Purgatory soul. 14 stations

Help The Holy Souls

The Greatest Act Of Charity is to Help Those Who Can't Help Themselves

Meditations on the Stations of the Cross for Holy Souls

1st Station – Jesus is condemned to death

We adore you o Christ and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world

Meditation –

Let us go back to the Garden of Olives, where Jesus saw the sins of the world.  He also saw luke warm souls, who would know what he had done for them, and still would turn their back on his love.  This caused him the greatest pain, this caused the agony.  The creator still longed to die for these people to give them every chance.  His love is not conditional like ours.  Do we only love those who love us?

His apostles ran away, and Judas betrayed him with a kiss.  Only one apostle was going to follow Him to calvary.  The guards savagely took our Lord, and beat him.  They took him to the Chief Priest’s House where they lied and accused him, they spat at him, and beat him savagely.  He then saw Peter, the one who earlier that night, had said he would die for him, now he denied Jesus three times.  Do I make promises like Peter?  He was savagely scourged at the pillar until he had lost so much blood he could have died there and then.  All the while he remained obediently quiet, offering everything to the Father for our sins.   Now they were going to have fun with him, so they dressed him up like a king in mockery, they danced around Him, slapping Him and spitting at Him. They forced a crown of thorns into His head, and it probably went through his head and eyebrows.  Then the crowd, who only a week before had worshipped Him on Palm Sunday, now shouted “crucify him” at the innocent lamb, their creator who never did anything to anyone, but show love and give life.

Holy Souls Prayer –

Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious blood of your divine son Jesus, in union with all the masses said throughout the world today, for the holy souls in Purgatory, sinners everywhere, sinners within the Universal Church, within my own home, and my own family. Amen.

2nd Station – Jesus is given his cross

We adore you o Christ and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world

Meditation –

Here we see our Lord given his heavy cross.  He embraces the cross with love.  He trusts in the Father.  He is not strong enough to carry a piece of paper, he has lost so much of His precious blood, never mind carry a cross up a hill, but out of holy obedience he tries.  His heart longs to free us.  We ask ourselves here are we willing to embrace our crosses.  All we need do is to try with a willing heart, and God will give us the necessary graces to do the rest.  Can we trust God as the God of love and mercy like Jesus?

Holy Souls Prayer –

Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious blood of your divine son Jesus, in union with all the masses said throughout the world today, for the holy souls in Purgatory, sinners everywhere, sinners within the Universal Church, within my own home, and my own family. Amen.

3rd Station – Jesus falls for the first time

We adore you o Christ and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world

Meditation –

Our dear Lord falls for the first time.  The weight of  the cross is so heavy it pushes him to the ground.  He falls on the stony path, and probably his knees and elbows are ripped open, and then the heavy cross lands on top of him.  He gets back up again however to keep trying, to keep persevering.  We too must just keep trying for love of Jesus.  Even the smallest little offerings are great when done for love of Jesus.  We are sinners, and we will fall but we have to try and keep going.  Go to confession regularly and examine our conscience at night.  Dear Lord, please give us the grace to persevere with love,  to keep going when the cross gets heavy.

Holy Souls Prayer –

Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious blood of your divine son Jesus, in union with all the masses said throughout the world today, for the holy souls in Purgatory, sinners everywhere, sinners within the Universal Church, within my own home, and my own family. Amen.

4th Station – Jesus meets his mother

We adore you o Christ and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world

Meditation –

Here we see the Immaculate Heart of Mary meet the Sacred Heart of Jesus.  Can you imagine the scene?  Mary as co- redeemer is carrying her own HEAVY cross up Calvary after her son.  Her pain is so great, a sword is piercing her heart watching her son suffer so much, surrounded by so much evil and hatred, yet she accepts this and continues to trust in God’s goodness.  33 years later and she continues to say YES to God.  Do we lose trust in God at the slightest wobble?  Can we trust like Mary when the cross is heavy and human instincts tell us to avoid the cross?   Mary, please help me to trust in God’s goodness when I am carrying my own cross.  Help me to learn from your obedience to God’s Holy Will, and to be meek and humble as you are.

Holy Souls Prayer –

Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious blood of your divine son Jesus, in union with all the masses said throughout the world today, for the holy souls in Purgatory, sinners everywhere, sinners within the Universal Church, within my own home, and my own family. Amen.

