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Outside The Box

Stations of the Cross: Lent 2010

As we enter into the season of Lent, Catholics on Call is starting a new series of reflections. Every week we will post two short reflections on the stations of the cross based on those celebrated by Pope John Paul II on Good Friday 1991. They are presented as an alternative to the traditional stations and as a way of reflecting more deeply on the Scriptural accounts of Christ's passion. (You can follow the stations on the USCCB website.)

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First Station: Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane
Second Station: Jesus, Betrayed by Judas, is Arrested
Third Station: Jesus is Condemned by the Sanhedrin
Fourth Station: Jesus is Denied by Peter
Fifth Station: Jesus is Judged by Pilate
Sixth Station: Jesus is Scourged and Crowned with Thorns
Seventh Station: Jesus Bears the Cross
Eighth Station: Jesus is Helped by Simon the Cyrenian to Carry the Cross
Ninth Station: Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem
Tenth Station: Jesus is Crucified

First Station: Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane

Reading: Mt 26:36-41
Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them, "My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me." He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will." When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, "So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

Reflection:
I always found the scene of Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane very comforting. I have been told of course, that Jesus on the Cross showed his solidarity with our human pains and sufferings. But many times, when I’m struggling with life and have to let go of my plans and ideas because of unforeseen events like sickness, disappointment, misunderstandings etc., I find myself with him in the Garden of Gethsemane, struggling to accept and understand the Father’s will.
In the Garden, we see that Jesus, who was truly divine, also shared completely in our human experience. He faced the darkness of a future that was filled with uncertainty and even danger. He was driven to his knees to ask for the strength and guidance that he needed.
I’ve always felt comforted by this thought, because it means that Jesus understands what it is like when we are weak and don’t know what to do; when we are struggling with trusting in God’s love and doing God’s will. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus becomes my companion and friend on the journey.

Question for Reflection:
Where am I struggling right now with doing God’s will and recognizing his love for me?

Prayer:
Jesus, you made yourself human, like me – you know my struggles and weaknesses. But you also know my desire to love you with all my heart and to do your will. Give me the strength to say my yes today and fill my heart with faith and trust in God’s infinite love.

by Birgit Oberhofer top

Second Station: Jesus, Betrayed by Judas, is Arrested

Reading: Mk 14:43-46
Then, while [Jesus] was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs, who had come from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. His betrayer had arranged a signal with them, saying, "the man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him and lead him away securely." He came and immediately went over to him and said, "Rabbi." And he kissed him. At this they laid hands on him and arrested him.

Reflection:
Have you ever wondered why Judas chose to give this significant kiss to Jesus? Many people openly offended Jesus and Judas could have just joined them and publicly opposed Jesus as they did. I think the point is that Judas had extremely mixed feelings about Jesus. He was Jesus’ disciple and believed in his mission. He loved Jesus and showed it with giving him a kiss. But at the same time he was disappointed with Jesus, because he didn’t live out his mission in the way Judas thought he should.
Don’t we have the same mixed feelings sometimes? Don’t we love God in our heart but get angry with him when he doesn’t do things the way we think he should? God works in mysterious ways, respecting human freedom and the law of love he put in our hearts. Jesus’ mission was not to bring liberation from the oppressors by a military action, but to offer a freedom that goes deeper: on the cross he brought us freedom from sin, freedom from our blindness and selfishness. A freedom that only God can give.

Question for Reflection:
Can I remember any moments in my life where I could hear the voice of Judas in my heart and was angry with God because he didn’t do things my way?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, it is easy to judge Judas’ betrayal. It is much harder to recognize and confront our own betrayals. Forgive us for every time we didn’t believe in your personal love for us. Strengthen our faith in you and make us see the signs of your love even when they are hidden behind adverse circumstances.

by Birgit Oberhofer top

Third Station: Jesus is Condemned by the Sanhedrin

Reading - Luke 22: 66-71
When day came the council of elders of the people met, both chief priests and scribes, and they brought him before their Sanhedrin. They said, "If you are the Messiah, tell us," but he replied to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I question, you will not respond. But from this time on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God." They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?" He replied to them, "You say that I am." Then they said, "What further need have we for testimony? We have heard it from his own mouth."

Reflection:
Sometimes we Christians forget that Jesus was Jewish; in fact, he was an observant Jew with a deep love for the traditions of his own people. He understood his own life and mission in light of the promises God had made to Israel. In the long history of Christianity, believers have sometimes neglected this fact and fostered an anti-Semitism that is contrary to everything that Jesus and the gospel represent.

