A Meditation on the Stations of the Cross vs. the Stations of the Holy Eucharist

The purpose of the Stations of the Holy Eucharist is to help the faithful deepen both their understanding and appreciation of the Source and Summit of our Faith: The Most Holy Eucharist. The original stations of the holy Eucharist are located at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville, AL.
 
The First Station
In the first station of the cross, Jesus is condemned to death. The high priest sends Jesus to Pilate because he cannot put someone to death. Jesus is a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. He freely lays down His life for all people past, present, and future. Jesus is priest and victim.

In the first Eucharistic station we see the high priest Melchizedek make an offering of bread and wine to Abram. In the future, Jesus will take the substance of bread and wine and change it into His body and blood. We are able to receive the body and blood of Jesus every day if want. Jesus will give us the strength to take up our cross daily and follow Him into Heaven.

The Second Station
In the second station of the cross Jesus carries His cross. He submitted to be struck down and did not open His mouth. He was led to the slaughter, like a sheep that is dumb before the shearers.

In the second Eucharistic station we think of the Paschal lamb. The Israelite people are commanded by the Lord to offer a special sacrificial lamb for the Passover. Over a thousand years later, St. John the Baptist would proclaim, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” Jesus is the sacrificial lamb. We are all able to eat His flesh and drink His blood at every Holy Mass.

The Third Station
In the third station Jesus falls the first time. We are all weak human beings. We will fall many times. Jesus shows us that we must get up. He will always give us the strength to get up.

In the third Eucharistic station God gives manna to the Israelite people after they fall. They complained against God and Moses because they had no food. This manna God gave them is a foreshadowing of the body and blood of Jesus that we receive in Holy Communion. Jesus gives us the strength to get up after we fall when we eat His flesh and blood.

The Fourth Station
In the fourth station Jesus meets His mother as He carries His cross. Mary carried Jesus in her womb for nine months. Jesus gave each one of us to Mary as her adopted children. She helped Jesus carry His cross and she will help each one of us carry our crosses to the very end.

In the fourth Eucharistic station we think about the temple built by Solomon. Jesus says, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” He is talking about His body the temple of God. When we receive Holy Communion Jesus dwells in us. Our bodies are temples of God. The Blessed Mother was the first person to hold Jesus in her body. Now we can be like our adopted mother and have Jesus dwelling in us when we receive Holy Communion.

The Fifth Station
In the fifth station Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus bear His cross. God does not need us, but we need God. Jesus let Simon help Him, but it was Jesus who was teaching Simon how to take up his cross and follow Him.

In the fifth Eucharistic station Elijah is fleeing for his Life. He gives us not caring if he is killed. An angel brings him hearth cakes and water. With this food he travels forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God. When we receive the Holy Eucharist at Mass we are given the strength to take up our cross and follow Jesus all the way to Heaven.
 
The Sixth Station
In the sixth station Veronica wipes the face of Jesus. Jesus says when you do it to the least of my brothers you do it to me. We must be there to comfort and wipe away the tears of those who suffer.

In the sixth Eucharistic station we think of Bethlehem. It means the house of bread. The Blessed Mother wipes the face of baby Jesus. Mary shows us how to take care of Jesus. Jesus takes bread and wine and changes it into His body and blood. When we receive Jesus in Holy Communion we are in union with His passion, death, and resurrection. Jesus sacrificed Himself for us and showed us how to do the same.

The Seventh Station
In the seventh station Jesus falls the second time. He shows us how we must get up no matter how many times we fall.

In the seventh Eucharistic station Jesus changes water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana. The husband and wife fail to have enough wine for all their guests. The Blessed Mother sees this and asked Jesus to help them. Jesus works His first miracle by changing water into wine. In every Holy Mass Jesus works a miracle. He changes wine and bread into His body and blood. Jesus gives us His flesh and blood to eat so we are able to get up and carry our cross after Him.

The Eighth Station
In the eighth station Jesus speaks to the women of Jerusalem. Jesus told them do not weep for Him but weep for yourselves and your children. Jesus shows them His love by His comforting words.

In the eighth Eucharistic station we think of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. The people are hungry to Jesus multiples bread and fish. At every Holy Sacrifice of the Mass Jesus multiplies Himself to feed all His children. Jesus is always there to comfort us in our time of need.

The Ninth Station
In the ninth station Jesus falls the third time. We will fall many times in our lives but we can get up with the help of Jesus.

In the ninth Eucharistic station we think of the bread of life discourse. You need to read John 6:25-71. Jesus said I am the living bread that came down from Heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is My flesh for the life on the world. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has life everlasting. Many of His disciples left. Jesus said to the twelve, will you also go away. He did not change His teaching about the Holy Eucharist even though it is hard to accept. When we eat His flesh and drink His blood we receive the strength to get up no matter how many times we fall.

The Tenth Station
In the tenth station Jesus is stripped of His garments. Jesus is God man and yet He freely allows Himself to be stripped. See the humility of Jesus.

In the tenth Eucharistic station we think of the Last Supper. At the Last Supper Jesus shows His twelve apostles how they are to be the servants of others. Jesus washes their feet and tells them they must do the same. Jesus then gives them His body and blood to eat and drink. He knows they cannot be the servants of others on their own strength.

The Eleventh Station
In the eleventh station Jesus is nailed to the cross. Two criminals were nailed with Him. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, they do not know what they are doing.” God forgives us many times because we have a hard time seeing the truth.

In the eleventh Eucharistic station we think about the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Jesus shows the two disciples how He must suffer, die and rise again using Old Testament scriptures. They did not come to understand until the breaking of the bread. The more time we spend adoring Jesus in the most Holy Eucharist. The more we will understand how much Jesus loves us, and how He loves to forgive us. Jesus knows how weak we are and He will strengthen us with His body and blood.

The Twelfth Station
In the twelfth station Jesus dies on the cross. Afterwards a soldier stabbed His side with a lance, and at once there was a flow of blood and water.

In the twelfth Eucharistic station we think about the marriage supper of the lamb. This is the hold sacrifice of the Mass. At Mass we have the representation of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus in an unbloody manner. Jesus died so we can live. We cannot live without food, therefore Jesus gives us His flesh to eat and blood to drink. When we go to the Holy Mass we receive what we need to die to self and rise a new person. When we receive the Eucharist we will have the strength to do the work of God.

The Thirteenth Station
In the thirteenth station Jesus is taken down from the cross. He is laid in His mother’s arms.

If they had a thirteenth Eucharistic station it would be the Blessed Mother receiving Holy Communion. Mary was always there for her son. Jesus the perfect son is always there for His mother. Mary held Jesus is her womb for nine months. After receiving Holy Communion she is able to hold Jesus in her body. Let us be like Mary and hold Jesus in our bodies. Remember our bodies are temples of God.

The Fourteenth Station
In the fourteenth station Jesus is laid in the tomb. Jesus is God man. His human nature can die but His divine nature cannot. Therefore God remained in the tomb three days and then rose from the dead.

If they had a fourteenth Eucharistic station it would be how Jesus is present in each tabernacle in every Catholic Church. We can go visit Jesus whenever we want. Jesus loves to be with you. I pray that you will grow in your love for Him and long to spend time in adoration.

– Br. Leo Mary