A Virtual Stations_of_the_Cross_2020.pdf

Stations of the Cross for Justice and Peace

1. StationsoftheCross
2020
ThisisavirtualStationsoftheCrossMeditationforGood
Fridayduringanespeciallytryingtimeinourlives.
Thispresentationis47slideslong.Youcanproceedatthe
paceyouaremostcomfortablewith.Sizethefirstpageto
takeupfullscreenonyourdevice.Navigatebyusingthe
arrowsortappingthespacebaronacomputer.Swipeifyou
areonaportabledevicesuchasatabletorphone.
Wehopeyoufindthismeditationtobeaninspirational
experience.NextyearwewillbebackintheSanctuaryfor
StationsoftheCross.
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2. FollowingtheconversionofRomanEmperorConstantineto
Christianity(321),therebecameapracticeofpilgrimage,for
ChristianstogotoJerusalemtowalkthefootstepsofJesusin
JerusalemonwhatiscalledTheViaDolorosatheJourneyof
Suffering,orTheWayoftheCross.Soonthereafter,there
developedaspiritualactivity“TheStationsoftheCross,”
wherebelieversdidnothavetotraveltoJerusalem,butcould
walkthe14StationsfromJesus’ArresttohisBurial,intheir
ownlocalChurches.OvertheCenturies,thishasdeveloped
intowalkingaLabyrinth,andinmanySanctuarieshaving
imagesoftheStationsforbelieverstofollowandpray.Inthis
presenttimewherewearenotabletocongregateasa
congregationtogether,weprovidetheStationsoftheCrosson
GoodFridayforusindividuallyhereinourSanctuarytofollow
ourownjourneytotheCross.
StationsoftheCross2020
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3. Station1–Jesus’Arrest
andCondemnation
3

4. Station1–Jesus’ArrestandCondemnation
AfterJesus’LastSupperhewentouttopray,askingGodthatthiscup
mightpassfromhim.TheDisciplesfellasleep,asJudasledtheTemple
GuardstoarrestJesus,betrayinghimwithakiss.Jesuswasledfromthe
GardenatGethsemane,tothehomeofCaiaphaswhowasheadofthe
Sanhedrinthatyear.HereJesuswastakenundergroundtobetortured,
whippedandscourged,tomakehimconfess,thendroppedadozenfeet
intoapitforthedarknight.Inthemorninghewasbroughtbefore
PontiusPilatetheRomanGovernor;thentransferredtoKingHerod;then
backtoPilateforjudgment.Apurplerobewithoutseamswasdrapedover
Jesus’whippedandbruisedbody,acrownofthornspushedontohishead,
asJesusstoodsilent.Itseemshecouldhavepreventedhisownsuffering
byexplainingthetruth,byexplainingwhohewasandwhybutJesus
stoodsilent.PontiusPilatewashedhishandsofthematter.Thecrowds
cried“Crucifyhim,Crucifyhim!”asPontiusPilatequestioned“Whatis
Truth?”
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5. Station1–Jesus’ArrestandCondemnation
PRAYER:Jesus,aftertheLastSupper,everypartofthestoryisvery
human,veryreal,withexhaustionleadingtosleep,akiss,betrayal,
beingwhippedandbeatenandleftinthedark.Sooftenwewantto
closeoureyestoreality.Wewanttowashourhandsof
responsibility.Wewanttoblamesomeoneelse,questioning“What
isthetruth?”Jesuswhobecamehumantosaveus,weprayyou
wouldforgiveus.
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6. Station2–Jesus
TakesUpHisCross
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7. Station2–JesusTakesUpHisCross
FromthepublicplacewhereJesuswascondemnedbythecrowds
andauthorities,Jesuswasmadetocarrythetimberthatwouldbe
thecrosspieceofhiscross.Thisfivefootlongroughsawntimber
washeavy,rough,coveredinsplintersandslivers.Jesusdragged
thetimberupthestreet,upstonestairs,outsidethecitytoward
Golgothahillside,ThePlaceoftheSkull.
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8. Station2–JesusTakesUpHisCross
PRAYER:LORD,yousaidtotakeupourcrosses.Sometimeswetrivialize
thisasourdailyachesandpains,orourfamilymembersandtheir
problems.Butyourcrosswasrealandweighty.Wesmellthesweat,we
feelthewoodcuts.Havingfaithwhentheworlddoesnotseemto
believeishard.Thecrowdsmockedyouandwewonderwhatpeople
thinkofus.Youhadnochoicebuttocarryyourcrosstoyourdeath,help
ustounderstandthatwereallyhavenochoiceeither,wearebaptized
intoyourdeathaswellaslife.BeingChristiandoesnotinoculateus
againstsuffering,thecrosswecarryiswrestlingwithmeaningandfaith
inourstruggles.
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9. Station3–JesusFallsTheFirstTime
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10. Station3–JesusFallsTheFirstTime
Thepointofcrucifixionwastoexecutebybreakingtheperson,
physically,emotionally,spirituallyandinshame.Falling,Jesuswas
human,crushedbytheweightofwhatwashappening.Thereare
dayswhenourarthritisandpainsareexcruciating.Therearetimes
whenlife’sburdensaretoomuch.Jesuswasneverdescribedasbeing
aSuperman,onlyveryhuman.Nowheiscutandbruised,andstill
madetostandupandwalkcarryingtheinstrumentofhisdeath.
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11. Station3–JesusFallsTheFirstTime
PRAYER:Savior,wedonotlikebeingweak,mortal,suffering.We
wanttobeinvincible.Butitisinbeinghumbleandpowerlessthat
youdemonstratedyourstrength.Whenwefall,helpustonotbe
fearful.Allowusthevulnerabilitytolistentootherswithouttrying
totakeoverorfixtheirlives.
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12. Station4–JesusMeetsHis
AfflictedMother
12

