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By: Donna Bucher
"and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha."
Entering what many Christians call, "Holy Week", I
nurture a posture of reflection. My devotional focus lingers on Jesus' final
week on earth culminating in His betrayal, trial, torture, death, burial and
resurrection. Complementing my reflective devotions, in recent years, I chose
incorporating the powerful practice of praying the biblical Stations of the
Cross. Well-known as a Catholic ritual, and often "dismissed" as
unscriptural by evangelicals, it is lush with meaningful meditation. Arguably
one of the best ways of apprehending a more meaningful encounter with Christ as
He drinks the cup of wrath meant for us.
The
Stations of the Cross, also known as the “way of the cross” or the “way of
sorrows” is a religious tradition born of the historical half mile route Jesus
carried the cross to Golgotha.
Experiencing the liturgical representation of the Stations of
the Cross left an enduring impression upon me. "Knowing" the account
of Christ's final week and reading the scriptures certainly speaks to our
hearts. But walking "with Him" through each event from the Garden of
Gethsemane to the Tomb fosters an intimacy hard to find in merely reading or
hearing read the accounts of these events. Tracing Jesus' footsteps, we pause
along the way for deep reflection uniting our hearts with His.
Praying the biblical Stations of the Cross, puts us in
"the story", we focus on each event more fully, allowing the Holy
Spirit to move and work in our hearts. We come face to face with the cost of
our sin, and God's response to an evil world. In Christ's suffering for mankind, we are reminded He
suffers with mankind.
Walking through each event from betrayal, condemnation, horror or torture,
death, burial and glorious resurrection, our hearts move from sorrow over sin
and defeat to hope and joy in victory.
There are fourteen Stations of the Cross; I make time on
Thursday and Friday of Holy Week for praying through seven on each day. Arrange
for at least one hour each day of uninterrupted time; if possible, allow for
more time.
Begin with a time of silence, after a few moments begin by
praying Psalm 130 to the Lord, followed by a time of confession. When you feel
ready, begin praying the biblical Stations of the Cross.
I have compiled a full devotional for you including a Bible
passage, reflection and prayer for each station of the cross. You can access
that HERE. I also include a FREE PDF
print out if you want to have a printed copy to follow in your quiet time.
Moving through the Stations of the Cross affords us an
opportunity to reflect deeply on the suffering and sacrifice made for the
atonement of our sin. Well we are left at the tomb, where we linger in
cleansing grief. For from this point of grief we rise with Christ on
Resurrection Sunday. How great our joy in the victory over satan, sin and the
grave! We cannot know joy apart from the experience of sorrow; we cannot truly
appreciate the victory apart from the bitter taste of defeat.
We reflect upon Jesus enduring the cross, despising the shame,
for the joy set before Him of redeeming His creation from the curse of sin and
death. Walking the way of the cross in deep reflection and prayer prepares our
hearts to celebrate the greatest miracle of transformation we can ever know.
Find more encouragement and FREE Resources at Serenity in Suffering!
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Donna, This is absolutely beautiful. I am so blessed by this. Thank you. Blessings.
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