Mission Spirituality
Stations of the Cross for Mission Vocations
“O Jesus, we are about to walk with You through the stages of Your Agony and Death. We want to spend a brief time renewing the offering that gave us life, and that brings us to salvation. Help us to understand a little better, to love a little more, and to give of ourselves more generously, as we meditate upon Your Cross. Amen.”
Stations for Mission Vocations
“We adore you, o Christ, and we praise you, because by your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the World.”
Opening Invitation
O Jesus, we are about to walk with You through the stages of Your Agony and
Death. We want to spend a brief time renewing the offering that gave us life,
and that brings us to salvation. Help us to understand a little better, to love
a little more, and to give of ourselves more generously, as we meditate upon
Your Cross. Amen
Prayer
Gracious God,
Each of us is called to discipleship with your Son Jesus through the sacrament
of Baptism. We are sent to proclaim and to be the Gospel of Jesus, bring the
good News of God’s saving love.
Hear our prayer as we ponder the redemptive vocation of Jesus who continues to
call men and women to walk in His way, renewing his church and caring for his
people.
We give you thanks for the mystery of vocations in church service and we pray
for all who have answered your call. Send forth your Holy Spirit upon the
faithful and rekindle in them the fire of your love drawing many young men and
women to dedicate themselves to the work of Christ and His Kingdom. Amen.
1st Station - Jesus, you were publicly condemned to death
Leader: We adore You, o Christ, and we praise You.
Response: Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Vocation Reflection
O Jesus, You are standing all alone. No friends are with You, no one to speak to
You, no one to defend You. You spent your life helping others. You are calling
others to come and follow You. As we look upon You who willingly give of
Yourself, we ask that those who follow You may answer Your call wholeheartedly.
Give them the courage You had, when others made fun of You, and to say with You
“Your Will be done.” Dear Lord of the Harvest, send laborers into Your harvest.
Justice Thought
Jesus is trapped by the same system that brings us the death penalty, the
harshness of life in prison, political prisoners, torture, white-collar crime,
racial profiling, the criminalization of the poor, and all of the inequities of
our world’s criminal justice systems.
Prayer
Jesus, we ask that you call young men and women today to publicly accept your
invitation to follow you in spite of what others may think or say. Give to them
a passion for reaching out through your love to the needs of your brothers and
sisters.
2nd Station - Jesus, you took up your Cross and carried it
Leader: We adore You, o Christ, and we praise You.
Response: Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Vocation Reflection
O Jesus, as the Cross is placed on Your shoulders, You realize that is not going
to be an easy journey. You have told us that unless we take our cross and follow
You – even daily – we are not worthy to be Your disciples. Maybe that is why so
few are willing to work in the service of the church as priests, sisters and
brothers, and leaving father and mother and all to follow You. Through Your
Cross, give us the special strength to accept the cross of our vocation and
follow You.
Justice Thought
Jesus carries his burden as do all those who work the land, labor for low wages,
struggle to find work, care for their children and family, worry over their
debts, strive for their children, attend poor schools, are abused by their
bosses, or in any way struggle to make it in this world.
Prayer
Jesus, help those you call to see in the cross the symbol of union with you.
Give to them the zeal and talent to minister to those who are burdened with
pain, sorrow, confusion and alienation. Let them see that in the cross is life.
3rd Station - Jesus, you fell
Leader: We adore You, o Christ, and we praise You.
Response: Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Vocation Reflection
The awful weight of the cross caused You to fall many times on Your journey to
Calvary, dear Lord. Through Your falls, teach us to lift ourselves up again and
again, when we fail to continue on our pilgrim journey. Give Your anointed
servants the grace to recognize their weaknesses and to rely upon You. May they
come to You in their trials. You have chosen us, weak as we are, to do Your
will. Help us do it to the best of our ability.
Justice Thought
The burden that crushes Jesus can be compared to the burdens of today—the burden
of debt that crushes the poor economies of the world, the unequal distribution
of resources which stifles development for many people and nations.
