reflections on thestations of thecrossreflections on thestations of thecross

Reflections on the

Stations of the

Cross

Reflections on the Stations of the Cross Lord Jesus, we gather here today in memory: in memory of what you did; in memory of what you are asking us to do; in memory of the bond that makes us one with you. Lord Jesus, we gather here today to celebrate: to celebrate your passion for each and every one of us; to celebrate our passion for your life within us; to celebrate the coming Easter in our lives. Lord Jesus, we walk this way because we want to remember to celebrate your life within each of us. We want to remember that the “joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties” of those persons who have not yet become aware of how special they are and how much they are loved, are truly our joys and hopes, truly our griefs and anxieties. Lord Jesus, walk with us as we remember, as we celebrate,as we believe!

1 – Jesus Is Condemned to DeathIn the morning, the chief priests, elders, scribes, and the whole Council, binding Jesus, led him away and took him to Pilate. They all condemned him. Pilate, sitting in the place of judgment, handed Jesus over to them to be crucified.

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How quick we are to judge each other, usually based on our own past, bad experiences of that person. Aware of your presence within those whom we would condemn, we now see them as people who are simply unaware of their own specialness and who are crying out to us for compassion and acceptance.

Blessed Be! Blessed Be!

2 – Jesus Accepts His CrossCarrying his cross, Jesus was led away. They went out to what is called “The Place of the Skull.” Plain and simple, nothing fancy, just the way any criminal of the time was treated. Jesus shoulders the weight and the journey continues.

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How great is our pain, how little our gain! How sad is our loss, how heavy our cross! And yet you show us the joy that comes from carrying the weight with love and acceptance. Conscious of your presence, we become aware of the joy in our pain.


3 – Jesus Falls the First TimeThe whipping, the beating, the weight of the cross are beginning to take their toll. A loosened stone gives way under his weight and Jesus stumbles to the ground. The crossbeam pins him to the earth. The crowd cheers. His family and friends moan as one with his pain.

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Lord Jesus, you know how often we fall,failing to see you in those around us. You saw in the Samaritan Woman, in your friend Mary of Magdala, in your friend Judas, and even in those who pushed you along this way, not someone to hate or fear, but the image of your God, unaccepted, unrecognized, and crying out for love.


4 – MaryHis beginnings had been so full of wonder - the Angels, the Shepherds, the Wise Men. Now it all comes down to this! Where had she gone wrong? What was a mother to do? Then she looked into his eyes and she remembered the Angel’s words: “Fear not!” Her heart grew strong and for just a second, she thought she saw him wink! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

People: God our Father, Mary our mother, Jesus our brother - we belong to a very religious family! Because of that belonging, we are all connected to one another and therefore share a certain responsibility to one another. Thank you, Mary, for reminding us of who we really are.


5 – Simon

As they led him away, they laid hold of one Simon of Cyrene who was on his way home from work. They put the crossbeam on his shoulders for him to carry along behind Jesus. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We are born into a community of family and friends. Without both we would surely die. Simon extends the love within and this new cross becomes bearable. He teaches us the same lesson as we give thanks for such a loving deed.


6 – Veronica She fights her way through the crowd. She just wants to help in any way that she can. She pushes past the soldiers and with her veil, soothes his aching face. The true image of the Christ is shared and the passion for life continues its journey. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The passion for life is one that flows from the wealth of the God within. As we believe, so shall we see. When we look at one another, may we see the God that dwells within each and everyone of us.


7 – Jesus Falls Again

Despite Simon, despite Veronica, despite the tears of his family and friends, Jesus stumbles and falls again. The weight of the crossbeam, the loss of blood, the loss of his disciples, this all has taken its toll on the strength of Jesus. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sometimes all that we have going for us simply doesn’t seem to be enough to prevent us from falling along life’s journey. In times like these, we look to Jesus and remember what he believed - we are all one, we are loved by our God, we are never alone.


8 – The Women A great crowd of people followed Jesus, including Mary of Magdala, Joanna, Susanna and many others. Their hearts full, they want to take his cross, treat his wounds, and make the pain go away. Culture and soldiers frustrate their hearts’ desire. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the pain and sorrow of our own lives, we sometimes fail to see your light shining in the hearts of others. We get caught up in our own grief and close off the loving care of those around us. We thank you for your example this day of allowing others to help you along your way.


9 – Jesus Falls AgainThe journey is reaching its end. The hill is just ahead of him. The stones are like razors slicing his feet. One catches hold and down he goes again. The weight of it all seems just too much for even him to bear. The soldiers scream; the women cry; the disciples hide; and Jesus rises once again.

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Your life is so like mine: falls and frustrations, pain and sorrow. Yet you rise again and again and again. Was it your family and friends? Was it your knowing that pain and death are not final? Was it your awareness that you were a child of God, that you were not alone, that the truth is all of the above?


10 – Jesus Stripped

When they came to “The Skull Place,” they stripped him and divided his garments among themselves. The people jeer; the soldiers gamble; the thieves plead; and Jesus waits. The scene has been set for the final act. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ People: So many things; so much stuff; so little time; so many false beliefs standing in our way of giving ourselves over completely to the one true power, the power of love. Once again, Jesus demonstrates how easy it can be.


11 – Jesus Nailed

It was as if they were actually afraid he was going to run away from them! They wanted to make absolutely sure that this criminal paid his dues. Their own internal fears and insecurities had become real right before their eyes. Jesus was nailed, but it was they who were unable to move. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They stripped him. He forgave them. They nailed him. He forgave them. They spit at him. He forgave them. They just didn’t understand that he was giving his all for them. May we go and do the same!


12 – Jesus Dies

Jesus looked down and saw his mother, his friend John, and the women who loved him so. In one last act of freedom, he gave them all to each other’s care. With nothing else to hang on to, with nothing else to give away, with nothing else to share, he knew it was time to go. “Father, I’m yours.” And with that, he died. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He lived so that we might have life and have that life abundantly. He died so that we might believe the message that he lived. “Fear not!” “The Father and I are One.” “All that I have is yours.” “Greater works than these you will do.” “Blessed are you!”


13 – Jesus Down From the Cross

Apparently, it’s over. Apparently, the authorities have won. Apparently, the message has died with the messenger. But Jesus was never one to settle for appear-ances. The pain for his mother and his friends is very real and very deep. They have forgotten what he told them. He would be back!

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It would have been easy to blame the soldiers. It would have been easy to blame the authorities. It would have been easy to blame the absent disciples. Blame does not appear anywhere in this scene. There are just friends, mourning what they believe to be a loss. What a surprise is in store for them all!


14 – Jesus Buried

The final rites have been performed. Joseph, an old friend, provides the tomb. The stone is rolled into place. The soldiers are stationed. The garden is emptied. All is done. All is just about to begin! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dead, but now more alive than ever before. Your life, your spirit is immortal, and so it lives in each and every one of us. It lives in those who are aware they are one with their God. We are never separated from that God. Death has been swallowed up in victory!


15 – Jesus RaisedThe soldiers were asleep. The women came to anoint the body. The tomb was empty. Mary thought he was a gardener. He called her by name and she knew at once that it was not just a gardener. It was the love of her life and her world and ours has not been the same since.

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For some, Friday was the end. For some, Friday said it all. For some, Friday closed the chapter on another hopeful Messiah. But for us, Friday was just the beginning. For us, Sunday is the day that we remember and celebrate. For us today, we are believers in the empty tomb. The love of our life has changed us forever.


Happy Lent!

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