13. Station4–JesusMeetsHisAfflictedMother
AtJesus’infancy,hisparentshadbroughthimtotheTemplefor
dedication.SimeontookJesusinherarmsdescribingthischildwasfor
theriseandfallofnations,andhewouldpiercetheirownheartsalso.
SeeingMaryamongthefacesinthecrowd,hecouldwitnessherpainat
hissuffering.
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14. Station4–JesusMeetsHisAfflictedMother
PRAYER:DearGod,weneverstopbeingparents.Whenourchildren
havegrown,especiallywhentheyaredistantfromus,wemournand
regretthepast.Whentheyhurtandsuffer,wewanttotaketheirpains
away.Asyousufferedforthesinsoftheworld,helpustoknowthose
whocareforus,yearnforourdreamsandhopestobefulfilled.Aswe
aresandwichedbetweentheneedsofourparentsandtheneedsofour
children,helpustobehonestandcaringandreal.
Station4–JesusMeetsHisAfflictedMotherStation4–JesusMeetsHisAfflictedMother
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15. 15Station5–
JesusMeetsSimon
ofCyrene

16. 16Station5–JesusMeetsSimonofCyrene
Fromoutofthecrowds,aguardcommandsSimonofCyrenetohelp
Jesuscarrythecross.Simonwasastranger.Theguarddidnothelp
Jesus.TheguardwasnotevenattemptingtomakeJesus’burdeneasier,
onlytogetthejobofmovingJesusandthisCrosstotheplaceof
crucifixiondone.

17. 17Station5–JesusMeetsSimonofCyrene
PRAYER:HowoftenLORD,wefeelacircumstanceisnotourconcern,not
ourproblem,yetwegetbroughtin.Howoften,wedonotcarewhogets
hurtorhowsomethinggetsdone,onlythatourresponsibilityisdone.
Empowerustoseethroughtheeyesofothershowweact,whatwesay.

18. 18Station6–
VeronicaWipes
Jesus’Face

19. 19Station6–VeronicaWipesJesus’Face
LoreandlegendfillsinwhattheBibledoesnotrecord,thatawoman
recognizingJesus’sufferingandblindnessfromsweat,usesaclothto
wipehisface.Shewasmovedtorespond,notaconsciousact,notanact
ofdefiance,justanactofhumanityforapitiablesoulyoudonotknow.

20. 20Station6–VeronicaWipesJesus’Face
PRAYER:Howoften,weseeahomelesspersonwithasign,andwedrive
passed.Howoftenwehearthecriesofsomeoneinneedandchooseto
notgetinvolved.Helpustobemovedbycompassion,tocare.Empower
ustotrustthatthestrangerinneedmightbeChristinourmidst,ora
neighborinneed.

21. 21Station7–JesusFallsASecondTime

22. 22Station7–JesusFallsASecondTime
TheweightoftheCrossbeamistoomuch,hisbodybruised,cutand
scrapedandsuffering,Jesusfalls.Whenwehavefallenbefore,we
envisionneverhavingtofallagain.Wethinkwelearnourlessons.But
lifehappens,wefall,weareabandonedandalone.

23. 23Station7–JesusFallsASecondTime
PRAYER:Whenourburdensbecometoogreat,oursorrowstooheavy,
LORDhelpustotrustyou.Wewanttobegoodandnice,watchingout
foryourwatchingus,butsometimesLORDwequestionwhy?Ifyouare
allknowing,couldyouhavesparedussuffering?Helptochangethe
thingsthatIcanchange.ToacceptthethingsIcannotchange.Andthe
wisdomtoknowthedifference.