Prayer
Jesus, let those you call know that they do not have to be perfect. Let them be
open to your transforming grace that can accomplish more than anyone could
imagine. Give to those who respond to your call to minister a deep trust that
you will complete what you have begun in them.
4th Station - Jesus, you met your Mother, who was your disciple and friend
Leader: We adore You, o Christ, and we praise You.
Response: Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Vocation Reflection
Dear Lord, what a terrible sight to see Your mother Mary as You carried Your
Cross. She taught You the lesson of unconditional love, of service of God, of
compassion to neighbors in need. We are grateful to You for the gift of our
parents. Their example led us to love and serve You. Their faith has enlightened
our path in the service of others. We ask that Your Mother take the hand of all
those who serve You as priests, sisters and brothers, and guide them to giving
themselves to work for God’s Reign.
Justice Thought
Jesus looks on his mother with love and sees all the pain and possibility of
relationship, deep family love and fidelity, abuse and violence, mutual loving
care, separation and divorce, loneliness and community.
Prayer
Jesus, instill in young men and women the desire to come to know your Mother and
find in their prayerful reflection of the scriptures, a woman of faith, hope and
love whose vocation is an example for all. Help parents to promote and support
vocations among their children, families and church communities.
5th Station - Jesus, you gratefully accepted the help of Simon
Leader: We adore You, o Christ, and we praise You.
Response: Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Vocation Reflection
Jesus, You needed help to carry Your cross and the soldiers forced someone to
help You. How will we know what Simon said and did before helping you carry the
cross! May we who carry Your cross, and help You do Your will, be blessed, and
may our names inscribed in the book of life. May our service be accompanied by
love, compassion, and by a willingness to do Your Will, no matter how heavy the
burden.
Justice Thought
Jesus’ story becomes Simon’s story as well. Globalization can be both a burden
and a relief, a freedom and a limit. Jesus and Simon are both victims and
helpers. Good and evil play out as their lives are connected.
Prayer
Jesus, send forth your grace upon those you call to church leadership. Help them
to accept and affirm others’ gifts in the building of community, in proclaiming
the message and in reaching out in service.
6th Station - Jesus, you left an imprint of your face on Veronica’s veil
Leader: We adore You, o Christ, and we praise You.
Response: Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Vocation Reflection
The journey to Calvary goes on. But from the crowd a woman steps forward –
Veronica, a true image of a caring God. On the cloth she presents to You comes
the impression of Your Face. What a great gift for such a small favor! Dear
Lord, how many more gifts do You shower on those who offer You their whole
beings to love and serve You and Your people! The sign of Your love is marked on
them. Would that there would be more men and women like Veronica, to come forth
and seek to imprint Your image on their very beings.
Justice Thought
This “small” act of charity is a most wonderful action of great compassion. It
seems to be all that Veronica can do at the moment, yet the injustice remains.
She cannot stop the suffering of Jesus. The compassion of Veronica calls out for
social change, for an end to injustice, for a new way of living together.
Prayer
Jesus, call forth numerous men and women to see your face on all whom they meet.
Help your servants to truly understand that whatever good is done to the least
of your brothers and sisters is done to you.
7th Station - Jesus, you fell again
Leader: We adore You, o Christ, and we praise You.
Response: Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Vocation Reflection
St. James writes that the just fall seven times a day. These are the
difficulties in our pilgrimage from life to eternity. Even Your disciples were
weak human beings, who faltered. Your apostles and helpers in Your work, Lord,
need our help. Give them the strength to rise again when they fall. May the
people they serve always give them a helping hand, a kind word, a sweet mantle
of charity, and prayers to God. We pray that Your disciples may grow strong, and
journey on the path that leads to our heavenly home.
Justice Thought
The burden that crushes Jesus is unfair, as are the economic and political
inequalities of our day—wages, resources, schools, rights, power, savings,
taxes. Our systems are often unfair.
Prayer
Jesus, teach those you call to church service to accept their own and others’
limitations, relying on God’s merciful grace. Help them in these times of
darkness to reach our especially to those whom the world calls “fallen:” the
addicted, imprisoned, the poor, Aids victims, the unattractive.
