Monthly Archives: April 2014

Apr22

Via Dolorosa, Way of Sorrows

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Standard

Stations of the Cross

i.  Jesus is condemned to death.

 

condemned

sinless Lamb of God

innocently guilty

unafraid, blameless, yet condemned

sinless Lamb of God

you take away the sin of mankind.

majestic reign

humbled as Perfect Sacrifice

sinless Lamb of God

Savior


 ii.  Jesus carries his cross.

 

cross

i am forgiven

sin, separation

my burden is heavy

i am forgiven

daily, Jesus carries my cross with his

grace given

faulty footsteps following Him

i am forgiven

salvation

 

iii.  Jesus falls for a first time.

 

fall

your majesty protects

weakened, vulnerable

most powerful Jesus falling

your majesty protects

God’s weakness is stronger than man’s strength

Angel strengthened

sinless burdened with sin

your majesty protects

Arise

 

iv.  Jesus meets his mother.

 

Mary

full of Grace

humble, willing

Ark of the Covenant

full of grace

knowing Jesus would be about God’s work

prayerful submission

in this suffering moment

full of grace

obedient

 

v.    Simon helps Jesus carry His cross.

 

simon

carrying His burden

human weakness

your cross bearing shoulders

carrying His burden

offering your strength to the Son of Man

comforting the Great Comforter

carrying His burden

servant

 

vi.  Veronica wipes the face of Jesus.

 

veronica

gentlewoman’s loving kindness

tender mercy

wiping His sacred blood

gentlewoman’s loving kindness

mark of Jesus’ love imprinted on her

veiled image

offering all she had

gentlewoman’s loving kindness

compassion

 

vii.  Jesus falls a second time.

 

downtrodden

we all fall

oppressed, persecuted

the Lord lifts up

we all fall

come you weary and burdened to Him

Jesus fell

the burden so great

we all fall

arise

 

viii. Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem

 

weeping

tender mercy of God

Jesus’ suffering

let us weep too

tender mercy of God

along the road He saw ALL women

reaching out

compassion, healing for them

tender mercy of God

comforting

 

ix.  Jesus falls a third time

 

weakened

falls…falls…falls

Jesus carries

every sinner’s tragic fall

falls…falls…falls

twisting, winding sorrowful way to God’s glory

Spotless Victim

undelivered from wicked hands

falls…falls…falls

arise

 

x.  Jesus is stripped of his garments.

 

naked

nothing separates us

vulnerable, indignant

God is with us

nothing separates us

Love of God is with us ALWAYS

embarrassment, shame

God is with us

nothing separates us

Love

 

xi.  Jesus is nailed to the cross

cross

Christ lifted high

Fragrant Offering

Divine Love for us

Chris lifted high

my redemption is found in the cross

Perfect Sacrifice

all people drawn to Jesus

Christ lifted high

crucifixion

 

xii.  Jesus dies on the cross.

 

death

arms spread wide

humble submission

as He embraced all

arms spread wide

may His sacrifice bring gratitude and peace

every moment

into this sinner’s heart

arms spread wide

rebirth

 

xiii.  Jesus is taken down from the cross.

 

dismounted

holiest of sorrow

unbearable task

burial of our Lord

holiest of sorrow

joseph, nicodemus, love won out over fear

profound grief

Mary held her son

holiest of sorrow

Pieta

 

xiv.  Jesus is placed in the tomb.

 

burial

laid to rest

joseph’s tomb

Jesus wrapped in linen

laid to rest

we grieve his death.  God promises life.

stone closed

yet opened and empty

laid to rest

Resurrection

 

xv.  The resurrection of Jesus

 

Resurrection

go to Galilee

empty tomb

intense desire to encounter Jesus

go to Galilee

now let us be on our way

Risen Lord

Holy Light overcame darkness

go to Galilee

proclamation

 

 

