Merits of Praying the Stations of the Cross
1. It gives us a way to make a spiritual pilgrimage.
In 1686, the Franciscans began displaying the Stations of the Cross in their churches. It made it easier for the faithful to pray this devotion. In 1726, Pope Benedict XIII granted it the same indulgence as visiting Jerusalem. Our hearts walk along with Jesus on His final steps as we pray.
2. We can gain a plenary indulgence to shorten our time in Purgatory.
There are a few conditions to receive this indulgence. First, we must receive the sacrament of Confession and be in a state of grace (detached from sin). It must be within 20 days (before or after) praying the devotion. We must also receive the Eucharist within that timeline. Next, we pray for the Pope’s intentions. An extra requirement is that we (or a leader) move from station to station as we pray. We can still gain a partial indulgence if we cannot meet every condition.
3. Praying the Stations of the Cross helps inspire deep prayer.
God gives us the grace to contemplate the suffering of Jesus and feel deep empathy and love for Him. As we meditate on the events, they become more vivid and take root in our hearts.
4. We can look at suffering from a different perspective.
Our Lord understands our struggles and gives us the grace we need to bear them well. We can learn how to do this from His example. He endured His suffering with patience, dignity, and humility. Jesus never stopped loving, forgiving, and praying for his persecutors. Even though the situation was so intense, He obeyed God’s Will. His response to such an extreme situation was one of love. He endured it for our salvation. From His example, we can learn to love with humility and patience despite our broken world.
5. Praying this devotion helps us grow in our love for God.
We can express our love for Him as we pray the stations. It reminds us that we are not alone in our struggles. Jesus chose to embrace every aspect of human life, including suffering and death. He embraced human suffering on the Cross in a way no one else ever had before Him or ever will again. He made it redemptive by conquering evil with good. Through grace and our union with His suffering, we can learn to offer up our struggles out of love for others.
6. Praying the stations helps us to become holy.
We learn to have more compassion for those who suffer. It pulls us out of our selfishness and teaches us to sacrifice for others. We can learn to be patient in situations of unavoidable suffering. It helps us to examine our conscience. We can think about how we have sinned, how it makes our Lord suffer, and then have remorse.
7. We learn to hope in the promise of salvation.
Christ’s promise of salvation far outweighed the horrors he had to endure. HIs suffering was redemptive not because it was full of pain but because He endured it with great love. When we unite our struggles with our wounded Saviour, we can learn to bear them well. We can find courage and strength in times of difficulty because of His merciful love. We can trust in Him.
The key to praying the Stations of the Cross well is with sincerity of heart.
