Way of the Cross

The Way of the Cross (sometimes called Stations of the Cross) is a popular meditation during Holy Week. This year as we walk these stations, let us think about the world in which we live today and how we can bring Jesus to others.

Station one: Jesus is condemned to death.

Consider –
How homelessness and poverty condemn so many people to lives that are desperate

Pray
For all those who struggle to make ends meet

Resolve
To work harder to relieve poverty and suffering


Station two: Jesus takes up his cross.

Consider
All those who take on the task of serving the poor

Pray
For our Civic leaders and for non-profit agencies, especially Episcopal Community Service and all who work to relive suffering

Resolve
To take up my part of the burden


Station three: Jesus falls a first time.

Consider
All those struggling to find ways to combat poverty who in these tough times are tempted to give up.

Pray
For all those who feel that their limited resources need to be kept for themselves.

Resolve
To give until it hurts and then give more to combat homelessness.


Station four: Jesus is met by his Mother.

Consider
Parents fighting to keep their children out of gangs and away from drugs.

Pray
For all youth tempted by easy money and longing to belong.

Resolve
To love and nurture young people however threatening and ungrateful they may seem.


Station five: The Cross is laid on Simon.

Consider
All who are forced to minister to the needy because of where they live or work.

Pray
For those who reluctantly help and so do good work despite themselves.

Resolve
To respond to need without being made to by guilt or coercion.


Station six: The face of Jesus is wiped by Veronica.

Consider
All those who offer random acts of kindness by giving food, shelter, love to the needy.

Pray
For all who are selfless and unselfconscious in their good works.

Resolve
To take advantage of opportunities to give of ourselves for the good of others.


Station seven: Jesus falls a second time.

Consider
All those who fall back into addiction and dependency

Pray
For patience to walk with those unable to break out of the cycle of abuse.

Resolve
To help create safe places for those who desire to do no harm.


Station eight: The women of Jerusalem mourn for Jesus.

Consider
All who are made angry the homeless and destitute on our streets.

Pray
That they may channel their anger into finding solutions to the problems that lead to homelessness.

Resolve
To educate those we meet about homelessness and poverty.


Station nine: Jesus falls a third time.

Consider
All those who loose their home through divorce, loss of job, addiction, or crime.

Pray
For all who minister to them in their time of need.

Resolve
To help and support those facing upheaval and crisis.


Station ten: Jesus is stripped of his garments.

Consider
All those who loose all that they have and then loose even their dignity in prisons or institutions.

Pray
That we may always respect the dignity of every human being.

Resolve
To treat one another with the courtesy that we expect for ourselves.


Station eleven: Jesus is nailed to the Cross

Consider
All the ‘things’ that tie us down, material positions, dependencies on people or programs, routines, styles of worship.

Pray
For strength to put them aside and embrace new things.

Resolve
To trust in God – and in God alone.


Station twelve: Jesus dies on the Cross

Consider
God becoming human for us, suffering with us, dying at our hands.

Pray
For forgiveness of our sins that are the cause of all this suffering and death.

Resolve
To imitate the life and humility of Jesus in all that we do.


Station thirteen: Jesus is laid in the arms of his Mother

Consider
Parents who loose their children to gangs, drugs, and random acts of violence.

Pray
For all those who mourn the loss of loved ones.

Resolve
To make our City a safe place for all.


Station fourteen: Jesus is laid in the Sepulcher

Consider
How we must bury ego and ambition in order to be effective instruments of change.

Pray
That we may have the courage to let go of those things that prevent us giving our all.

Resolve
To do God’s will without counting the cost.

Almighty God, who’s most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.