Sorrowful Mysteries · 4 of 5
The Carrying of the Cross
Fourth Sorrowful Mystery
Jesus carries his cross to Calvary, meeting his mother and others along the way.
Scripture: Luke 23:26-32
As they led him away they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country; and after laying the cross on him, they made him carry it behind Jesus. A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him. Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.’ At that time people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall upon us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ for if these things are done when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry?”
Now two others, both criminals, were led away with him to be executed.
Meditation: Jesus embraces his cross and teaches us to embrace ours. Simon helps carry the cross, showing us to help one another.
Fruit of the Mystery: Patience
Pray the decade
Our Father
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
Thy kingdom come;
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass
against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.
Hail Mary10×
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee;
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.
Glory Be
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit;
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.
Fatima Prayer
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy.
Amen.
Prayer for Vocations
God our Father, please send us holy priests and religious, all through the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus, all through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, in union with St. Joseph.1
Amen.
Footnotes
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A special prayer for vocations recited at St. Henry Catholic Church, after the Fatima Prayer at the end of each decade. ↩