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A Way of the Cross:
lamenting the abuse of innocence in the Church. 1st
Station: Jesus is condemned to death Pilate - a man with power to save life – or deal
out death. A man with the power to listen to evidence and to judge
innocence or guilt. A man who chooses to wash his hands of the whole
affair… who refuses to accept responsibility and condemns an innocent
man to suffering and death. And Jesus stands alongside all who are denied
justice – who see people in power wash their hands of them. Prayer 2nd
Station: Jesus carries His cross The burden of sin and shame is placed on Jesus’
shoulders – to carry on his broken body on a journey that has no end but
death in sight. And Jesus understands the pain of carrying a
burden too heavy to bear for one who is strong – a burden too great for
one who is broken and alone. Prayer 3rd
Station: Jesus falls the first time The burden too great – and Jesus falls underneath
it… and wonders where the strength will come from to stand again… to
walk again… to stumble again. And Jesus sees the pain of falling and yearns to
give strength to those who need to rise again – and face the world – to
carry on as if nothing has happened. Prayer 4th
Station: Jesus meets his mother Mary’s heart is broken as she sees what human
beings have done to her son. Mothers – and fathers – suddenly realising just
what has happened to their children… what they have done to their
children. Feeling helpless in the face of their pain – and their own
pain redoubles. Mary – a pure and holy mother – whose heart is
big enough to love the world – gazes into the hearts of those who suffer
and longs that they know her tenderness and maternal love. Prayer 5th
Station: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his cross Simon – a man pulled from the crowd to help Jesus
to carry his cross. Unwilling at first – not wanting to be associated
with someone so burdened – so condemned – so dirty and bloodied. But
sharing the burden and coming to know the innocence of this man. Simon – a model and companion for all who find
themselves walking alongside victims – survivors – perpetrators. Prayer 6th
Station: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus Veronica – a woman who wonders what she can do in
the face of so much suffering… who sees the blood – the sweat – the
tears – who responds with a small cloth, just wiping away what she can,
knowing that she can make little difference in the great scheme of
things – but doing what she can in love. Veronica – a model and companion for those who
can do so little – but do that little with as much love as they can, Prayer 7th
Station: Jesus falls the second time The weight of the cross – the physical suffering
– the increasing weight of a heart full of pain and distress – a burden
that leads to another fall. As relationships fail –as bright futures
become dimmed – as all that was good and beautiful feels overwhelmed by
sorrow and despair. And Jesus kneels in the dust alongside lost hopes
and dreams. Prayer 8th
Station: Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem The laments of women and men who hear and see the
truth and who feel powerless in the face of systemic indifference and
lies – whose only response is to share the tears and the cries and the
despair of those who have been abused by people they should have been
able to trust. And Jesus finds solace in those whose tears and
laments echo his own. Prayer 9th
Station: Jesus falls a third time For some, the pain of
living is too great – and alcohol – and drugs – seem to offer a way out.
But addiction only deepens the
suffering – bringing bodies and minds and spirits lower until they give
way under the weight of pain upon pain… and all seems lost. And Jesus shares this utter despair… a fall from
which there seems no hope of recovery – a fall that is but a short way
from death. Prayer 10th
Station: Jesus is stripped of his clothing The shame and humiliation as clothing is stripped
away and Jesus’ brutalised body is exposed for all to see. And the added
pain of hearing the jeers and accusations that he brought this all upon
himself. And Jesus stands alongside those who have been
humiliated and degraded… and who suffer even more as the stories emerge…
and who experience the accusation that they were somehow culpable in it
all. Prayer 11th Station: Jesus is nailed to the cross No escape as blow after blow cause excruciating
pain and a human being is nailed to a cross – in agony – pain and
degradation. And Jesus holds in his wounded hands and heart
all who have known such horrors – and loves them. Prayer 12th
Station: Jesus dies on the cross When all that is good and true seems to have left
the world – so it was when Jesus, the Son of God, died and darkness
covered the earth. Utter loss as the Word of Life was silenced… Silence… 13th
Station: The body of Jesus is taken down from the cross The realisation of what has been done – but too
late for some. Life has passed… relationships that should have brought
life have died… a Church that held itself to be good and holy finds
death and corruption at its heart And Jesus shares those deaths – lying helpless in
the arms of his mother and his friends who mourn for all that they too
have lost. Prayer 14th
Station: Jesus is laid in the tomb For Jesus, a place of embalming and rest… a place
of waiting. A stone rolled in front of the tomb separating him from the
rest of the world – where his body, they thought, would lie and return
to the earth. A place of waiting and separation… but a place where God
could work – where God could heal – where God could restore… but not yet… And Jesus waits with those who feel separated
from the world – whose healing will be long and slow and full of
stumbling stones along the way. And we wait with them. Prayer 15th
Station: The Empty Tomb There is a silence… The way is barred by a stone that is heavy – But Christ is not to be held by silence – Christ is not contained by the barriers humans
put in the way of truth and justice. Christ’s body bears the scars of the suffering –
the torture – and death – The stone is rolling away – Prayer Risen Christ – light of life and flame of justice
and truth, Be the force that rolls away the stone.
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