Stations of the Cross

Stations of the Cross

First Station | Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane – This is the moment of one of the most famous prayers in all of scripture… Jesus prays to God “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me, yet not what I want but what you want”. The time has come, the passion of Christ and his journey toward the cross has begun.

Second Station | Jesus, Betrayed by Judas, is Arrested – It is appalling that Judas, one of Jesus’ disciples who has walked with him during ministry, chooses to double cross him by turning Jesus over to the council of people who want to get rid of him. 

Third Station | Jesus is Condemned by the Sanhedrin – A council of powerful, religious, Jewish leaders aggressively challenge Jesus about his identity when questioning him, “Are you, then, the Son of God?”!

Fourth Station | Jesus is Denied by Peter – Frustratedly, Peter does the thing he promised Jesus that he would not do. Just when Jesus could have most appreciated faithful support, Peter denies him three times, just as Jesus prophesied.

Fifth Station | Jesus is Judged by Pilate – Pilate is not the instigator in this story, but he is the enforcer. Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, releases a criminal and puts Jesus in his place. An innocent man rendered guilty.

Sixth Station | Jesus is Scourged and Crowned with Thorns – While the mockery of the soldiers is very real, through the purple cloak and crown of thorns, so is the title they shout mockingly: “Hail, King of the Jews”. Not only is he King of the Jews, but he is the righteous King of all that is seen and unseen.

Seventh Station | Jesus Bears the Cross – Just as the cross is the mechanism that will be the sad ending of Jesus’ earthly life, it is also the symbol that we cling to today to remind ourselves that death did not get the final say. The cross and the tomb are empty, come Sunday morning.

Eighth Station | Jesus is Helped by Simon the Cyrenian to Carry the Cross – Simon shares the load of the weight of the cross, and this unjust suffering endured by Jesus. He loves Jesus in actions, not words.

Ninth Station | Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem – The consequence of the people  not embracing God’s way, which was brought to them by Jesus, is reflected in the grief of the future destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

Tenth Station | Jesus is Crucified – Jesus has grace in his heart, even until the very end, as evidenced in his plea to God: “Father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing”. Forgiveness overwhelms hate.

Eleventh Station | Jesus Promises His Kingdom to the Good Thief – The penitent criminal wants the same thing we all want: eternity with Jesus in his kingdom. Even the criminals on the cross next to him believe and recognize his identity

Twelfth Station | Jesus Speaks to His Mother and the Disciple – Standing by the cross of Jesus, his mother Mary witnessed both ends of her son’s earthly life: from birth to death. Jesus cares for his beloved even unto the end, making a way forward for those he loves.

Thirteenth Station | Jesus Dies on the Cross – Jesus breathes his last. The curtain in the temple, which once was to separate the people from God, rips down the middle in two, signifying what has been done on the cross. Jesus’s faithfulness to the vocation given to him by the Father and his perfect love casts out sin and separation from God. 

Fourteenth Station | Jesus is Placed in the Tomb – Joseph, both a member of the Sanhedrin and a follower of Jesus, embraces his ministry and continues to care for him at the time of death. The measure of Joseph’s devotion to Jesus is seen by his love in action.