Category: S

Based on the Writing of St. Francis de Sales Translated and somewhat amplified by The Most Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, O.S.F.S, Superior General of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales

The “Way of the Cross” of suffering and affliction is a sure way, one which leads to God and to the perfection of his love if we are faithful. 

First Station — Jesus Is Condemned To Death
The Cross is from God, but it is only “cross” if we do not join ourselves to it; for when we are strongly resolved to desire the cross which God gives to us then it is no longer a “cross” at all. If it is from God, why do we not desire it?

Second Station — Jesus Is Given His Cross
The Cross has been sanctified because it was the instrument which Jesus used for our Redemption. All Christians who aspire to heaven must take up the cross of the Lord and follow him. This will mean walking in his steps, imitating his virtues and having but one purpose and goal: his. 

Third Station — Jesus Falls The First Time
Notice the infinite goodness of the Savior who wished to die the death of men and women so as to enable us to live according to the original expectation for Adam, that is, to live God’s life. But to better grasp the humility of Our Lord, listen to what St. Paul writes: “Though he was God’s Son, he emptied himself.” (Phil. 2:6-7 freely) O, God, but it is wondrous that the Eternal Word should empty himself and set aside his proper glory for his creatures who measure up so poorly to his love! 

Fourth Station — Jesus Meets His Mother
The Mother of Christ seeks out her Son who is the life of her life. And why does she seek him out? To be ever near him, her Son and her God. 

Fifth Station — Simon Of Cyrene Helps Jesus
The evangelists do not name the majority of people who figure in the Passion. But they do recall the name of Simon who helps our Lord carry his cross. The cross is the royal gate by which we enter the temple of holiness. Love this altogether precious cross; look upon it with eyes of love. 

Sixth Station — Veronica Cleanses The Face of Jesus
I reflect upon the manner in which the Lord suffers. In his heart, he suffers willingly, with patience and love. The cross is a remedy capable of healing all our evils. 

Seventh Station — Jesus Falls The Second Time
He suffers in order to witness to his love for us. O, how great is his love! Lord, I do not know if I have any love at all, but if I do, it is so little that it is content to shed a single tear; and it believes itself perfected when it utters a few sighs. And yet, O Good God, how much I insist and protest that I want to love you and give you my entire heart! 

Eighth Station — Jesus Meets The Women Of Jerusalem
Christ has made it clear that he loves our tears when they are caused by love. If we have tears, let us cry them altogether simply, because we certainly could not have a more worthy subject over which to cry. 

Ninth Station — Jesus Falls The Third Time
My iniquity is indeed great. O, Lord, who will deliver me from this labyrinth if not you? We would have reason to fear if we relied on our own strength. For he is for us. 

Tenth Station — Jesus Is Stripped Of His Clothing
Christ stripped teaches us what we must do to please him: strip our hearts of all sorts of unworthy affections and pretenses, no longer loving them but desiring nothing other than him. 

Eleventh Station — Jesus Is Nailed To The Cross
The Son of God is nailed to the Cross. What puts him there? Certainly it is love. Well, since it is certain that he died for us the least we ought to do for him is to live from love. He who wants to kiss Christ must mount his cross and be wounded by the thorns of his crown.

Twelfth Station — Jesus Dies On The Cross
Our Lord chose the death of the Cross to witness to his Love. There he offered himself in love, unto love, by love and of love. 

Thirteenth Station — Jesus Is Taken Down From The Cross
Love draws all the pains, torments, sufferings, sorrows, wounds, passion, Cross of our Lord into the heart of his holy Mother. The sword of death which cut through the body of this well-beloved Son also cut through the heart of this all loving Mother. 

Fourteenth Station — Jesus Is Placed In The Tomb
Love and death co-penetrate one another in the Savior’s passion. We must die to every other love in order to live from Jesus’ love, so that we may not die eternally. 

Fifteenth Station — The Resurrection Of Jesus
That we may live in your eternal love, O Savior of our souls, we sing eternally, “Live, Jesus! Jesus is the one I love! Live, Jesus, you whom I love. I love Jesus who lives and reigns forever and ever.

Amen.

Hail Mary, Daughter of God the Father;
Hail Mary, Mother of God the Son;
Hail Mary, Spouse of the Holy Ghost;
Hail Mary, Temple of the Most Holy Trinity.
Hail Mary, white Lilly of the resplendent and ever
unchanging Trinity.
Hail Mary, red Rose of Paradise.
Hail Mary, Virgin full of sweetness and humility,
from whom the King of Heaven willed to be
born and to suckle at the breast.
Hail Mary, Virgin of virgins.
Hail Mary, Queen of martyrs, who spent
Thy life for Heaven while on this earth.
Hail Mary, Queen of my heart, my sweetness, my
life and my entire hope.
Hail Mary, Mother most amiable.
Hail Mary, Mother most admirable.
Hail Mary, Mother of fair love.
Hail Mary, Mother of mercy.
Hail Mary, conceived without sin. 

Thou art full of grace, 
the Lord is with Thee;
blessed art Thou among all women, 
and blessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus. 