We hear in this passage from Luke’s gospel that Jesus was judged by some of the leaders of his own people. It is easy to sense the frustration that Jesus must have felt in this setting. In responding to the question about whether or not he is the Messiah, he says, “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I question, you will not respond.” Jesus has run into a brick wall of suspicion and rejection here, and he knows it. As a faithful Jew who loved his own people, this rejection must have caused deep personal pain for him.

The suspicion and rejection that Jesus encountered in his passion continues today among many people. Sometimes we detect these same tendencies within ourselves. We want to keep Jesus at “arm’s length” – perhaps because we feel that he will ask too much of us. But, we know from the gospel accounts that Jesus never imposed himself on anyone. He invited people to respond to him and to his word in freedom, with the promise that they would discover new life in doing so.

During this week of Lent, let us ask for greater personal openness to the presence and the word of Christ in our lives. And may we pray, too, for deeper understanding and cooperation between Christians and our Jewish sisters and brothers.

Question for Reflection:
In what way is the Lord Jesus inviting me to open my heart more fully to his presence and his word in my life?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, sometimes I frustrate you by closing myself off to your presence and your word in my life. I become afraid of the ways that your love may change me. Help me to trust in your faithful presence and respond to the invitations you extend to me. Help me to remember that your word is always a word of life.

by Robin Ryan, cp top

Fourth Station: Jesus is Denied by Peter

Reading: Matthew 26: 69-75
Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. One of the maids came over to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean." But he denied it in front of everyone, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about!" As he went out to the gate, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This man was with Jesus the Nazorean." Again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man!" A little later the bystanders came over and said to Peter, "Surely you too are one of them; even your speech gives you away." At that he began to curse and to swear, "I do not know the man." And immediately a cock crowed. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: "Before the cock crows you will deny me three times." He went out and began to weep bitterly.

Reflection:
From one perspective, it is very difficult to understand Peter’s denial of Jesus at this most critical moment of Jesus’ passion. Matthew tells us that, not only did he deny knowing Jesus, but he did so with such vehemence that he began to curse and swear. During Jesus’ ministry, Peter had emerged as a leader among the Twelve. He had become their spokesman. And Jesus had given Peter a special role of pastoral responsibility among the group. Peter was their “quarterback”. How could he have failed so miserably at the very moment when Jesus needed his loyalty and support?

At the same time, maybe it’s not so difficult for us to understand Peter’s denial. He must have felt the tremendous pressure of the moment. Jesus had been arrested and accused of a serious crime. The Jerusalem crowds had turned against him. The atmosphere was filled with intrigue and hints of violent reprisal. And some people were linking Peter with this man on trial. Peter must have feared for his own life and so he broke down under the pressure.

All of us face our moments of pressure in life, whether it’s the pressure put on us by other people who want us to act in a certain way, the pressure of having to make a decision in an ambiguous situation, the pressure of having to make ends meet financially, or whatever. Sometimes at these moments, it is difficult to remember who we are called to be as Christians. In our reflection this week, may we pray for the grace to remember who we are as sons and daughters of God and followers of Christ. And let us ask for the courage to make our decisions and to act from the dignity that Christ gives us.

It is important to remember that, as serious as Peter’s failure was, Jesus did not condemn or reject him. Rather, he rehabilitated Peter and enabled him to resume his role as leader of the Twelve. In John’s gospel this “rehabilitation” happens in a touching scene where Jesus asks Peter a simple question: “Simon, do you love me?” The mercy of Jesus is an abiding source of hope and strength for us when we fail under pressure. It enables us to say to Christ, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Help me to be more faithful to you.”

Question for Reflection:
What are the sources of pressure in my life that make it difficult for me to be faithful to my calling as a Christian?

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, I want to be faithful to you, but sometimes I deny you under pressure. Help me to remember who I am as a child of God and your follower. And give me the courage to make choices that will give witness to my faith in you.

by Robin Ryan, cp top

Fifth Station: Jesus is Judged by Pilate

Reading: Mark 15: 1-5, 15
The chief priests with the elders and the scribes, that is, the whole Sanhedrin, held a council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. Pilate questioned him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He said to him in reply, "You say so." The chief priests accused him of many things. Again Pilate questioned him, "Have you no answer? See how many things they accuse you of." Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.... Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barrabas... [and] handed [Jesus] over to be crucified.