5th Station – Simon helps Jesus carry his cross

We adore you o Christ and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world

Meditation –

Simon didn’t want to help Jesus when he was asked to help carry his cross. Perhaps he was afraid what people would think?  Am I afraid to follow Jesus as I am worried about what people think?  Would the crowd think he was a criminal carrying his cross?  Does this remind me of myself?  Am I too caught up in my own fears, worries, etc., to think of helping others?  Dear Lord, open my ears and eyes to the crying needs of those around me such as my neighbour, the poor suffering souls in purgatory with nobody to help them, and the souls that go to Hell each and every hour.

Holy Souls Prayer –

Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious blood of your divine son Jesus, in union with all the masses said throughout the world today, for the holy souls in Purgatory, sinners everywhere, sinners within the Universal Church, within my own home, and my own family. Amen.

6th Station – Veronica wipes the face of Jesus

We adore you o Christ and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world

Meditation –

St Veronica had much to risk.  The crowd were roaring abuse at Jesus, and by helping a condemned man what would they think of her?  What would her neighbours say?  Would the soldiers throw her in prison?  Veronica did not care, she was too full of love, and she wanted to help ease the Lord’s pain.  Are we also too afraid of the consequences to help the Lord?  Veronica wiped his face but he was still going to die, but he was so grateful he left the imprint of his face in the shroud.  This shows us how the smallest offerings, made as acts of love throughout the day, can help console our Lord.

Holy Souls Prayer –

Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious blood of your divine son Jesus, in union with all the masses said throughout the world today, for the holy souls in Purgatory, sinners everywhere, sinners within the Universal Church, within my own home, and my own family. Amen.

7th Station – Our Lord Jesus falls the 2nd time

We adore you o Christ and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world

Meditation –

Our Lord Jesus falls again.  The just man/woman it is said falls at least 7 times a day.  We are weak and sinners, but we must TRY to keep getting back up like the Lord.  Think of him on the ground in agony.  What had he to get back up for?  Nobody was going to think him great and brave, and there was no cash prize or earthly reward…..just more and more suffering lay ahead.  It was LOVE that made him get back up again.  Love for you.  If he had an ounce of self love he would have stopped the passion there and then, but our sins were so great it was necessary for him to continue to carry out the will of His Father, and he embraced his cross once more and carried on, even though he physically wasn’t able.

Holy Souls Prayer –

Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious blood of your divine son Jesus, in union with all the masses said throughout the world today, for the holy souls in Purgatory, sinners everywhere, sinners within the Universal Church, within my own home, and my own family. Amen.

8th Station – Jesus meets the holy women of Jerusalem

We adore you o Christ and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world

Meditation –

The Holy women weep when they see our Lord suffer so much.  He somehow musters up enough strength to go over to them and tells them not to weep for him, but for themselves and their children.  Our Lord is telling us here the great need for prayers and sacrifices, as he sees the troubled road ahead for people.  Is there anyone in our family that we should weep for?  He sees today’s world and the amount of suffering each person and family goes through.  He gives us the solution.  We should also ask ourselves here, when we are going through a difficult day, do we consider others as he does in this station, or is the focus just turned in on ourselves.

Holy Souls Prayer –

Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious blood of your divine son Jesus, in union with all the masses said throughout the world today, for the holy souls in Purgatory, sinners everywhere, sinners within the Universal Church, within my own home, and my own family. Amen.

9th Station – Jesus falls for the third time

We adore you o Christ and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world

Meditation –

Our Lord falls for the third and final time.  Imagine him hit the ground again and the cross landing on top of him.   The soldiers are angry now as he is wasting their time, so they whip him harder and get aggressive with him.  He somehow stumbles to His feet, and gets up to continue suffering…..love again drives him forward.  We think here of the members of our family’s and friends who have fallen and are away from God.  We ask you dear Lord to bring them back to you.

Holy Souls Prayer –

Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious blood of your divine son Jesus, in union with all the masses said throughout the world today, for the holy souls in Purgatory, sinners everywhere, sinners within the Universal Church, within my own home, and my own family. Amen.