8th Station - Jesus, you reverenced women and called them to be your disciples
Leader: We adore You, o Christ, and we praise You.
Response: Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Vocation Reflection
As You walked the streets of Jerusalem, women watched, and You, o Lord, saw them
crying. You stop to talk to them. You tell them that You are innocent, and that
You are suffering all this for them and their children. They are to raise their
children to follow You in the way of the cross, and be willing to walk with You
on the road that leads to death. Dear Lord, grant that Your people will be
faithful – through sufferings and even death itself – and gain one day
everlasting glory.
Justice Thought
Women bear the burdens of the world in a special way. They disproportionately
struggle under the injustices of our systems. The experience of women throughout
the ages calls us to end the injustices. It calls us to a new heaven and a new
earth, to a new way of being sisters and brothers.
Prayer
Jesus, remove any prejudices or biases from all whom you call to walk with you
in church service. Let those who follow you see that all God’s people are equal,
regardless of race, culture or gender, and that our heavenly Father has no
favorites. Let their words and example speak of God’s peace and justice.
9th Station - Jesus, you fell again for the third time
Leader: We adore You, o Christ, and we praise You.
Response: Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Vocation Reflection
The cruel treatment of Your executioners caused You to fall one more time. This
can only teach us to be patient and humble when not everything falls into place
in life the way we want, or when it all seem useless. May those who minister on
Your behalf, be kind and understanding, strong and humble, seeking to imitate
You in their service. May Your Love enkindle great love in them for those who
have fallen, that they may be lifted up to new life.
Justice Thought
The burden that crushes Jesus is like the burden of materialism. Every time the
world worships things before people, power before justice, and consumption
before the spirit, we lose what it means to be human and alive.
Prayer
Jesus, help those you call to know that all vocations are grace-filled; that
priests, sisters, brothers, deacons, consecrated men and women, married and
single are all favored by God. Instill in them the understanding that nothing
can separate them from the love of God who is actively present in good times and
in bad.
10th Station - Jesus, you were stripped of your clothes
Leader: We adore You, o Christ, and we praise You.
Response: Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Vocation Reflection
What a horrendous sight, dear Lord, as they tore Your clothing from Your body.
But even through bitter humiliation, You teach us to rid ourselves of those
things which hinder us from giving all to You. Grant that those who serve You in
the ministries of the Church be clothed in the mantle of genuine love for
others. May they inspire others by their witness, to trust in Your guidance.
Justice Thought
This radical loss of everything continues to be felt in the lives of all the
poor—those without enough food, clothing, shelter, education, respect, dignity,
human rights, and community.
Prayer
Jesus, clothe our church servants with sincere compassion, kindness, humility,
holiness, gentleness and patience, forgiveness and thankfulness…and over all
these clothes, let them put on love. Let your love touch the hearts of those
discerning a vocation to church service.
11th Station - Jesus, you were nailed to the Cross
Leader: We adore You, o Christ, and we praise You.
Response: Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Vocation Reflection
Dear Lord, as You are nailed to the cross, Your compassion reaches high and wide
like your stretched limbs. May those who have chosen to follow You most
intimately, stretch out their whole being and all their energies to do Your will
for the salvation of all. Grant them faithfulness, not counting the cost,
trusting only in Your words “Those who persevere to the end will be saved.” Dear
Lord, may all those who have left parents, brothers and sisters, all things,
know Your love.
Justice Thought
Jesus is a person of active nonviolence, yet here he comes to know violence
against his person—the same violence that is seen in our wars and preparation
for war, in the violence on our streets and in our homes, in our weapons of mass
destruction, in ethnic cleansing, in genocide, in all these countless examples
of violence.
Prayer
Jesus, instill in youth today a deep desire to make a difference in the worlds
no matter what the cost. Let the example of modern martyrs in Central and South
America touch their minds with questions and challenges. Fill them with you
presence and grace to respond to the call to “go out to all the world.”
12th Station - Jesus, you died for us on the Cross
Leader: We adore You, o Christ, and we praise You.
Response: Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Vocation Reflection
Lord Jesus Crucified, lifted up on the Cross, draw all humankind to Yourself.
