The Stations of the Cross is a spiritual experience that is designed to tell the story of Jesus’ passion, and to also help us walk it with him. The traditional number of stations is 14, which we have maintained, but with few modifications. The original liturgy has several stations that do not have scriptural references. We have chosen to tell the story of Good Friday utilizing our scripture for all 14 stations.
On this day of Jesus’ crucifixion and death we hear Him speak these very important words from the cross, “It is finished.” (John 19:30). What did Jesus mean when he said these words? What is now finished? Finished can indicate that I am done, it is over, there is no more. It can also mean it is now complete. The liturgy we offer for the stations uses this final thought of completeness. What is now complete and why is it so important to us that we should take this Good Friday journey with Him?
Some of Jesus’ final words to his first disciples are, 34 “I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. 35 This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other” (John 13:34-35). Jesus has modeled what it means to live a divine life in its human expression. Jesus bestowed the grace of God to us through his life and ministry, and now it is our turn to extend this grace of God to others as his disciples today. We define grace as, “God’s unfailing commitment to love.” Every station will ask, “How is grace flowing from God to us and through us to others?”
Jesus also tells us that it is because God loves us that God had several important missions for Him to accomplish as he dwelt among us:
I came so the world might be saved (John 3:16-17).
I came so you may have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10b).
I came so my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete (John 15:11)
We see that each of these reasons for Jesus’ life and ministry are in the subjunctive tense, which means they are possible, but not yet realized. What is finished for Jesus is now the reality of new beginnings for u, to realize the promises.
Jesus, as the way, the truth and the life, has provided all we need to find and live these precious gifts of grace. In these promises, these unfailing gifts of love we see our lives are full of possibilities and potential and also resiliency and resurrection. There is always hope found in God’s grace. The word “hope” is a subjunctive word about life. Hope is defined as, “that which is possible but not yet realized.” Grace is always about realizing the possible. The stations are designed to provide first steps through these doorways Jesus has opened to all the world so we may travel and explore the beautiful journey of God’s grace in our lives.
As you move to our first station, you will find that you begin the journey in prayer. Prayer is our primary practice for communicating with God. During this experience, prayer is central to every station. The goal of our prayers is to allow God to speak to us. God’s Spirit and our spirit our already one, and scripture tells us that God knows us better than we know ourselves. God’s grace yearns to lead us to hope, but we must listen if we are to discover life and have it more abundantly. We pray that you may find the hope God has for you and your life as you find doorways to grace in this spiritual journey with Jesus. Jesus teaches us that we are to take up our crosses daily and follow him. The grace of God is with us always, even to the end of the age seeking to make our joy complete.
We have purposely designed the journey to begin in the Garden of Gethsemane. This station can and does stand alone as a Prayer Garden.
What is the purpose of prayer? Why do we pray? There are different reasons we may offer our prayers to God. It may be a prayer of gratitude and thanksgiving for the many blessings we have received. We may pray for God to watch over those we deeply care about or ask God to bring shalom/peace to our lives, community, or the world. Often, we turn to God because we are in need of God’s guidance and assistance, and encouragement in our lives.
Prayer is a gift to us all but is personal and unique in its practice. What has brought you here today? If you simply need to sit in the Garden and pray, you are surrounded by grace and God is ready to bring hope to you.
The Stations of the Cross are designed to open our hearts and connect our spirit to God’s so the grace of God may help us see our way more clearly, discovering and living the dreams God has for us all.
If you are ready to take the journey, we provide you several ways of taking your first step to begin your grace filled experience with Jesus.
Guidance for moving forward:
One choice you can make to walk the stations is allowing the story, itself, to guide you. The practice of Lectio Divina is often referred to as “Praying the Scriptures.” This approach opens the door of our hearts to God’s Holy Spirit so we may receive guidance and encouragement in the way we need it in our immediate present. We have provided the guidelines to pray these important scriptures of Jesus’ passion and God’s grace.
We have also provided a reflective response to these scriptures in hopes that we may open a doorway to connect your spirit with God’s. This is not meant to be the definitive answer to finding meaning in the story, but simply one way that opens us to an aspect of God’s grace found in the story.
You will find each station has a section called Going Deeper. This section is designed to provide directions or teachings that can introduce further spiritual practices that will deepen the experience of this journey with Jesus. They may provide an experience you can use while walking the stations or provide you suggestions to use when you have the time and quiet to practice them. As stated earlier, we are to take up our crosses daily. Going Deeper is designed to help us make our journey of grace a daily, and lifelong journey.
There is no one way to journey the Stations of the Cross. You may find that a station is speaking to you in a very important way, and you may want to stay there and commune with God. This is totally appropriate and encouraged. As you are praying the scriptures, you may find your spirit needs to return to the quiet of the Prayer Garden and reflect upon how God’s grace is seeking to guide you. The stations are there to be utilized in whatever way God’s Spirit seeks to lead you and offer you grace, hope and encouragement.
All the scriptures you will encounter during your experience of the Stations will be from the Common English Bible translation, in the future referred to as the CEB.
Praying The Scriptures: Lectio Divina
- Read the scripture four different times, allowing time for meditation and prayer between each reading.
- Lectio—read the passage to get a sense of the story. Who are the characters, what is the setting? Imagine the scene, the sights, sounds, odors, emotions, and tensions involved in the story. Enter the scene and allow it to become real to you.
- Meditatio—read the scripture again but this time for meaning and understanding. Ask questions. Why was this story recorded? What are the surface and underlying meanings? What does this story tell me about God? If I were in the story, who would I be? Whom do I most relate to in the story?
- Oratio—read the passage again, and this time pay attention to your emotional responses. What feelings surface as I read this scripture? Do I feel joy, sorrow, fear, anger, or guilt? Share your feelings with God in prayer. Ask for help in listening deeply to these emotions and meanings.
- Contemplatio—enter a time of receptive prayer. Let go of the images from the scripture and all other thoughts, interpretations, and worries. Breathe deeply and calmly, entering a profound silent state of listening. Wait for whatever God may bring to you in the quietness. If any insights or impressions come, note them with gratitude and then return to receptive listening. If no particular awarenesses come, let your mind return to the scripture passage. When you feel your prayer/meditation has ended, offer a word of thanks to God, open your eyes, and return to the room around you.
Stations of the Cross at Dove of the Desert UMC 