10th Station – Jesus is stripped of his garments

We adore you o Christ and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world

Meditation –

Our Lord is stripped naked of his garments.  Can you imagine the clothes been ripped off him after being stuck to his blood stained body…..like one giant plaster being ripped off.  This must be one of the most humiliating things a person can go through – to be stripped of their dignity and stand their helpless and naked in front of other people.  They laugh at him…..He is their creator…..He gave them life…..He did nothing and is innocent…….yet He permits this to show us the way to salvation.   He shows us that when people mock us we can offer this up, and turn it into something powerful and good.  He loves us so much that he allows this to happen to him.  He wants to show us His love and what is important to join Him in Eternal Paradise.

Holy Souls Prayer –

Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious blood of your divine son Jesus, in union with all the masses said throughout the world today, for the holy souls in Purgatory, sinners everywhere, sinners within the Universal Church, within my own home, and my own family. Amen.

11th Station – Jesus is nailed to the cross

We adore you o Christ and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world

Meditation –

Our Lord Jesus is now nailed to the cross.  They grab him and throw him on the cross, and proceed to put nails through his hands and feet.  Can you imagine the agony?  He shouts out “Forgive them father. They know not what they do”.  What would you shout if a nail was being hammered through your feet?  How forgiving are we of those who offend us in minor ways?   Do we ever try and put ourselves in the other person’s shoes?  Our Lord here shows us that we must forgive, and love all those who in any way offend us, because they really do not know what they do.  We are all weak.

Holy Souls Prayer –

Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious blood of your divine son Jesus, in union with all the masses said throughout the world today, for the holy souls in Purgatory, sinners everywhere, sinners within the Universal Church, within my own home, and my own family. Amen.

12th Station – Jesus dies on the cross

We adore you o Christ and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world

Meditation –

Jesus came down to this earth to die for us, and now he hangs from the cross for 3 hours in the most intense pain possible.  He is thirsting for souls.  He is thirsting for your faith.  They continue to mock him and make fun of the innocent lamb, their creator.  He slowly suffocates in the immense mid day heat.  How can he go through this pain for me when I hardly ever think of him, or show him any love?  When he dies blood and water gush forth from his heart.  Blood representing the new life, the sacraments that come through the church, which give us LIFE. They give us the graces needed to get through this life, and strength in the fight against evil.  The water represents the sacraments of confession and baptism, which clean and wash away our sins.  God is so merciful that the greatest sin disappears like a piece of straw into a great furnace, when we approach the Lord with a contrite heart.

Holy Souls Prayer –

Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious blood of your divine son Jesus, in union with all the masses said throughout the world today, for the holy souls in Purgatory, sinners everywhere, sinners within the Universal Church, within my own home, and my own family. Amen.

13th Station – Jesus is laid in his Mother’s Arms

We adore you o Christ and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world

Meditation –

Jesus is now dead but his Mother’s pain continues. Can you just imagine her seeing her beloved son being taken down from the cross, and the nails being taken out?  Can you imagine witnessing the crown of thorns being pulled out of his head?  Mary then holds her son in her arms, and cleans him lovingly.  Think of Michaelanglo’s Pieta.  Mary, hold us too in your arms and protect us and our families.  Help us to follow your example more dearly and to learn from you.

Holy Souls Prayer –

Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious blood of your divine son Jesus, in union with all the masses said throughout the world today, for the holy souls in Purgatory, sinners everywhere, sinners within the Universal Church, within my own home, and my own family. Amen.

14th Station – Jesus is laid in the tomb

We adore you o Christ and we praise you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world

Meditation –

Our Lord is now laid to rest in the tomb.  Can we sense Mary’s pain? We think of the resurrection which is coming now and the great light and glory which we can almost see beginning to light up the tomb.  How Jesus had to suffer though to reach his glory.  We too must remember that we must take the narrow road of the cross in life to also reach the light. No cross, no crown.  No Good Friday, No Easter Sunday.  Dear Lord, please help us to remember this when the times are tough.  Our focus should not be on the temporary difficulties or pleasures of this life, which always disappear, but the eternal reward which awaits good and faithful servants.

Holy Souls Prayer –

Eternal Father, I offer you the most precious blood of your divine son Jesus, in union with all the masses said throughout the world today, for the holy souls in Purgatory, sinners everywhere, sinners within the Universal Church, within my own home, and my own family. Amen.