The Passion of

Christ

By Adam Blaue

Recopilación y Diseño

Ediciones Ármari-Emaús, Guatemala C.A.

Tel. (502) 5511-5535

Background

The passion of Christ is usually only thought of during lent and yet it is the story of our

salvation. Through Christ's passion God fulfilled His purpose crowned by the resurrection.

For that reason reflection and meditation on the passion is profitable at anytime of the year.

The most popular is through the Stations of the Cross (also called The Way of the Cross, Via

Crucis, or Via Dolorosa). This pilgrimage of spirit has always been associated with the

Catholic Church but in recent years variations of it has emerged in other Christian

denominations. Why now? I think we should first look at the history of the Stations.

It is unclear as to the exact time of the origins of the stations. It can be traced back to

Jerusalem although in different forms. Tradition holds that Jesus' Mother visited daily the

scenes of the passion and St. Jerome (around 400 ad) speaks of pilgrims from all countries

who visited the holy places. There is no evidence of stations along the passion route at this

time. Pilgrims speak of a "Via Sacra" (settled route for the passion) in the twelfth, thirteenth,

and fourteenth centuries. It is believed that the stations began sometime after the

Franciscans were granted guardianship of the holy places (1342). Sometime after,

indulgences were attached to the holy places but there was still no set number of Stations

along the Passion route. In the late 1400's and early 1500's there was an effort to set up

representations of the Passion in Europe to allow believers, whom could normally not make

the pilgrimage, to experience the Via Crucis.

In 1515 Romanet Boffin visited Jerusalem to obtain correct details for his set of Stations at

Romans. He was told by two friars there should be thirty-one in all, but the manuals of

devotion given for use of those visiting the stations used 19, 25, and 37. There wasn't

agreement even in the same location. In 1584 Adrichomius gives 12 stations in his book

which corresponds to the first of the 14 used today in the Catholic Church. This is believed to

be the true origins of The Stations of the Cross. It wasn't until the end of the seventeenth

century that the Stations became popular in each Catholic Church. For more in-depth

information you can read about it in the Catholic encyclopedia.

Since the Stations of the Cross weren't fully developed until after the Reformation and

because indulgences were attached, I believe, these are the reasons that the other Christian

denominations did not use the Stations. Today there is a push for unity among Christians

and for this reason Christians are more open to understanding other denominations.

Through curiosity merit has been found in using a devotion or meditation on the Stations of

the Cross.

The Catholic Stations contain 14 and are as follows:

1. Christ condemned to death

2. The cross is laid upon him

3. His first fall

4. He meets His Blessed Mother

5. Simon of Cyrene is made to bear the cross

6. Christ's face is wiped by Veronica

7. His second fall

8. He meets the Women of Jerusalem

9. His third fall

10. He is stripped of His garments

11. His Crucifixion

12. His death on the cross

13. His body is taken down from the cross

14. Laid in the tomb

There is only eight of these fourteen that are mentioned in the Gospel accounts

(1,2,5,8,11,12,13, and 14) the other six are based on tradition. While many Christians outside

of the Catholic church believe it is wrong to include the six that are based on tradition, I will

point out that there are many things done in our churches today that are based on tradition

and are not biblical. Just because it isn't in the Bible doesn't mean that it can't be helpful for

our study and meditation. For "... we know that in all things God works for the good of

those who love him..."1

With these things in mind my favorite Stations of the Cross is a Catholic version call

"Everyone's way of the Cross" by Clarence Enzler.

There is an older version on the web called "Everyman's Way of the Cross." There is

another version based on this same version in PDF called "Your Own Way of the Cross."

There are Protestant versions out there. Most of them are found with history of and

explanation for the use of the Stations. One such site has a worship service at the end. You

can find this at "The Cross as a Journey."

Here is a version that I have written with the help of God. I pray that it will lead you to a

deep relationship with God.

Preface

What does it mean to be a Christian? Let us journey to the time that everything changed,

when the old was fulfilled by the new, when the passion changed everything. This is our

journey; this is the journey of a lifetime.

Our Journey of the Passion is loosely based on Everyman‟s Way of the Cross by Clarence

Enzler. Like Everyman‟s Way, Christ is speaking to us. The footnotes reference Bible

passages used to create the dialogue. It can be read in one setting or you may want to

break it up and read a section or two each day or week. Including the Introduction and

conclusion there are 18 messages.

This journey is created as a personal time of meditation. Imagine Jesus speaking directly

to you. Allow time to close your eyes and meditate on each question He asks. Do not rush

through this journey, but savor each moment, chew on each message. Allow the words to

penetrate deep within your soul.