Reflection:
Mark’s narrative of Pilate’s judgment against Jesus is a rather paradoxical scene. From an outside observer perspective, one may think this scene is about Jesus, in weakness and defeat, succumbing to his fate. However, from God’s perspective, it is a scene about Jesus standing with strength, rooted in God’s love, against the injustice being done unto him.
When we are accused of something we have not done, the typical human response is defending our truth through some type of behavior or word. Each of us has a defense mechanism that ignites when we feel we are being attacked. In matters where life and death are at stake, sometimes violence is the only defense one feels left to resort to. Yet, here in this scene, Jesus shows no defensiveness nor acts out in a violent manner, even though his life is at stake. His response, “you say so,” is neither admittance nor denial, but a statement which shifts the power from Pilate to Jesus. Jesus knows who he is, or whose He is. Nothing more needs to be said. What an astonishing way to respond, even Pilate was amazed. In this scene, Jesus models a challenging way to respond to injustice. During our Lenten journey, we are called forth by His witness to discern the appropriate way of handling the adversities in our own life.

Question for Reflection:
What triggers cause you to react defensively? What are the new ways you can respond and act that promote peace within yourself and between you and your adversary?

Prayer:
Jesus, give me the strength to remain calm in the face of adversity. Grace me with courage to respond when I feel threatened, put down, or wronged, in a manner that respects the dignity of me and the other person. Amen.

by Jayne Pickett top

Sixth Station: Jesus is Scourged and Crowned with Thorns

Reading John 19: 1-3:
Then Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged. And the soldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on his head, and clothed him in a purple cloak, and they came to him and said,"Hail, King of the Jews!" And they struck him repeatedly.

Reflection:
For those of us who have seen Mel Gibson’s The Passion, we may have vivid images in our heads of this torture scene of the scourging of Jesus. It is not an image I can hold within myself for too long as it is painful to think about another human person enduring such horrible pain and treatment. It is incomprehensible that God, incarnate in Jesus, would endure such treatment; especially in light of the fact that God had the power to change the situation.

This form of torture, which seems so barbaric, still happens in our world today. The form of torture maybe different, however the effect desired- degrading a human person to make them feel less than human- is still the same. Torture practices involve crossing over into darkness to destroy human dignity both in the torturer, who only sees the victim as a thing, and for the tortured who is stripped of any worth. Any form of torture breaks a community. How does a torturer come back to the Light after crossing over into darkness? How does a victim heal from such barbaric treatment? How does a community mend itself after losing a loved one to torture? How are families and communities affected by living with a victim or torturer, and how do they find support to heal the deep brokenness involved in such a practice? Organizations in the United States working to end torture practices by the U.S. government understand the deep wounds of this practice and the long term effects of it to the human family. This is why they ask each of us to voice opposition to our U.S. leaders about such use of this practice by our government.

It is tempting to write off the topic of torture and its effect in my life since it doesn’t involves me directly. However, each of us, in some way, fails to see the human dignity of a person, perhaps in smaller ways than the apparent torturer/victim circumstance. When we fail to look a homeless person in the eye, when we knowingly purchase clothing from stores who use unfair labor practices, when we knowingly exclude those from our social circle, our conversation, our workplace, our church, because they are different or don’t fit the norm of our tradition, we have failed to recognize the worth of another human being. Even when we are too busy to spend time with those who want to be with us, or when we repeatedly put our own selves down for not being good enough- these ways hint to devaluing the worth of a human person. In our Lenten journey, let the scourging of Jesus give us pause to reflect on ways in which we lose sight of the dignity of our brothers and sisters in God’s human family.

Questions for Reflection:
Who in my life am I tempted to write off because they are annoying, an inconvenience, or different? What new gesture of love can I extend to this person?

Prayer:
Jesus, open my eyes to the ways in which I strip myself and my fellow brother or sister of their dignity. Give me courage to act in new ways that show compassion, empathy and love toward those who most challenge me. Help me to see God in others and may others see God in me. Amen.

by Jayne Pickett top

Seventh Station: Jesus Bears the Cross

Reading John 19: 6, 15-17:
When the chief priests and the guards saw they cried out, "Crucify him, crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him. I find no guilt in him." ... They cried out, "Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your king?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar." Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus, and carrying the cross himself he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha.

