The Way of the Cross
A Service of Meditation for Good Friday
April 10, 2020
Church of the Servant CRC
Prelude
Consider beginning by ringing a bell 12 times for the hour at which Christ was crucified. Alternately, use the recording below.
Opening
The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Come, let us worship and bow down.
Almighty God, whose most dear Son did not go up to joy without first suffering pain, and did not enter into glory before he was crucified, mercifully grant that as we walk in the way of the cross, we may truly find it to be the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
Supreme Ruler and Lord of heaven and earth, seeing you, the Immortal King, hanging on the Cross, all creation was changed, heaven was horrified, and the foundations of the earth were shaken. But we, unworthy as we are, offer you thankful adoration for your passion in our behalf, and with the thief on the cross we cry to you:
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!
Eternal God, for our sake you became human, and with your life-giving body and blood you restored us to life who were dead through sin. Therefore, in gratitude for your amazing love, we humbly cry to you:
Jesus, God, Eternal Love, who was pleased to save us who are born of earth! Jesus, Infinite Mercy, who came down here to us fallen creatures! Jesus, who was clothed in our flesh and destroyed the dominion of death by your death! Jesus, who has redeemed the whole world by your cross and passion!
(sing while walking to the first station)
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!
In the Garden of Gethsemane
Seeing you in the Garden of Gethsemane struggling in prayer until you sweat blood, an angel appeared and strengthened you when our sins weighed upon you like a heavy burden. For, having taken lost Adam on your shoulders, you brought him to the Father by bending your knees and praying.
(pause for silent meditation)
The world did not know the incredible truth of your voluntary passion. Therefore, when you said to those who were seeking you at night with lanterns:
I AM HE, even though they fell to the ground, they still bound you and led you to the judgment hall. But we fall down before you on the Way of the Cross and cry with love:
Jesus, who dwells in unapproachable Light, seized by the realms of darkness! Jesus, Immortal Son of God, condemned to death by a son of perdition! Jesus, in whom there is nothing false, falsely kissed by the traitor! Jesus, who gave yourself freely to all, sold for a sum of silver!
(sing while walking to the next station)
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!
Before the Sanhedrin
By the power of your divinity you foretold to Peter his threefold denial. Even though he nonetheless denied you with an oath, you looked at him and pierced his heart with the radiance of your grace. His heart was touched, and he went out and wept bitterly. Look then also upon us, O Lord, and strike our hard hearts, that with our tears our sins may be washed away.
(pause for silent meditation)
Having true power as High Priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek, you stood before the iniquitous high priest Caiaphas. O Lord and Master of all, who accepted torture from your creatures, accept from us these prayers and praises:
Jesus, priceless one who was bought for a price, adopt me into your eternal inheritance! Jesus, desire of all nations, denied from fear by Peter, reject me not, a sinner! Jesus, Innocent Lamb, torn by cruel scourges, rescue me from my enemies! Jesus, High Priest, who entered the Holy of Holies with your blood, cleanse me from all impurity!
(sing while walking to the next station)
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!
Before Pilate
Pilate proved a preacher of your innocence, when he told the people that he found nothing in you deserving death. The people, however, having listened to the voice of the father of lies and the murderer from time immemorial, rejected you, the right Way, the Truth, and the Life. But we confess you to be Christ, the power of God, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
(pause for silent meditation)
Having heard your meek and gentle words, Pilate delivered you up to be crucified as deserving death, even though he himself bore witness that he had found not a single fault in you. Then he washed his hands, but defiled his heart. And wondering at the mystery of your voluntary passion, we cry to you:
Jesus, Creator and Judge of all, judged and tortured by your creatures! Jesus, mocked and stripped, who gave the flowers of the field their beauty and decked the sky with clouds! Jesus, Healer of those wounded by sin, grant me the healing of repentance! Jesus bound, who has power to bind and to loose, absolve my grievous sins!
(sing while walking to the next station)
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!
Tormented by Roman Soldiers
You were a spectacle and marvel to men and angels, and to Pilate who said of you: “Behold the Man!” Come, then, let us worship Jesus who suffered abuse for our sake.