24. 24Station8–Jesus
SpeakstoThe
WomenofJerusalem

25. 25Station8–JesusSpeakstoTheWomenOf
Jerusalem
Throughouthisministry,unnamedwomenfollowedJesusandthe
disciples.NowasJesuspasses,thesewomentookupmourning,covering
theirfaces,weepingandwailingforhissufferinganddeath.Jesusspoke
tothese,thattheynotmournforhim,butfortheirownsufferingand
mortality,allthattheyhadcondonedwithintheirownfamiliesand
community,neverbeforesayingaword.

26. 26Station8–JesusSpeakstoTheWomenof
Jerusalem
PRAYER:Wehaveknownofthesilentsufferingoffamilymembersand
neighbors,sinfulactionsthatnooneeverstoppedorchallenged.Lord
God,empowerustospeakupandspeakout.Inthesetimes,wecannot
continueaswehavebeen,wecannotpermitpeopletoputthemselves
andthecommunityatrisk.Helpustoavoidgoingthroughthemotions
ofseparation,followingtherulesasifanemergency,buttoprayasifour
livesdependuponourprayers,becausetheydo.

27. 27Station9–JesusFallsAThirdTime

28. 28Station9–JesusFallsAThirdTime
Inagony,wewatchasJesusfallsyetathirdtime.Thestrugglehasbeen
toomuch.Hisbodybruised,beaten,whippedandexhausted,now
crushedbeneaththeweightandburden.LordJesus,youchoseweakness
ratherthanpower,youacceptedratherthanarguing.Thepainisnotin
acceptingthefirsttime,orrelentingasecondtime,buttimeaftertime
aftertimetoaccept,toyield,tofallwithoutlashingoutwithoutdefense.
Tobecrushedandtoacceptthis.

29. 29Station9–JesusFallsAThirdTime
PRAYER:DearGod,youknowourreactions,ourdefenses,ourpride.
Automaticallywerespond,wehavetogetinalastword.HelpusLord,to
liveourlivescarryingtheburdenforothers,forthegreatergood.Giveus
thestrengthwepray,toacceptourweaknessandhumility,ourhumanity
andshame,notonlyonebutagainandagain.

30. 30Station10–
JesusIsStripped

31. 31Station10–JesusIsStripped
Reachingthedestination,Jesusishelplessastheguardsstrippedhis
body.Thecoldaironhissweatybodyislikewater.Hehadnodefenses,
nomasks,noclothing,nothingtohidebehind.Alltheworldcouldsee
himforthebrokenmantheyhadmadehim.Hecouldnothidethemarks
ofthewhip,thebruises.Alifetimeago,Jesustookoffhisdivinityto
becomehumanlikeus.Nowthereisnothingholyordivineinthis,onlya
broken,beatenlivingcorpseabouttodie.

32. 32Station10–JesusIsStripped
PRAYER:Wewearourdefenseslikelayersofanonion.Weaccrueand
fortifyourdefensesoveralifetime.Infaithandhumility,welowerour
defenses,oneatatime.Whenallisstrippedaway,whenwefeelmost
naked,weseeourownvulnerability,andourfears.DearGod,allowusto
trustyou.Allowustobelieveinmorebeyondthislife.Permitusthe
strengthtotrytonotbegods,tonotbeincontrol,buttoembraceour
humility,ourfears,ournakednessbeforeyou.

33. 33Station11–JesusIsNailedToTheCross

34. 34Station11–JesusIsNailedToTheCross
Crucifixionwasdesignedtocreatesuffering.Crucifixionwasintendedto
inflictshame.Crucifixionwasanemphaticstatementbythoseinpower,
bytheempire,thatthiscriminaldaredtostandupagainstthepower,for
whichtheyhavebeencrushedinthisway,sothatotherswillneverstand
upagain.Squarecutnailswerepunchedthroughthecenterofyour
palm,exitingbetweenthejointofyourwrist,soastobeartheentire
weightofyourbody,andbeunabletoberippedout.Likeatrapped
animal,thebodystruggledagainstitsownweighttobefree.Butthe
bodyweigheddownagainstthelungs,preventingyoufrombreathing,
restrictingyourlifeforce.Crucifixionultimatelycausedsuffocation,as
thebodycouldnotbreathe.IntheBeginning,Godhadbreathedlife
(spirit)intothehumanbeing.Here,Jesuscouldnotcontrolhisown
breath,hisspirit.

