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After Jesus died and rose from the dead, His followers reflected upon His passion and death. They began to make pilgrimages to Jerusalem and walk in Jesus' footsteps. The street Jesus walked is still called the Via Dolorosa, the way of pain. Pilgrims would stop along the way and remember what had happened to Jesus. They even marked the places along the way for those who came after them, to follow, and to pray. As Christianity spread throughout the world, every Christian dreamed of making a pilgrimage once in their lifetime to Jerusalem, but distance made it nearly impossible. They did not stop their desire to know and remember the events of Jesus' death. When the Franciscans took over the custody of the shrines in the Holy Land in 1342, they saw it as their mission to encourage devotion to these places. In western Europe it became commonplace to erect a series of shrines to help the faithful remember Christ's passion. As Christianity spread, these "stations of the cross" were placed in church and chapel, cloister and cemetery. There were as many as thirty stations at one time, but the current number of fourteen appeared in the 16th century and the Pope made it standard in the 18th century. The chief promoter of this devotion was the Franciscan Friar Leonard of Port Maurice (d. 1751) who set up more than five hundred sets of stations, even in such places as the Coliseum in Rome. In recent times we have come to realize that the Passion is incomplete without reference to Jesus' Resurrection, and so a fifteenth station was added. We invite you to walk these stations with us. Members of our parish community are happy to be able to share their reflections with you. The Stations of the Cross are a powerful way to contemplate, and enter into, the mystery of Jesus' gift of himself to us. -Bro. Thom Smith,
OFM Photos from the
Church at the National Shrine of Cross in the Woods |
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1st Station - Jesus is Condemned to Death Recall how Jesus was scourged and crowned with thorns, and how He was then unjustly condemned by Pilate to die on a Cross. Harshly dealt with, He bore it humbly, like a lamb that is led to the slaughter-house. Isaiah 53:7 Ours were the sufferings He bore, ours the sorrows He carried. Isaiah 53:5 May the Lord rescue us from every evil threat and bring us safe to His heavenly kingdom. AMEN. 2 Timothy 4:18 -- Muriel Pekrul, sfo
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2nd Station - Jesus Accepts His Cross Jesus accepts His cross. Not a gift to be received but to be accepted. Accepted because it is His opportunity to love more completely. Do I accept the events of my life as opportunities to love more completely? Jesus knew, He had the vision of inevitable circumstances. He moves forward; accepting, knowing, loving. Help me (Father) God to love all your creation in a small way continuing the Incarnation so that your kingdom may come and your will may be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Jesus takes His cross and turns it into the tree of life. It becomes His podium from which to transform me by example; to realize a cross is a bridge over the pains and suffering of this earthly life to resurrection. You challenge me Father to see the paradox of the cross I carry leading me to you. Amazing how the crosses become lighter by the degrees I am able to love and see you present in all creation, in all creatures. From all crosses can come all good. -- Garry & Patricia Singel |
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3rd Station - Jesus Falls the First Time Carrying the cross is so heavy and painful. The noise and the heat are so oppressive. Please someone help him. He struggles to his feet. They seem to enjoy his pain. Jesus let me be with you. I have fallen, too, and only with your strength have I struggled to my feet again. I have fallen into sin by failing to recognize the goodness God has created within me, by not appreciating the gift of my own life nor the grace and talents God has given me, squandering time and talent. This fall, the first one, has been the failure to know myself. Jesus, at times pride has replaced self-doubts, pretending to be something greater than I am. Help me to rise out of the foolish pride and ignorance. Help me, Lord, to know and to love who I really am. -- Carolyn Laczek |
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4th Station - Jesus Meets His Mother Oh Jesus, your tormented Mother watched as you were cruelly and unjustly beaten and crucified. And yet, she accepted your passion and your death because she is also my mother and she wanted me to be able to share in your glory someday. Grant me a tender love for you and your holy mother. -- Denise Leese