Apr16
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Aside

As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, that is the son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting at the side of the road.  When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout and cry out, “Son of David,  have pity on me.”  And many of them scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he only shouted all the louder,”Son of David, have pity on me.”  Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.”  So they called the blind man over, “Courage,” they said, “get up; He is calling you.”  So throwing off his cloak, he jumped up and went to Jesus.  Then Jesus spoke, “What do you want me to do for you?”  The blind man said to him, “Rabbuni, let me see again.”  Jesus said to him “Go, your faith has saved you.”  And at once his sight returned and he followed (Jesus) along the road.
And so it is even today:
The little one, who knows that home is not a safe place.  Parents who are suppose to protect and nurture and provide for are only capable of neglect and violence.  She is unsafe in her bed, her home, her neighborhood.  She knows too young that evil lurks and safety is at bay.   “Courage.  Get up.  Jesus is calling you.”
The teenager,who is looking for answers.  She turns to drugs and the occult because she finds acceptance with other misled friends and is unaware of the dangers that she is exposing herself to.  The thoughts in her head constantly running amok as she tries desperately to find a place to fit in, be accepted, be strong. So she chooses to numb her mind with drugs and booze.  She chooses what looks exciting to her and her other broken friends by dabbling in the paranormal and vampire movies and Ouije boards.  “Courage.  Get up.  Jesus is calling you.”
The young man, who married too soon while trying to find independence and love.  He tries so hard to finish his schooling, but there are bills to be paid, food to be bought, babies to care for.  Feelings of fatigue from the daily grind of school, work, study, school, work, study, school, work….  Never enough time to just be with his children, his wife, his aging parents.  “Courage.  Get up.  Jesus is calling you.”
The new mom, who is so worn out having just given birth after forty weeks of hormonal shifts and weight gain and preparations for the coming little babe in her life.  She has not slept a full night in months between the uncomfortable-ness of her body in the late weeks of her pregnancy and now caring for the newborn in her midst.  Once again, the babe is crying in the night.  And she is just so tired and does not know if she can find the strength to get up and care for the babe one more time.  “Courage.  Get up.  Jesus is calling you.”
The father, who thought he had a good, safe job working the factory line.  It wasn’t a career, but the bills were paid with money left over for him and his sweetie to have some fun on the week-ends.  Now he finds himself holding a pink slip in his hand and waiting in the unemployment line.  His sweetie is at the local food bank trying to get food to put on the table for them and their two children.  Their savings account long gone in the first month of his joblessness.  Confusion reigns in his head as to how they came to his point in life.  He has no idea how to get them back on track before they loose their house.  “Courage.  Get up.  Jesus is calling you.”
The proud momma, who always put her children first.  Now they are young adults and flying the nest.  She finds herself sitting in a large home with a stranger that she barely recognizes as her husband and more frightening, a stranger that she barely recognizes as herself.  She is so proud of the people her children have become. Yet, she wonders how she and her husband lost themselves in the raising of their children.  She is afraid to continue on to this next stage of life, yet does not know what else to do.  “Courage.  Get up.  Jesus is calling you.”
The career woman, who put her job first in her life.  She needed no one.  Not a husband who she might be held accountable to.  Not children who would depend on her during her most productive years. Not her parents, who did little for her other than provide her her very life and little else.  She has gotten to where she is on her own two feet.  Now, she is in the winter of her life, facing retirement, and realizing that it is lonely where she finds herself.  What will she do once she gives up the only thing that has brought meaning to her existence.  “Courage.  Get up.  Jesus is calling you.”
The elderly man, who would have been married for 53 years this March, had “the cancer” not taken his beloved wife six months ago.  He walks around in numbness and grief.  He hears his children and grandchildren pleading with him to go on with life.  Yet every night, when he says his prayers, he pleads that Jesus will take him in his sleep.  And yet, every morning,he awakes once again without her by his side.  “Courage.  Get up.  Jesus is calling you.”
The dear granny who was a “looker” in her day, but now finds herself bent over and barely able to walk with “the osteoarthritis.”  She remembers how she used to sway those hips and the workers on the sidewalk would whistle and  hoot when she went by.  Now she sits in her wheelchair in the nursing home, barely able to feed herself and dependent on others.  Her family has forgotten her in the busy-ness of their lives.  She is bored with the remainder of her life and envious of the young nursing assistants who are there to help her.  She thinks to herself that someday this will be their lives too.  “Courage.  Get up.  Jesus is calling you.”
And so it goes….  In our inequities and despite ourselves, Jesus calls us to have courage and get up and follow Him.  Like Bartimaeus, our faith in Jesus saves us as we follow Jesus down the road of our life.   *Format adapted from homily by Father Dustin, St Monica Parish, Indianapolis, In, 12-2012.

Have Courage! Get Up! Jesus is calling you!