Introduction

Before time, there was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Through Him all things were made, but without Him nothing was made that has come

into being. In Him was life and that life was light, the light of men. The light shines

through the darkness but the darkness does not know Him.1

The Word took on flesh and made His dwelling among us. Thus He was in the world that

He created, but the world could not see Him. He went to His own, but His own did not

want Him. Yet to those who received Him, all who believed in Him, He gave the right to

become children of God—children born not of natural decent, nor of human decision,

nor of man‟s will, but born of God.2

Thus Jesus the Christ left His splendor to live as His creation, born of a virgin in a lowly

manger, a babe at the mercy of His parents. When it was time, He endured the torments

of the Devil and the ridicule of His people. Yet He showed us compassion as He loved the

despised and the weak. Then He did the unthinkable, He took upon Himself our sickness

and carried our sorrows, yet we thought it was His just punishment, the wrath of God

was upon Him. But no, He was our substitute, for He was pierced for our transgression,

He was crushed for our sins; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and

by His wounds we are healed.3

This was His passion. This is His purpose; so too it is our journey. For in our baptism we

were baptized into His Death. We were also baptized into His life, for as He was raised

from the dead, we too may live a new life.4 Accordingly we should listen; we should quiet

our mind and hear the faint sound, the stillness of the wind. Listen to the gentle whisper

as He calls to us; beyond our consciousness hear His soft voice say:

“I Love you my disciple, join me on my journey. Though it was two thousand years ago,

you have walked it with me. This journey was not my journey but yours. I did not come

for my sake, but for your sake. These steps you are about to take are a glimpse back to

that journey. You will not walk them alone for I am with you. I have already walked this

path for you and it was worth it. My life ended so that yours may begin. I now live on in

you.”

"As I lived for you,

will you now live for me?"

1. Gethsemane

“We start our journey in a place where we have found comfort, a place of solitude and

stillness where we can pray to my father.”

“However something has changed, something is different. Though there is silence, there is no peace. My inner struggle becomes apparent as sweat cascades off my brow. I plunge to the ground in torment as the burden placed upon me becomes more than I can bear.” “I cry out „My father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not my will, but

as you will.”1

“In my anguish I still yield to the perfect will of my father.”

“In your journey of life you too will face hardships, struggles, and pain. When you cry out

to me to take this cup from you, will you then trust me and yield to my will?”

“In your brokenness I am strong.”

2. Jesus is Betrayed, Arrested and Denied

“Judas approaches us with a kiss: the soft reminder of love and affection, yet this kiss is

harsh and full of rejection. I ask „Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”1

“With that kiss they take us before the High Priest. As Peter denies me three times, I am

falsely accused and wrongly struck. I stand as a humble slave beaten by his over bearing

master. What else is there to say or do? They saw the lame walk, the blind see, and the

mute talk. They heard my words of truth boldly spoken, yet my own people reject me.”

“I look at Peter with compassion and Love. Peter crumbles in brokenness as I am led

away to face judgment by Pilot.”

“What will you do? Will you stand up and proudly proclaim my name or will you too

cower and deny me in that time of pressure?”

“What will you do when someone doesn‟t defend or support you? Can you look at them

with compassion and love and forgive them?”

“Let go of your will and trust in my will.”

3. Jesus is Condemned

“Pilot asks „are you the King of the Jews?‟ and „what is Truth?‟ Not knowing what to do

with me he has me flogged. The pain is beyond description but I endure it because I

must take the full punishment of your sin.”

“Pilot finds no fault in me, yet because of the pressure from the crowd he will not release

me. In frustration Pilot asks „who are you?‟ But I remain silent. Pilot retorts „do you not

know that I have power to release you and power to crucify you?"

"I respond saying „You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given

you from above."1

"Pilot washes his hands and hands me over to be crucified.”

“Though Pilot is unjust, I bow to his authority because it is my Father‟s will. How can

you now refuse obedience to those whom I place over you?”

“When you obey those in authority you obey me.”

4. Jesus Takes His Cross

“And so I am led away baring my own cross.”1

“This is my purpose given to me by my Father, to bare the cross for you."

"But now you must bare your own cross, for whoever does not bare his own cross and

follow me cannot be my disciple."2

"As my father chose my cross, He too chose yours. The crosses you are to bear are from

your daily life. They are specially designed by my father and He will not give you more

than you can bear.”3

“Will you embrace your crosses as I did? Will you find joy even when the weather isn‟t as

nice as you would like, even when things don‟t go as planned, the disappointments, the

setbacks and the tension of the day?”

“You will not have to bear the load of your cross alone,

for I have already carried it for you.”

5. Jesus Falls

“I, the creator of everything, have become weak."

"My human limitations are revealed as the weight of the cross is too much for me to

bear. I accept my weakness with humility because it is my father‟s will."