Reflection:
Who’s fault was it? That’s the question we ask after terrible accidents and disasters. When a few years ago several children died in Southern Germany because an indoor ice-skating rink collapsed, people were anxious to hear in the news the name of the person who was at the end of a chain of events that led to the tragedy. And while it is appropriate to call people responsibility if they didn’t do their job right, we can sometimes miss a deeper meaning of certain events.

Looking at the tragedy of Jesus’ death we could ask a similar question: “Who’s fault was it?” Was it the fault of the Jewish people who handed him over to Pilate? Or of the high priest Annas who arrested him? Or was it Pilate’s fault, who ordered the crucifixion? Or was it Jesus’ own fault because he got himself into trouble, knowing that he was paying the price of his life? It’s a complex question and it’s easy for the different parties to point the finger at the other group and wash their own hands of it.

I was always moved by the reproaches we sing on Good Friday during the uplifting of the cross: "My people, My people what have I done to you, how have I offended you answer me! …” Even if I never had a feeling of guilt for Jesus’ death, I do have a sense of being part of this “people” that Jesus loved and that didn’t understand him and eventually betrayed him. Maybe I feel that I am still betraying Jesus, when I see injustice happen and think “It’s not my fault, I can’t do anything”; or when I answer with impatience to a need of someone; or even when I don’t recognize the good things that happen in my life and continue complaining about things instead of being thankful to God for all the good he has done to me.

When Jesus died on the cross, all of humanity was part of the evil that led to his death. But with his death he brought salvation. In Jesus’ death we are freed from our sins and reunited with the Father. Not because we are so good, but because of God’s immense love, who doesn’t ask the question: “Who’s fault is it?”, but who loves us the same and brings good out of evil. That’s why we can sing in the Easter Vigil: "O happy fault that merited such and so great a Redeemer."

Questions for Reflection:
Are there moments in my life where I blame others instead of taking on my own responsibility and trying to change things? What are the good things that God has done for me in my life?

Prayer:
Jesus – many times I’m so quick in my judgments. It’s easier for me to blame the others instead of seeing my own responsibility. Give me a courageous heart to stand up against injustice and sin. Give me a discerning heart to understand when it is time to act and when it is time to forgive. Give me a loving heart that is able to look beyond human failures and weaknesses. Give me a merciful heart and help me to love with a love that is powerful like your love for us – a love that doesn’t blame, but that forgives and offers a second chance.

by Birgit Oberhofer top

Eighth Station: Jesus is Helped by Simon the Cyrenian to Carry the Cross

Reading Mark 15: 21:
They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.

Reflection:
Imagine yourself driving to the city to do some shopping and maybe meet a few friends. As you enter the city there is a big demonstration going on and you are just about to walk by, when a police officer stops you and asks you to help the person they just had arrested to get to the car.
This is probably what happened to Simon. We don’t know if he knew who Jesus was, but he certainly knew enough about the Roman regime not to object the command. And so here he is, helping Jesus who is at the end of his rope, to carry his cross to Mount Calvary.

Doesn’t something similar happen to us, too? We might have grown up in a Catholic family; have been baptized when we were little; maybe went to Catholic schools and were taught to be nice to everybody. And then we hear that is not enough, that our call as Christians is a call to holiness. It’s a call to “die with Christ” and to “pick up our cross and follow him.”

It’s not that because as Christians we are called to carry our cross, we will have to suffer more pain than others. But when we look at things that happen to us with faith filled eyes, we can find meaning in suffering. Through his passion and death, Jesus opened for us the path to resurrection and new life in him. Jesus gave us the clue to find meaning in suffering and not to get stuck in it. We know and can experience that in Jesus God is present in our lives, in the midst of our struggles, disappointments, failures and misfortunes. Jesus himself is there to carry our cross with us, and he will help us to transform every suffering in a spirit-filled moment of growth and faith. And as Simon was sent to help Jesus carry his cross to Mount Calvary there will be other people who journey with us and who give us strength and trust and are there to help us and support us. There will be pain and suffering in all of our lives and the cross will be hard to carry sometimes. But if we are open to God’s transforming grace and to the love of the people around us, it will lead us to resurrection and the “fullness of joy” in Christ.

Questions for reflection:
How does my “cross” look like right now? Where am I called to embrace my cross and carry it to follow Jesus? Which people in my life have helped me to carry my cross? How can I be “Simon” for others and be there for them in their suffering?