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5th Station - Simon Helps Jesus Carry His Cross As they led him away, they laid hold of one of Simon the Cyrenean who was coming in from the fields. They put a cross beam on Simon's shoulder for him to carry along behind Jesus. Luke 23:26 Jesus, you ask me to pick up my cross and follow you. Give me the courage to follow in your footsteps. Jesus, when I look at the suffering you endured on your way to Calvary, I wonder how you were able to make it to the top of that hill. If Simon had not stepped in when he did, you may have died along the way. I think about my own crosses I have borne through the years: fear, worry, loss, illness, betrayal and pain. My faith tells me that you were there helping me like Simon helped you. This is what gave me the strength and courage I needed to endure those difficult times in my life. In the world today so many people have crosses to bear. Some are of their own choosing, and some have been put upon them through no fault of their own. There are crosses brought on by war, loneliness, illness, unemployment, poverty and a lack of respect for life. Help me, Lord, to see and to reach out to those in need. Like Simon I am often reluctant to help. It may be that I don't know what to do, or I am caught up in my own self-interests. Sometimes, I feel like I have to learn to bear my own cross before I can help others. I have come to know, however, that in helping others I learn how to help myself. Show me the way, Jesus, for you are my light shining in the darkness. Help me to be a light for others. Year round, from all over the country and the world, people visit the National Shrine of the Cross In The Woods. Those of us who belong to this parish open our arms to embrace visitors just as on the cross you embraced the whole world, and as Simon embraced the beam of your cross. May all who visit find their faith enriched, their hearts comforted, their hopes renewed, and the encouragement they need to meet the challenges of everyday life. Jesus, you said
that whatever I do for others I do for you. -- Don & Roberta Sinda |
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6th Station - Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus Jesus is carrying the cross up the hill of Calvary to His death. A woman named Veronica walks up to Jesus and wipes His face with her veil. She is very courageous and kind. She listens with her heart - as she cares for Jesus. She is showing us her love for Him, even during this terrible time. Jesus left her a gift, an imprint of His holy face on her veil. This gift is another reminder of His unending love for all. You can also be like Veronica, gently but brave, courageous and caring. The message is clear - REACH OUT TO OTHERS. -- Marie Millard (6), Charlie Millard (8), Claire Millard (10)
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7th Station - Jesus Falls the Second Time Oh Jesus you have fallen again under the weight of our sins. You invite me to bring my burdens to you and you will make them light. You encourage me to come to you and receive 'peace' - a peace that is beyond all human understanding. Over and over you touched, you healed, you made whole, you carried my burdens. Now, again, for the second time, you fall under the weight of my sins. Yet, you utter no complaint, you quietly rise up, pick up the pieces of tragedy and struggle forward on your life's journey. Please help me to always 'get up' after falling. Please help me to always try to help another 'get up' when they have fallen. Help me to continue my journey always knowing your promise is the prize. -- Dick Weaver
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8th Station - Jesus Hears and Speaks to the Women Jesus turned to the women who were weeping and said, 'Do not weep for me, instead weep for yourselves and your children.' Jesus you noticed these women who were powerless and in pain. You recognized the oppression under which they lived, and you spoke to them with kindness, respect, and compassion. Lord Jesus, it is so easy to be blind to oppression and injustice. To numb ourselves to other's suffering. Teach me to open my heart and mind that I may not discriminate against people who are different than I am. Help me to notice and respect each person who touches my life. -- Linda Reeb
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9th Station - Jesus Falls the Third Time Lord, You fall for the third time. The crowd is yelling at you. The soldiers are spitting on you, calling you names, hitting you, as you struggle to get up! The cross is so heavy. Is it their sins that make the cross so heavy? The sins of the crowd on your shoulders! You struggle to get up, to fulfill your journey. When you get on your feet, you stumble and continue, dragging the cross with all your strength. Is this what happens to us when we sin against you and others? Is carrying the cross part of our journey too? On our journey through this life we meet people who sin against us. They call us names, hit us, and try to get ahead of us in the workplace, and everything in life. You taught us how to forgive them, and go on. When we forgive them, it takes the weight off our shoulders. We pick up our cross, and go on with our journey to You. -- Donald A. Portman |