35. 35Station11–JesusIsNailedToTheCross
PRAYER:Jesus,havingbeenbroughtthisfar,thereisnoescape.Somany
hoursago,youprayedthatthiscupmightpassfromyou,buthere,now,
youfeelthepainasyouarepierced,asyourhandsarehammeredwith
thesledge.Youfeelyourhelplessness,asyourbodyisnolongerunder
yourcommand,butothersdragyoubyyourcrossandelevatethis
branchupthetree.Everyblowofthehammertothecross,everyhuman
touchripplesthroughyourbodyinsufferingandpain.

36. 36Station12–JesusDies

37. 37Station12–JesusDies
Ordinarily,crucifixionlastedfordays.ForJesus,deathcameinjustthree
hours.ThreehoursfromNoonuntil3whentheskyturnedblack,thesun
waseclipsed,thecurtainthatseparatedtheholyofholiesforthepriests
fromthepeoplewastownintwo;thecurtainseparatingheavenand
earthwasrippedandtornunabletobepiecedtogethereveragain.Ina
heartbeat,inabreath,Jesuswentfrombeingfilledwithhopeandlove,
toacorpse,alifelessthingtobeburied.

38. 38Station12–JesusDies
PRAYER:LORD,youdiedforme.Mysins,myhate,mywordsand
thoughtsandactionsagainstothersexecutedyou.Weclingtoyour
wordsandparablesandstories.Werepeatyouractsofkindnessand
forgiveness.Butwedonotwanttowitnessyourdeath.Wearesickened
andembarrassedtoseethenakednessofdeath.

39. 39Station13–JesusWas
TakenDownFromThe
Cross

40. 40Station13–JesusWasTakenDownFromThe
Cross
Lifeless.Thefulldeadweightofhimbornebyothers.Theylaidthe
corpseonaredgranitestonethreecubitslongandtwocubitswide.
Gently,carefullytheywashedthebodyofdirtandbloodandsweat.
Washingawayasmuchofthehumansufferingastheycould.Allthat
wasleftofJesuswasdead.

41. 41Station13–JesusWasTakenDownFromThe
Cross
PRAYER:Savior,deathdoesnotfrightenussomuchasthevoid,the
emptiness,nothingness.Deathseemsheavybecausethereareno
musclesbearingtheirownweight.Deathiscold.Deathislifeless.None
ofuslikeGoodFriday,especiallytakingthebodydownandputtingthe
remainsaway.Wetrytogetthisdoneasquicklyaswecan.Lord,helpus
tonotignoreorforgetthosewhohavedied,thatwewilldie.Asmuchas
youcametosetusfree,youdiedbecauseofourwordsandactions.

42. 42Station14–JesusBodyWasLaidInTheTomb

43. 43Station14–JesusBodyWasLaidInTheTomb
Ahumanbodyissosupple,andatombishardstone,cold,neverbefore
used.Cemeteriesandheadstoneswerenotintendedforpermanence,but
forcomposting.Thebodyseparatefromlightwoulddecomposeand
returntotheearth,thatJosephcouldusetheTombhimselfwhen
needed.ItwassundownontheSabbath,sothemournerscouldnot
linger.Theycouldnotprayoverthebody,orweeptheirtearsoverthe
body,theycouldnotadornthebodywithoilorperfumes,burnincense,
oralltheritualsthathadbeenmadefordeath.Thecadaverwaslaidin
thetomb,awhiteclothcoveringhisface,whentheCenturionssealedthe
tombwithaStoneandpostedguards.

44. 44Station14–JesusBodyWasLaidInTheTomb
PRAYER:Thewordsashestoashesanddusttodustseemsofinal,dead
anddecayed.Deathandthepowersoftheempirehavetakentheonewe
loved,oursavior.Thequietisdeafening.Wewanttohold.Wewantto
clingtohim,butheisgone.Evenourabilitytotouchhimdeadis
separatedbystone.

45. 45Station15–Jesus
WentToHellAndRaised
AgainOnTheThirdDay

46. 46Station15–JesusWentToHellAndRaised
AgainOnTheThirdDay
Allthosewhodiedbeforetheincarnationhavebeenredeemedaswell.
Deathhasnothadthefinalanswer.Deathwasonlyonecrescendo
beforeGod’sactofrenewalandnewlife,eternallifebyraisingChristup
fromthedead.

47. 47Station15–JesusWentToHellAndRaised
AgainOnTheThirdDay
LORD’SPRAYER:OurFather,whoartinHeaven,hallowedbethyname.
Thykingdomcome,Thywillbedone,onearthasitisinHeaven.Giveus
thisdayourdailybread,andforgiveusoursinsasweforgivethosewho
sinagainstus.Leadusnotintotemptationbutdeliverusfromevil.For
thineisthekingdomandthegloryandthepowerforever.Amen