Prayer:
Jesus, sometimes I don’t like to pick up my cross and carry it along – it feels heavy and uncomfortable. Help me to see your loving presence in my struggles and failures and show me how I can overcome suffering with love, as you did. Help me to see the loving presence of others in my life and be grateful for their support and encouragement. Give me the grace to be present to others when they are struggling and witness to them your loving presence in every suffering.

by Birgit Oberhofer top

Ninth Station: Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem

Reading Luke 23: 27-31:
A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him. Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming when people will say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.' At that time, people will say to the mountains, 'Fall upon us!' and to the hills, 'Cover us!' for if these things are done when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry?"

Reflection
This passage from the Gospel of Luke has always intrigued me. It is a somber word of prophecy uttered by Jesus right in the midst of his own passion. Luke’s gospel shows that, even after Jesus’ rejection, some people (Simon of Cyrene and these women) continued to “follow” him. Luke’s wording makes it clear that this following is more than just a “following along” of a condemned man on his way to execution; it is an expression of true discipleship. In Luke’s gospel, women have a special role in exemplifying a positive response to Jesus’ call to discipleship. These faithful Jewish women seem to recognize the tragedy and injustice of what is unfolding before them, so they mourn and lament Jesus.

Jesus stops and turns to these women, expressing his own concern for them. He, the prophet of peace, has been rejected and condemned to a violent death. He senses that such violence will come back to haunt its perpetrators, and he expresses his compassion for these innocent women. These gospel words of warning seem to refer to the terrible day in the future when Jerusalem will be besieged and conquered by the Romans, an event that inflicted untold suffering on the city’s inhabitants.

What strikes me about this moment is Jesus’ concern for the other, even as he is experiencing intense personal suffering. Throughout his ministry he was always focused on the mission given to him by the Father and on the salvation of those whom he encountered. This focus continues even as he faces his own painful death.

Many cultural commentators have remarked that we live in a society that has pronounced tendencies toward narcissism. People tend to be lost in their own pursuits – absorbed with their own concerns. We seem to find it difficult to ask someone how they are and really to listen to them as they respond to our question. In matters of social concern, we struggle to preserve a sense of the common good. The concern that Jesus shows for these women followers as he journeys to Calvary invites us to move out of our self-absorption toward vital concern for the well-being of others. It is a reminder of one of his foundational teachings: that when we lose ourselves we begin to find ourselves.

Questions For Reflection
When have I experienced the unselfish concern of another person in my own need? How did that help me? In what ways is the Lord inviting me to move beyond focus on myself to active concern for others?

Prayer
Lord Jesus, sometimes I am so wrapped up in myself that I hardly notice other people. Help me to imitate you in your active concern for the good of others, displayed even in the midst of your own suffering. Give me the grace to reach out to others, to listen to them, and to show them your compassion.

Fr. Robin Ryan, cp top

Tenth Station: Jesus is Crucified

Reading Luke 23: 33-34:
When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left. [Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."]

Reflection
Earlier in his gospel, Luke recounts Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain (Luke’s version of Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount). In that sermon we hear these words of Jesus: “But to you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (6:27-28). If we are honest with ourselves, we know just how challenging Jesus’ teaching about love of enemies is. Most of us struggle mightily with our resentments against people who have offended us. We have to fight the tendency to hold these people as hostages within our own hearts – hostages of our anger.

Jesus walked the walk. As one who was like us in his humanity in all things but sin, he too had to face the challenge of forgiving others, forgiving even those who unjustly and brutally took away his human life. Luke tells us that Jesus, the Just One, is crucified with two criminals. His enemies attempt to reduce him to the status of a public outcast. But despite being nailed to the cross Jesus proves that he is truly free even at this terrible moment. He remains the icon of human dignity. He is free enough to hand his life over to the Father and to offer forgiveness to those who have crucified him. He displays the meaning of true freedom and embodies the depth of love that he had communicated in his Sermon on the Plain.

As we enter into this moment of Jesus’ passion, let us ask God to give us inner freedom and peace. May we pray for the grace to let the inner hostages of our anger and resentment go free, and so to discover true freedom ourselves.

Question for Reflection
Who is it that I need to set free from my resentment at this moment in my life?

Prayer
Lord Jesus, it is hard to imagine how you found the strength to forgive those who were crucifying you. But you did, and in so doing, you offered forgiveness to all of us who at various times have rejected you by the way we have lived. Give us the grace to forgive those who have offended us. Free us from resentment and bitterness, that we may serve you and others in joy and peace.

Fr. Robin Ryan, cp top

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