It was in contemplation of the Cross of Christ that Dominic found his apostolic zeal. As he journeyed throughout Europe he would tell his companions to go on ahead saying: 'Let us think about our Saviour'. Bl John of Fiesole (better known as Fra Angelico) never tired of portraying Dominic at the foot of the Cross contemplating his Crucified Saviour. One could say that our Order was born at the foot of the Cross. As Dominic contemplated the Blood flowing from the side of Jesus as He hung dying on the Cross, he was moved with a twofold compassion - compassion for Jesus who seemed to have died in vain as so many people continued to refuse to respond to His love for them; compassion for all those who had strayed from the truth and were desperately seeking happiness, but in vain as they were far from God. Dominic spent his nights praying that all people would come to recognise the love of God and return to Him, while during the day he preached the Good News of God's love to everyone he met.
As we contemplate our Saviour's Passion let us look in trust on our pierced Saviour that we may come to know and understand God's infinite and personal love for each of us.
The Way of the Cross
These beautiful Stations of the Cross - in the cloister of our monastery - were hand carved in wood by an Irish Dominican friar, Fr Henry Flanagan OP.
First Station
Jesus is condemned to death
We adore you O Christ, and we bless you
Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world
The Word was made flesh and lived among us:
He came to His own and His own people did not accept Him but to all who did accept Him He gave power to become children of God (Jn 1:11).
Second Station -
Jesus takes up His Cross
We adore you O Christ, and we bless you
Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world
The word was made flesh and lived among us:
Jesus embraces the Cross and invites us to take up our cross daily and follow Him.
Third Station
Jesus falls the first time
We adore you O Christ, and we bless you
Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world
Although He was Son, He learned to obey through suffering; having been made perfect He became for all who obey Him the source of eternal salvation. (Heb 5:8-9)
Fourth Station
Jesus meets His Mother
We adore you O Christ, and we bless you
Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world
The Word conceived without sin in Mary's womb now looks into the eyes of His sorrowing Mother - Mary beholds her Son made sin for us.
Fifth Station
Simon helps Jesus carry His Cross
We adore you O Christ, and we bless you
Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world
As they were leading Him away they seized a man, Simon from Cyrene, and made him shoulder the cross and carry it behind Jesus. (Lk 23:36)
Sixth Station
Veronica wipes Jesus' face
We adore you O Christ, and we bless you
Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world
Without beauty, without majesty we saw Him, no looks to attract our eyes; a thing despised and rejected by men. (Is 53: 2-3)
It is your face O Lord that I seek, hide not your face. (Ps 26)
Seventh Station
Jesus falls the second time
We adore you O Christ, and we bless you
Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world
Ours were the sufferings He bore, ours the sorrows He carried. He was pierced through for our faults, crushed for our sins.Through His wounds we are healed. ( Is 53:4-5)
Eighth Station
Jesus meets the women
We adore you O Christ, and we bless you
Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world
There followed Him a great multitude of people and of women who mourned and lamented. Jesus turning towards them said: "Weep not for me but for yourselves and your children". (Lk 23:27)
Ninth Station
Jesus falls the third time
We adore you O Christ, and we bless you
Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world
We see in Jesus, One Who for a little while was made lower than the angels and is now crowned with glory and honour because He submitted to death; by the God's grace He had to experience death for all mankind..(Heb 2:9)
Tenth Station
Jesus is stripped of His garments
We adore you O Christ, and we bless you
Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world
Though He was in the form of God, Jesus did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped. He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant being born in the likeness of men. He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death - even death on a cross. (Phil 2:6-8)
Eleventh Station
Jesus is nailed to the Cross
We adore you O Christ, and we bless you
Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world
Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow in His steps. When He was insulted He did not retaliate with insults; when He was tortured He did not threaten but put His trust in God. He bore our sins in His own body - that we might die to sin and live for holiness. (Cf 1Pe 2:21-23)
Twelfth Station -
Jesus dies on the Cross
We adore you O Christ, and we bless you
Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world
One can have no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. (Jn 15:13)
I have loved you with an everlasting love, so I am constant in my affection for you. (Jer 31:3)
Thirteenth Station -
Jesus is taken down from the Cross and given to His Mother
We adore you O Christ, and we bless you
Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world
The One who sanctifies, and the ones who are sanctified are of the same stock - since all share the same flesh and blood, Jesus too shared equally in it, so that by His death He could take away all the power of the devil, who had power over death and set free all those who had been held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death. (Cf Heb 2:14-15)
Fourteenth Station
Jesus is laid in the tomb
We adore you O Christ, and we bless you
Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world
When we were baptised we went into the tomb with Him and joined Him in death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father's glory, we too might live a new life. (Rom 6:4)
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