"In my humiliation I am an example to follow.”

“Will you accept your human frailties without complaint?

"Will you accept the perfect defects that I have willed for you; your irritations and

moods, your aches, pains, and fatigue, your handicaps of the body, mind and soul?”

“When you are weak, then I am strong.”1

6. Jesus Meets His Mother

“My mother watches as I am whipped, kicked and beaten like an animal driven to

slaughter. She winces from my agony. Her soul cries out but she does not protest or

complain."

"My Mother shares in my agony and I share in hers. We do not hide our pain or our

sorrow from each other‟s eyes. She accepts my father‟s will as I have.”

“Watching the pain of others is harder to bear than experiencing our own pain. Can you

do my Father‟s will by standing alongside the ones we love and watch them suffer?"

"Will you share their burdens, their heartaches, their sicknesses, and their grief? Will

you comfort them in their pain?"

"Will you also allow your loved ones to share in your suffering? This is some of the

crosses you are to carry.”

“I work all things for the good of those

who love me.”1

7. Simon Helps Jesus

“My body can no longer bear the weight of the cross. I collapse in exhaustion, so the

Roman soldiers pull a man from the crowd. Simon lifts the burden of the cross from me

and so we go on.”1

“Are you willing to lift this burden from me?"

"Every time you lift a burden from someone‟s back you help me carry the weight of the

cross as Simon did."

"Will you wash that dish or pick up that object from the floor? Will you open the door or

allow someone to go in front of you at the store or in traffic? Will you visit the lonely at

home, in the hospital, nursing homes or in prison? Will you assist the elderly or teach

the young? Will you help the helpless, cloth the naked, and feed the hungry?”

“Whatever you do to the least of my brothers

you do to me."2

8. Veronica Helps Jesus

“Veronica, in a selfless act of service, courageously slips through the crowd and the

soldiers to wipe the blood from my face."

"Will you be courageous and wipe the blood from my face?”

“Where is my face, you ask?”

“It is everywhere, at home and on playgrounds when eyes fill up with tears and at work

when tensions rise. It is in the slums, the courts, and the jails. My face is in the hospital

and the doctor‟s office. Wherever there is suffering my face is there."

"Will you be there to wipe my blood and tears? Will you face your fears and follow me

into the darkness to shine our light?”

“Let my light shine through you.”1

9. Jesus Falls Again

“Our body screams 'I can‟t go on,' but we must persevere." "Though I feel that I can‟t go any farther, I get up and continue my journey to my purpose. I will my body to continue.” “When you feel like you can‟t go on, will you trust me and persevere?" "When failure is pressing heavily on you, when this world is against you, call on me and I will lift you up and strengthen you." "Will you trust me?" "You don‟t have to do it alone.”

“You can do all things through me who gives

you strength.”1

10. Jesus Consoles the Women

"Oh how I long to gather the children of Jerusalem as a hen gathers her chicks under her

wings.1 Yet they reject me."

"But these women weep for me, and my heart mourns for them. For I have seen their

future, the future of all mankind, I feel their pain and suffering that is to come."

"Who will mourn for them? Who will comfort them? Who will show compassion for

them?"

“Will you?"

"Will you show mercy even when you want to snap at those who hurt you with their

ridicule? Will you show compassion for those who misunderstand or hinder you with

misguided helpfulness? Will you curb your tongue even when they intrude upon your

privacy?”

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for

I am gentle and humble in heart

and you will find rest for your soul.”2

11. The Third Fall

“I am completely drained of strength. I can only lie there in a heap. My body cannot

move, no blows, no kicks can arouse me."

"Yet My will is Mine."

"I take a momentary rest then I rise and continue my journey.”

“Your body may be broken but no force on earth or in hell can take your will from you.

Your will is yours.”

“Will you hold on to your will and continue even when all your strength has left you?

Even when guilt and remorse press you against the earth and seem to hold you firm, will

you trust me?”

“I will be there to protect you from the sin of Judas

and keep you from total despair. Cry out to me and I

will give you hope when you feel hopeless and

strength when you are weak.”

12. Jesus is Stripped

“Here I stand the creator before His creation, stripped. A king with no possessions, even my deathbed—the cross—is not my own." "Yet who could be so rich?" I possess nothing, yet I own all.” “Will you give me your all?" "Will you allow nothing to possess you like prestige, position, or wealth? Will you give up all envy of your neighbor who has more than you? Will you let go of pride and humble yourself even to the lowest position?”

"You can't serve two masters. Either you will

hate the one and love the other or you will be

devoted to the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve both God and possessions."1

13. Jesus is Crucified

“Thus I arrive at my destiny. This is what I came to do, My Father‟s will. From the time

of my birth I have journeyed to this place of torment and death.”