(pause for silent meditation)
Wonderful patience you showed when, after the sentence of the unjust judge, the soldiers reviled you and inflicted cruel wounds on your most pure body, so that it was purple with blood from head to foot. Everywhere persecuted on account of the great multitude of our sins, you endured our shame and torment. Therefore with tears we cry to you:
Jesus, Lover of humanity, crowned by humanity with thorns! Jesus, enduring your passion to free us from our sinful passions! Jesus, my Savior, save me who deserve all sufferings! Jesus, my Joy, from all insults gladden me!
(sing while walking to the next station)
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!
On the Way to Calvary
Strange and wonderful it was when Moses and Elijah appeared to you on Tabor and spoke of your death which you were about to accomplish in Jerusalem. They beheld your glory there and we have seen our salvation here.
(pause for silent meditation)
Wishing to deliver us from slavery to the enemy, you humbled yourself before your enemies, O Jesus, and like a lamb that is dumb you were led to the slaughter. Condemned by all, you were led to crucifixion. Therefore, from the depth of our souls we say:
Jesus, my Power, who was exhausted on the way under your cross, forsake me not in the hour of my sorrow and suffering! Jesus, who cried for help to the Father, strengthen me in my weakness! Jesus, my Glory, who accepted dishonor, deprive me not of your glory! Jesus, radiant image of the Father’s Being, transfigure my dark and impure life!
(sing while walking to the next station)
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!
Death on the Cross
Desiring to save the world, you healed the blind, the lame, the lepers, the deaf and the dumb, and drove out evil spirits. But those who nailed you to the cross, breathing envy and malice, did not recognize who you were. All nature was confounded at the sight of you hanging on the cross: in the heavens the sun hid its rays, the earth quaked, the veil of the Temple was torn, the rocks split, and hell gave up her dead. But we worship at the foot of your cross.
(pause for silent meditation)
Eloquent orators, even if they speak much, cannot render sufficient gratitude for your divine passion, O Lover of humankind. But our souls and bodies, our hearts and all our members with sorrow and gratitude cry to you:
Jesus, nailed to the cross, nail down and annul the handwriting of my sins! Jesus, who stretched out your hands from the cross to all, draw me to yourself, for I too have gone astray! Jesus, who surrendered your spirit into your Father’s hands, in the hour of my death receive my spirit! Jesus, who ended your life in agony, grant that my heart may know nothing but you crucified!
(sing while walking to the next station)
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!
Burial
Grant us your grace, O Jesus our God. Receive us as you received Joseph and Nicodemus, that we may offer to you our souls like a clean shroud, may anoint your most pure body with the fragrant spices of virtue, and may have you in our hearts as in a tomb. (pause for silent meditation)
Praising your voluntary passion and crucifixion, we worship you, O Christ. We believe with the centurion that you are truly the Son of God who is coming on the clouds with power and great glory. Put us not then to shame, who are redeemed by your blood, and thus cry aloud:
Jesus, long-suffering, rescue me from eternal weeping! Jesus, forsaken by all, forsake me not in the hour of my death! Jesus, Conqueror of the world and hell, conquer the unbelief, the pride of life, and the lust of the eyes that lurks within me! Jesus, bring me with the repentant thief into Paradise!
(sing while walking to the closing)
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!
Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!
Closing
Leader: O Jesus Christ, Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, accept this small act of thanksgiving offered to you with all our soul, and heal us by your saving passion from all sickness of soul and body. Protect us by your cross from enemies visible and invisible, and forsake us not at the end of our life, that saved by your death from eternal death, we may unceasingly praise your name.
(finish your walk in silent meditation)
This liturgy was adapted from the Orthodox “Akathist Hymn to the Divine Passion of Christ.”
“Jesus, Remember Me” Text: Luke 23:42; music: Jacques Berthier ©1981, Ateliers et Presses de Taizé, used by permission of GIA Publications, Inc.
Song permissions: One License.net #A703305