A distinctive feature in Catholic churches is the Stations of the Cross. We see them along the side walls and there are images depicting our Lord’s suffering on his journey to Calvary to die for us. The Franciscans, largely in charge of maintaining the religious sites in the Holy Land, are responsible for selecting fourteen episodes from Christ’s Way of the Cross. These scenes depict and help us to enter into the saving events of Christ’s journey from outside the city to his place of crucifixion and entombment. While art can be a distraction, it can also help us to focus on the realism and pain that our Lord suffered out of love for us. We can make the Way of the Cross privately or in groups by pausing in front of each station and reflecting upon Christ’s suffering for us. We can use a book or suggested prayers or rely on our own thoughts as we gaze at the particular scenes. Hopefully, the Way of the Cross will stir up our sorrow for the part we played by our sins in Christ’s suffering. We might also rejoice in how he manifested such great love for us by making this journey. In Jerusalem, there are certain places marked as stations in the inner city, even though the ground walked upon is separated by about 20 feet of soil above the actual ground Christ walked upon. It is the same kind of journey we make with him in our parish churches. These depictions of the Stations of the Cross allow us to prayerfully walk the walk with Jesus on the path of our redemption.
Filed under: Awalt Papers |
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