“They lay me on the cross and nail my hands and feet. With each blow of the hammer

pain bursts throughout my body. They hoist me in the air and I hang on this tree, this

cross, for all to see. My breathing becomes erratic as pressure is exerted on my shoulder

and chest. Pain shoots thru my body every time I breathe."

"But I willingly endure this torture for you, because you are worth it. I do this for you.

With my perfect sacrifice I pay your debt for all time.”

“Will you now give your life to me?"

"Will you accept the life I have for you, whether it is sickness, torment or agony?"

"Will you bear it for the world to see in a manner worthy of my calling? Will you bear

witness to me through the life I have chosen for you?”

"For my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is

made perfect in weakness."1

14. Jesus Dies

“Even in my agony I continue to teach. I show compassion for those who condemned

me; „Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do."1

"I accept the heartfelt confession of the thief next to me; „today you will be with me in

paradise."2

"And I show care for my Mother „…dear woman here is your son…here is your mother."3

"Each time I must push myself up with my legs to speak.”

“At last, it is finished.”4

“Will you now die with me? Will you die to self?"

"Will you also accept the mortal death I have planned for you, with all its pain and accept

the time and kind of death I have in store for you?"

"Will you bear witness of me even in death?”

15. Jesus is Taken Down

“And so my life is complete, but the journey continues."

"My mother must now watch the son she bore be taken from the cross, wrapped in linens

and laid in the tomb."

"You too, must part from loved ones, and grief will come. As you mourn think of this,

many souls were saved by Mary‟s sharing of my passion, my death."

"Will you allow your grief be the price of souls?"

"Will you accept the partings that must come—the friends that must go, the children

leaving home, and your dear ones when I call them home?"

"Even if you could say one word that would keep

them with you, will you remain silent and trust

them to go according to my will?”

16. Resurrection of Jesus

“Though I gave my life for you, death could not hold me."

"On the third day I rose so that you too can have new life through me. By giving up your

life, your will and your sin, you gain my life, life eternal."

"Now that Our Journey of the Passion is over will

you put off your old self that I may live in you?”

Conclusion

“Now that my journey is complete, yours begins."

"Now I ask you to be serious about living this new resurrected life. Don‟t continue to live

with your head down only looking at where you need to be next. Raise your head and

open your eyes and see the way I see. Notice the weak and helpless, see the hurt and

suffering and hear the cries for help. Be my hands and my feet.”

“Remember your old self has died with me, therefore put off those things of old: sexual

immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. These things are who

you were but now you have done away with things such as these: anger, rage, malice,

slander, and filthy language from your lips.”

“As my chosen, you are holy and dearly loved; therefore cover yourself with compassion,

kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Accept others and forgive as I forgive you.

But most of all put on love for love binds all these virtues together."1

"As I lived for you, will you now live for me?

Will you take up your cross and follow me?”

Taken from: http://goddirection.com/

God Direction

The Passion of Christ

Background http://goddirection.com/Passion%20of%20Christ.htm

Our Journey of the Passion

Preface

Introduction http://goddirection.com/Our_Journey_of_the_Passion.htm

1. Gethsemane http://goddirection.com/Gethsemane.htm

2. Jesus is betrayed, arrested and denied http://goddirection.com/Jesus_is_betrayed.htm

3. Jesus is Condemned http://goddirection.com/Jesus_is_Condemned.htm

4. Jesus takes His cross http://goddirection.com/Jesus_Takes_His_Cross.htm

5. Jesus Falls http://goddirection.com/Jesus_Falls.htm

6. Jesus Meets His Mother http://goddirection.com/Jesus_Meets_His_Mother.htm

7. Simon Helps Jesus http://goddirection.com/Simon_Helps_Jesus.htm

8. Veronica Helps Jesus http://goddirection.com/Veronica_Helps_Jesus.htm

9. Jesus Falls Again http://goddirection.com/Jesus_Falls_Again.htm

10. Jesus Consoles the Women http://goddirection.com/Jesus_Consoles_the_Women.htm

11. The Third Fall http://goddirection.com/The_Third_Fall.htm

12. Jesus is Stripped http://goddirection.com/Jesus_is_Stripped.htm

13. Jesus is Crucified http://goddirection.com/Jesus_is_Crucified.htm

14. Jesus Dies http://goddirection.com/Jesus_Dies.htm

15. Jesus is Taken Down http://goddirection.com/Jesus_is_Taken_Down.htm

16. Resurrection of Jesus http://goddirection.com/Resurrection_of_Jesus.htm

Conclusion

Thank you Mr. Adam Blaue!