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10th Station - Jesus is Stripped of His Garments Oh Jesus, strip
us of all that keeps us from you. -- Ethel Jaruzel
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11th Station - Jesus is Nailed to the Cross Because of our sins you were nailed to the cross. When we reject the poor, when we abandon our elderly, when we abort our children, when we hate our enemy, when we ignore your teachings... we refuse to be one with you in the suffering of humanity. -- James Hegenauer
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12th Station - Jesus Dies on the Cross As I gaze upon
Jesus' face as He died on the cross, I feel that Jesus is telling us that
our mission is to learn His teachings, practice them among his people on
Earth, and foster peace; within our hearts, our families, our communities,
our nation, and throughout the world. -- Mary & Cyndi Kress
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13th Station - Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross When we gaze upon the thirteenth station of the cross, I ask my daughter, "Inga do you understand?" She answers, "Christ died for our sins." In all that we say and do in this world, this is the statement of our redemption. Our Blessed Mother Mary felt the greatest sorrow that anyone might bear - the loss of her child. The prophecy of the angel was resounding in her head: Her son was sent to save mankind. Mother Mary had to resolve that faith is stronger than sorrow, just as we all must. Our corporal selves go from being to nothingness. But, God's hand is waiting to accompany us from nothingness to eternity. There is more. The suffering of earthly experiences ends, in order that we may experience the profound and eternal love of God, our Father, who waits for us. Our faith acknowledges a better place where we may reside at the right hand of our Lord, the savior Jesus Christ. He is there saving a place for his people. -- Eulalia Dolinski |
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14th Station - Jesus is Laid in the Tomb When Jesus was laid in the tomb, we think of Mary and how she felt. Seeing God's son, her son, as a baby until the day He died was an incredible gift... but on that very day, where was God? The faith Mary had, full of grace, must have been the only thing that got her through this brutal day. Thank you Mary for showing us God is always with us, even in our darkest days. -- Doug, Heidi, Emma, and Abigail Kendziorski
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15th Station - Jesus is Risen The harsh sound of the death sentence, the street noises, the whipping, the jeering, the silent messages shouting out from people's faces, the thumps of falling, the clanging of nails being driven, the grunts of lifting of the cross on high, the clatter of dice being rolled for the seamless garment, and the sorrowful wailing has been totally quieted forever. Quieted with the ear splitting, blinding, speechless and paralyzing experience of the Resurrection. The sweet and melodious sounds of the heavenly choirs permeates the joyful jolt of erasing all that has happened. The Emmaus question covers our faces as the shock of the Resurrection becomes real for us. This reality is a process of the Paschal Mystery. Our humble beginnings in nakedness develop into being clothed with lives full of fears and boldness, worries and comforts, losses and successes, illness and health, poverty and richness, sins and redemption. All aspects of our human life, except sin was experienced by a baby born in nakedness and died nailed to a cross, stripped of all He possessed: materially, psychologically, and spiritually. Crying out, "Abba, if this is your will." All changed by the Resurrection. In the Resurrection, Mary becomes the joyful mother, the model of human love sharing her God/Son with all of us. Simon becomes the Jesus Companion who walks with us, lightens the weight of the cross, and brings us hope in eternal life. The wailing women become the constant reminder that poverty, abuse, discrimination and injustice is replaced by kindness, compassion, meekness and justice for all. Veronica's veil becomes the marks of Jesus that we carry in our hearts, bodies and souls. The failures and failings become our self-knowledge and sense of others in a God upon Whom we trust in both the good and the bad. The Resurrection changes all of us through the gift of the Cross. The Cross is the ambo of the Word and the tabernacle of the sacrament. We not only graciously receive the gift, we also freely and willingly accept it as a way of life, the process of the Paschal Mystery. The Resurrection gives us a peace beyond all human understanding. The Resurrection brings all of us into the wholeness of God. God changing the nothingness of our being into the completeness of life forever. -- Fr. Paul
Pare', OFM |
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Drawing by
Claire and Charlie Millard |
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