68- 9

Sixth Station: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus

“In its compassion and fellow suffering, the soul which suffers with another is in a certain way divided from itself and in itself.  When the one it loves suffers, it gives itself up to him, it pours itself out from itself, so as to share his sufferings with him.”

Baldwin of Ford “Spiritual Tractates” 187 CS 39 pg. 162

Seventh Station: Jesus falls a second time

 “In the cross of Christ there is nothing weak, nothing soft, nothing delicate, nothing that coddles flesh and blood. Let the cross of Christ itself be as it were the mirror of the Christian. In the light of the cross of Christ let each person examine his life whether the way he lives conforms to the cross of Christ. And to the extent, to which anyone shares Christ’s Cross, let him count on sharing Christ’s glory.”

St. Aelred “Liturgical Sermon 10” CF 58 pg. 180

Eighth Station: Jesus speaks to the women of Jerusalem

“O woman, if you should feel this in your heart – and because you are a woman you should feel it to some degree – you have in yourself proof, your own proof that you do not yet love God perfectly with your own heart... Yet if you love God in truth and offer your heart to God as much as you can, then in giving to God you make it your own....The more of your heart you give to him, the more he makes it your own.”

Baldwin of Ford “Spiritual Tractates” 187 CS 39 pg. 80
(adapted slightly)

Ninth Station: Jesus falls the third time

“But I seem still to hear the same Lord in Isaiah complaining of the ingratitude of his worthless slave in the words: “I have not made you serve me with offerings, I have not made you toil to provide me with incense.  Yet you have made me serve with your sins, you have made me toil with your iniquities.  And what toil?  Even to exhaustion, hunger and thirst.  Yes, even to sweat, a sweat of blood which ran down on to the earth; yes, even to death, death on a cross.”

Blessed Guerric “Third Sermon for Psalm Sunday” CF 32 67- 8

Tenth Station: Jesus is stripped of his garments  

 “I know you can bear it no longer, that you will not be able to look on while his most sweet back is torn with whips, his face struck, his majestic head crowned with thorns, that right hand which made heaven and earth mocked with a reed. He is given wine mixed with gall.  He is stripped of his garments and they are divided amongst the soldiers.  The tunic is not torn but is given whole to the one designated by lot.”

St. Aelred “Rule for a Recluse” CF2 pg. 89

Eleventh Station: Jesus is nailed to the Cross

“His sweet hands and feet are pierced with nails, he is stretched out on the Cross and hung up between two thieves.  The Mediator of God and men hangs midway between heaven and earth, unites the heights with the depths and joins the things of earth to the things of heaven.  Heaven is aghast, earth marvels.”

St. Aelred “Rule for a Recluse” CF2 pg. 89

Twelfth Station: Jesus dies on the Cross  

 “He is great in his kingdom, but so gentle on the cross. Thanks be to your cross and your nails, Lord Jesus.
Truly if you are fastened to the Cross together with Christ you are wise, you are just, you are holy you are free.”

St. Bernard “Songs of Songs” 61 CF31 pg. 146

Thirteenth Station: Jesus is taken from the Cross

“But wait yet a while until noble Joseph comes to extract the nails and free his hands and feet.  See how in his most happy arms he embraces that sweet body and clasps it to his breast.  Then could that holy man say: “My beloved is a bundle of myrrh for me, he shall rest upon my breast.”  It is for you to follow that precious treasure of heaven and earth, and either hold the feet or support the hands and arms, or at least gather up carefully the drops of the precious blood as they fall one by one and wipe the dust from the feet.”

St. Aelred “Rule for a Recluse” CF2 pg. 91

Fourteenth Station: Jesus is placed in the tomb   

“See also how gently, how carefully blessed Nicodemus handles his limbs, rubbing ointments on them and then with holy Joseph, wraps them in the shroud and lays them in the tomb.”

St. Aelred “Rule for a Recluse” CF2 pg. 91