Station Sixth.

CHRIST IS MET BY VERONICA.

How excellent a mirror did Veronica obtain in the image of the face of Christ! Do thou ever contemplate thyself in that mirror.

Ant. Behold, we have seen him without beauty or comeliness, despised and the most abject of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with infirmity, and his look was as it were hidden and despised; whereupon we esteemed him not. His appearance is without honour among the living, and his beauty among the sons of men; yet is he beautiful above all the children of men; by whose bruises we are healed.

Lord have mercy, &c.

Our Father. Hail Mary.

V. O Lord God of Hosts, correct us.

R. Shew us thy face, and we shall be saved.

V. Turn not away thy face from us.

R. Neither leave thy servants in displeasure
V. O Lord, hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come unto thee.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus Christ, &c.

Station Seventh.

CHRIST FALLS DOWN AT THE GATE OF JUDGMENT.

How wilt thou be able to stand before him in the day of judgment?

Ant. They delivered me into the hands of the ungodly, and thrust me among the wicked, and did not spare my soul. The strong men gathered themselves against me, and stood over me like giants, gazing upon me with fierce looks; and beating me with cruel stripes, they mocked me.

Lord have mercy, &c.
Our Father. Hail Mary.

V. But I am a worm, and no man.

R. The scorn of men, and the outcast of the people. V. All they that see me laugh at me.

R. They spake against me with their lips, and wagged their heads.

V. Lord, hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come unto thee.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus Christ, &c.

Station Eighth.

WOMEN LAMENT OVER CHRIST.

Where are the tears with which thou dost bewail thy sins, rather than the loss of any earthly good?

Ant. Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For, behold, the days shall come in which they say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the paps that have not given suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall upon us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done in the dry? Lord have mercy, &c.

Our Father. Hail Mary.

V. The breath of our nostrils, Christ the Lord,
R. Is taken in our sins.

V. The crown of our head hath fallen.

R. Woe unto us, for we have sinned.

V. O Lord, hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come unto thee.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus Christ, &c.

Station Ninth.

CHRIST FALLS FOR THE LAST TIME AT MOUNT

CALVARY.

Oh, how often is Christ pressed down by the weight

of our sins!

I

Ant. O my people, what have I done to thee, or wherein have I molested thee? Answer thou me. brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and thou hast prepared for me a cross; I led thee through the wilderness forty years, and fed thee with manna, and thou hast beaten me with buffets and scourges; I gave thee a royal sceptre, and thou hast given my head a crown of thorns. What could I have done more for thee, that I have not done?

Lord have mercy, &c.

Our Father. Hail Mary.

V. He is led like a sheep to the slaughter.

R. And as a lamb before his shearers, he is dumb.

V. He delivered his soul unto death,

R. That he might give life unto his people.

V. O Lord, hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come unto thee.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus Christ, &c.

Station Tenth.

CHRIST IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS, AND IS GIVEN VINEGAR AND GALL TO DRINK.

Art thou unkind and inconsiderate to the poor? What thou dost to them, thou dost to Christ.

Ant. O my people, what have I done to thee, or wherein have I molested thee? Answer thou me. I brought thee out from the house of bondage to the promised land; and when I came to thee from the bosom of my Father, thou didst lead me to the death of the cross. I planted thee my choicest vine, and thou wast made unto me exceeding bitter; I gave thee to drink out of the rock the water of salvation, and thou madest me to drink vinegar and gall. What could I have done more for thee, that I have not done? Lord have mercy, &c.

Our Father. Hail Mary.

V. My strength hath dried up like a potsherd.

R. And my tongue hath cleaved to my jaws.

V. They gave me gall to eat.

R. And when I was thirsty, they gave me vinegar to drink.

V. O Lord, hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come unto thee.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus Christ, &c.

Station Eleventh.

CHRIST IS FASTENED TO THE CROSS WITH DREADFUL

NAILS.

How strong are the bands of love with which Jesus hath bound himself unto thee! How dost thou bind thyself in return unto him?

Ant. O my people, what have I done unto thee? I exalted thee with great power, and thou didst hang me on the gibbet of the cross; I made thee higher than all nations, and thou hast loaded me with reproaches and curses; I opened before thee the Red Sea, and thou hast opened my side with a spear. What could I have done more for thee, that I have not done?

Lord have mercy, &c.

Our Father. Hail Mary.

V. What are these wounds in the middle of thy hands?

R. With them was I wounded in the house of those

that loved me.

V. They have pierced my hands and my feet.

R. And have numbered all my bones.

V. O Lord, hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come unto thee.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus Christ, &c.

Station Twelfth.

CHRIST DIES UPON THE CROSS.

Consider what Jesus said and did when he was dying. Oh, that thou too mayst die like him!

Ant. Behold how the just man dieth, and no man layeth it to heart; and the righteous are taken away, and no one considereth. The just man is taken away from before the face of evil, and the memory of him shall be in peace.

Lord have mercy, &c.

Our Father. Hail Mary.

V. Christ became obedient unto death for us.

R. Even the death of the cross.

V. We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee.

R. Because by thy holy cross thou hast redeemed the world.

V. O Lord, hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come unto thee.

Prayer.

O Lord Jesus Christ, &c.

Station Thirteenth.

THE BODY OF CHRIST IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS, AND LAID UPON THE KNEES OF HIS MOTHER.

Consider the vehement anguish of Mary's soul, when she received in her arms the dead body of her Son taken down from the cross, and laid him on her knees. Love caused her so great grief, and made her truly a martyr. What love and sympathy dost thou feel for thy Saviour?

Ant. To what shall I compare thee, or to whom shall I liken thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? To what shall I equal thee, O virgin daughter of Sion? Great as the sea is thy desolation. O mother of mercy, make me to share with thee the death of Christ; make me a partaker of his passion.

Lord have mercy, &c.

Our Father. Hail Mary.