Saint Alfonso María de Liguori
Fr Jim McManus (Translator)
Catholic Truth Society
ISBN 9781784690724
eISBN 9781784692247
ASIN B071KWMYM4
CTS Booklet D799
Each lent I pick a few different versions of the Stations of the Cross or Way of the Cross to be part of my Lenten journey. And since over the last few years I have read and reviewed over 100 books from the Catholic Truth Society I decided to pick up a few of their offerings. This one is a reprint of one of my favorites by Saint Alphonsus Liguori. The Catholic truth Society originally published an edition in 1959, it was revised in 2015, and the eBook version released in 2017. The revision was by Father Jim McManus C.Ss.R.
In the introduction we are given this quote about why Saint Alphonsus loved the stations:
“Who can deny that, of all devotion, devotion to the passion of Jesus Christ is the most useful, the most tender, the most agreeable to God, one that gives the greatest consolation to sinners, and at the same time most powerfully enkindles souls? Whence is it that we receive so many blessings, if it be not from the passion of Jesus Christ?”
We are told about Alphonsus:
“St Alphonsus Liguori, the Founder of the Redemptorist Congregation, who died in 1787, bequeathed to the Church a vast treasure of spiritual and theological writing.”
And I went through a phase about 30 years ago where I had a great devotion to Alphonsus and his writings. And his Stations is always one of my favorites. The reflections are shorter than many editions. But they have a power in the briefness. The sections in this volume are:
The Way of the Cross Today
St Alphonsus
The Stations of the Cross
Prayers by St Alphonsus
And those prayers at the end make this version invaluable. These nine prayers are wonderful.
A sample station:
“Third Station
Jesus Falls For The First Time
V. We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you.
R. Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
Consider this first fall of Jesus under his cross. His flesh was torn by the scourges, his head was crowned with thorns; he had lost a great quantity of blood. He was so weakened that he could scarcely walk, yet he had to carry this great load on his shoulders. The soldiers struck him roughly and he fell several times.
My Jesus, it is not the weight of the cross, but of my sins, which has made you suffer so much pain. By the merits of this first fall, save me from the misfortune of falling into mortal sin.
I love you, Jesus, my love, above all things; I repent with my whole heart of having offended you. Never permit me to separate myself from you again. Grant that I may love you always; and then do with me what you will.
Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be to the Father.
Oh how sad and sore distressed
was that mother highly blessed
of the sole begotten One!”
This is one of my all-time favorite devotions, and I always love having the eBook on me. It is another great resource from the Catholic Truth Society. And a wonderful devotion.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2020 Catholic Reading Plan! For other reviews of books from the Catholic Truth Society click here.
Link to other Lent Resources.
Other Stations of the Cross from the Catholic Truth Society:
Review of other books by Saint Alphonsus María de Liguori:
What Will Hell Be Like?
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