How can we ever understand Your love for us? How can we ever appreciate the
great gift You have given to us? What can we give you back in exchange for Your
gift to us? May all who choose to be one with You, have the courage and strength
to remain with You. With Peter, we say “To whom shall we go, Lord, for You have
the words of eternal life.” May we always live, live in You, live in time and
eternity.
Justice Thought
Power and control are dominate values in our world, yet Jesus loses all of these
things that the world considers important. But at the same time, in Jesus nailed
to a cross, we see a person of great freedom and compassionate love and a
special awesome power—the power of the suffering God crying out for justice.
Prayer
Jesus, give to all who are pondering a vocation a deep love of the Eucharist,
brought to completion in your death and resurrection, and celebrated eternally.
Let them find in the Mass a daily renewal of your invitation to live out their
lives through you, with you, and in you, giving glory and honor to God.
13th Station - Jesus, you were taken down from the Cross
Leader: We adore You, o Christ, and we praise You.
Response: Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Vocation Reflection
To see You dead on the Cross, is to know how much You love us, Lord Jesus. You
gave Your all. You ask us to give You some of our life to serve and love You.
You ask us to help others know Your continued love. May we often come to You for
strength, that close to You we continue to share Your story and our story.
Through Your death, we possess eternal life. May many people know your presence
through our efforts, our prayers, and our vocation.
Justice Thought
Jesus is radically stripped of everything. He is a human person whose rights and
dignity have been taken away. In Jesus, we see all the women and men of our
world who still seek their basic human rights—the right to food, water,
clothing, shelter, education, political freedom, development, justice, etc.
Prayer
Jesus, touch the minds, hearts and spirits of those you call to serve the people
of God. Surround them with your grace; embrace them with your love. Enable them
to respond to your call to reach out to all humankind in prayer and service,
bringing your comforting presence, Jesus, to a world grieving and fearful.
14th Station - Jesus, you were laid in the Tomb
Leader: We adore You, o Christ, and we praise You.
Response: Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Vocation Reflection
Our dear Savior, laid in the tomb, we believe in You. You teach us to detach
ourselves from the things of this earth and cling to those of heaven. It doesn’t
matter where You lay buried, but that You rose again to new life. Help us see
Your hand in every failure and Your victory in every defeat. May we ever look to
You and not seek what is here upon the earth. Your death is the source of life.
Your resurrection is the victory over sin and death. Let it be. Amen.
Justice Thought
Jesus is carefully placed into the earth, an earth that is the divine creation,
a planet that we so often abuse as we waste resources, as we seek profit before
all else, as we consume without awareness, and as we disrespect the awesome
beauty that is God’s gift.
Prayer
We thank you, Jesus, for the infinite power of your death and resurrection which
brought salvation and healing to the world. We thank you for all whom you have
called to follow you in the past 2000 years, men and women formally dedicating
their lives to the up-building of the church. We pray for all seminarians and
novices in formation. Let all young men and women today reflect on the lives of
the saints, and let them come to meet and know priests, religious, and lay
ministers in our times who continue to respond to Christ’s call, “Come, follow
me.”
Closing Prayer for Vocations
Loving God,
You speak to us and nourish us
through the life of church communities.
In the name of Jesus,
we ask You to send your Spirit upon us
so that we may respond joyfully to Your call
to service and leadership in the Church
as missionaries and witnesses
of Your Word and Reign.
May those who are opening
their hearts and minds to Your call
be encouraged and strengthened
through our enthusiasm and faithfulness
to serving You and all Your people. Amen.
Prayer for Consecrated Life
Lord
Jesus, source of all consolation, from the cross you gave us your mother to be
our mother, too, knowing too well how much we need her prayers and intercession
and particularly her motherly love and guidance as we journey in this world.
We place under her protection all priests and religious, that they may remain
ever faithful to you. We ask, too, that you inspire young men and women to give
themselves totally to the work of your church. Amen.
Vocation Reflection by Xaverian Missionaries
Justice Thought by John Bucki, SJ
Vocation Prayer composed by Sister Mary Frances Reis, BVM
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