Blessed be Thy spouse, Saint Joseph.
Blessed be Thy father, Saint Joachim.
Blessed be Thy mother, Saint Anne.
Blessed be Thy adopted son, Saint John.
Blessed be Thy angel, Saint Gabriel.
Blessed be the Eternal Father who elected Thee.
Blessed be Thy Son, who has loved Thee.
Blessed be the Holy Ghost, who has espoused Thee.
And blessed forever be those who love Thee and bless Thee.
O Blessed Virgin, bless us all, in the Name of Thy dear Son. 

Amen.
(by St. John Eudes, C. J. M.)

Hail, Heart most holy. 
Hail, Heart most gentle.
Hail, Heart most humble.
Hail, Heart most pure.
Hail, Heart most wise.
Hail, Heart most patient.
Hail, Heart most merciful.
Hail, most loving Heart of Jesus and Mary.

We revere Thee.
We glorify Thee.
We give Thee thanks.
We love Thee.
We offer Thee our heart.

Receive it and possess it wholly. 
Purify it. 
Enlighten it.
Sanctify it.
That Thou may live and reign in it now,
always and forever and ever.

Amen.

Hail Mary! Daughter of God the Father. 
Hail Mary! Mother of God the Son. 
Hail Mary! Spouse of God the Holy Ghost. 
Hail Mary! Temple of the Most Blessed Trinity.
Hail Mary! Pure Lily of the Effulgent Trinity, God.
Hail Mary! Celestial Rose of the ineffable Love o God.
Hail Mary! Virgin pure and humble, of whom the King of Heaven willed to be born and with thy milk to be nourished.
Hail Mary! Virgin of virgins. 

Hail Mary! Queen of Martyrs, whose soul a s sword transfixed.
Hail Mary! Lady most blessed, unto whom all power in Heaven and earth is given.
Hail Mary! My Queen and my Mother! My life, my sweetness and my hope.
Hail Mary! Mother most amiable. 
Hail Mary! Mother most admirable. 
Hail Mary! Mother of Divine Love. 
Hail Mary, Immaculate! Conceived without sin!
Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with thee! 

Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the Fruit of thy womb, Jesus!
Blessed be thy spouse, Saint Joseph. 
Blessed be thy father, Saint Joachim. 
Blessed be thy mother, Saint Anne. 
Blessed be thy guardian, Saint John. 
Blessed be thy holy angel, Saint Gabriel. 

Glory be to God the Father, Who chose thee. Glory be to God the Son, Who loved thee. Glory be to God the Holy Spirit, Who espoused thee. 
O Glorious Virgin Mary, May all men love and praise thee.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, Pray for us and bless us, Now and at death, in the Name of Jesus, thy Divine Son.

Precious Blood and Word of God, You are my eternal salvation. Lost in sin, You liberated me. You lifted me from perdition. Treasuring my feeble soul, You excused my constant frailties. Forever, I am indebted to You. Your cost can never be repaid, For You bought my freedom with Blood. I will always seek You out my Lord, You are my beloved Deliverer! You are the Lamb of God!

Father, hear our prayers for the salvation of the world. Grant Mercy to all souls that turned away from You. Open their hearts and minds with Your light. 

Gather Your children from the east and the west, from the north and the south.

Have mercy O God on those who do not know You. Bring them out of darkness into Your light. You are our saving God Who leads us in our salvation. Protect us from evil.

Bless and praise You O Lord, hear our prayers and answer us. You, our Savior, are the hope of all the ends of the Earth and the distant seas. May Your way be known upon Earth; among all nations Your salvation.

We put the world in Your hands; fill us with Your love. Grant us peace through Christ, our Lord. 

Amen

Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!

V- Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God
R- That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

[In the Morning]

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy. hail our life, our sweetness and our hope! To You do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To You do we send up our sighs; mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn, most gracious Advocate, your eyes of mercy toward us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of Your womb, Jesus! O Clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary!

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

V. Make me worthy to praise thee, O holy Virgin. R. Give me strength against thine enemies.

V. Blessed be God in His Saints. R. Amen.

[In the Evening]

We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not thou our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us from all dangers, O ever glorious and blessed Virgin.

V. Make me worthy to praise thee, O holy Virgin. R. Give me strength against thine enemies.

V. Blessed be God in His Saints.

R. Amen.

O God, the creator of all things, you framed the law of labor for the human race. Graciously grant, by the example and patronage of St. Joseph, that we may do the work you provide us and earn the reward you promise. Sustain us with your grace to live up to our duties in charity and justice.

Amen.

O merciful God, we cry to Thee for pardon and for mercy. 
We are an unbelieving and perverse generation. 
We are disobedient, disloyal and ungrateful to Thee. 
We have excluded Thee from our homes, our schools, our places of business. 

We are no longer worthy to be called Thy children. 
Merciful Father, spare America! 
Forgive us! 

Save us from the scourge we deserve. 
Teach us Thy law, and move our wills to serve Thee today and everyday. 
Merciful God, please spare America! 
O Immaculate Heart of Mary, 
Pray for us!