Fourteenth Station: Jesus is laid in the tomb

After this, Joseph of Arimathaea, who was a disciple of Jesus — though a secret one because he was afraid of the Jews — asked Pilate to let him remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave permission, so they came and took it away. Nicodemus came as well — the same one who had first come to Jesus at nighttime — and he brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, following the Jewish burial custom. At the place where he had been crucified there was a garden, and in this garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been buried. Since it was the Jewish Day of Preparation and the tomb was near at hand, they laid Jesus there.
(Jn 19:38-42, Jerusalem Bible)

Joseph of Arimathaea is only mentioned in the gospels with respect to the burial of Jesus. All the gospels say that he is a disciple (Mt 27:57; Jn 19:38), or that he was looking for the kingdom of God (Mk 15:43; Lk 23:51). Imagine his feelings in receiving the body of his master. Like many of the disciples, he was probably hoping for Jesus to be a political messiah, to lead the Jewish nation to freedom from Rome. Despite the dashing of his hopes, he still has respect for Jesus. Although he fears the backlash from the Jews, he still decides to give his final respects to his master.

Jews were not allowed to leave corpses unburied:

And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is accursed by God; you shall not defile your land which the LORD your God gives you for an inheritance.  (Dt. 21:22-23, Revised Standard Version)

There has been a question as to why myrrh and aloes were used and why so much of it. One must remember that Jesus was probably bleeding profusely, and with sweat and dirt mixed in, there would probably be a smell. Aloes and myrrh were probably used to cover the body so that it would smell so bad. There are suggestions that it was used for embalming but it is more likely that the two sweet smelling substances were used to perfume the corpse of Jesus. The two men, who were secret disciples of Jesus, now took the courage to claim the body and bury it after treating it with the respect of a normal human person. This was something the Jewish authorities at the time of Jesus had not afforded to Jesus. Neither did any of the apostles were there to give their last respects to Jesus, the master they had lived with for three years.

My family converted from the Chinese religion. Chinese funerals were very expensive affairs. Often, after a relation’s funeral or after watching one of the old black and white television dramas, my mother (who is still alive) would tell me spend money on her rather than on her funeral. Sometimes I witness very melodramatic displays of grief at a funeral, only to discover that the one making the display had not really paid attention to the deceased when he or she was alive.

True respect to the dead can only occur when we truly respected the living. Sometimes when we suddenly find a loved one dead, we feel guilt over the things we could have said or done. This was an experience I had with my late father. I must admit that I was not as close to my father as I could have been. He passed on when I was in Rome for my post-graduate studies. He had suddenly took ill and passed away. I had spoken to him just over a week before. I only managed to make it in time for his funeral. I was not able to grieve for a while. I felt I had to be strong for my family and my mother. It was only when I was back in Rome, after my exams, that I was able to begin to grieve. The guilt of what I could have said to him or done for him came to me like a tsunami. I cannot remember how long I wept, but I did. Remembering that my father was now in the hands of God, I simply asked God to relay what I needed to say to my father.

Although Jesus died a horrible death, he was given an honourable burial. For Nicodemus and Joseph who were not able to prevent his death, they were able to provide him a decent burial. For us, who have benefitted from his death, let us never forget the great love Jesus had for us: He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. (1 Pet 2:24, Revised Standard Version)

Thirteenth Station: Jesus dies on the cross

It was now about the sixth hour and, with the sun eclipsed, a darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. The veil of the Temple was torn right down the middle; and when Jesus had cried out in a loud voice, he said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” With these words he breathed his last. 
(Lk 23:44-46, Jerusalem Bible)

In the four gospels, the death of Jesus is described in three ways. St. Mark and Sr. Matthew report that Jesus gave a loud cry and then yielded his spirit. This loud cry was probably what St. Luke records as, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” St. John records the words as “It is finished.” Both these phrases express the great resolve of Jesus.

God the Father sent His Son to bring the good news to the world. His good news was a message that I have already mentioned in the eleventh station: The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel. (Mk 1:15, Revised Standard Version) The preaching Jesus gives is about the kingdom. He speaks in parables about the kingdom. His miracles reveal the reality of the kingdom. In fact he tries to tell the Jews that his works (miracles) gives credence to his preaching: If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father. (Jn 10:37-38, Revised Standard Version) He dedicated His whole life to the kingdom, living the life of an itinerant preacher. Thus when His life was over, the work is done. He commits what is left – His spirit – to the Father.

The works that Jesus result from His obedience in love of the Father. The absolute obedience that Jesus had resulted in the enduring of hours of torture. Whether He understood the significance of the suffering He endured (the theologians are still debating that point), He obeyed because He loved the Father, and had no doubt that He was loved by the Father. Jesus was single-minded in that way. When everything that he needed to do was completed, he utters, “It is finished!” (Jn 19:30) That is from the Revised Standard Version translation. The Jerusalem Bible reads, “It is accomplished” while the Douay-Rheims translation reads, “It is consummated.” The Greek word teleō, the root of the verb used in the original text, means to finish something or to make something whole. For example, it is used to indicate that someone has paid up all the tax he owed. Thus, Jesus is saying that he has fulfilled, or completed, or finished the mission which the Father had given him. We read very often in the gospels that he does what the Father has sent him to do.

The question I ask myself when meditating this station is: Can I die to my own needs and do what is needed for my neighbour? Unfortunately, I must admit that I cannot on my own. During this “circuit breaker” situation in Singapore, there are things that I could do help my parishioners but cannot due to my personal weaknesses. I was asked to take sessions online but I find it very difficult to do as I am extremely fearful of being in front of a camera. Before we ceased public masses, I was in front of a camera when I was celebrating weekend Masses. It took a lot out of me to keep myself from freezing during mass. I fought every urge to look at the monitor because I knew that my heart rate would increase whenever I saw myself on the screen. Every weekend was difficult but I believe I survived. What helped was that I did not need to look at the monitor. With the online sessions, I would not be able to ignore the monitor. That would be a great problem with me. I have prayed for the grace to overcome this fear and I patiently wait for the Lord’s help.

Lord Jesus, help me to act correctly despite my fear, just as you did during Your Passion and Death. Help me to be able to complete what you have called me to be.

Twelfth Station: Jesus entrusts Mary and John to each other

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son. After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own. 
(Jn 19:25-27, Douay-Rheims Version)

I wonder what Jesus was feeling when He saw His mother and the disciple He loved. I have seen the sorrow of parents when their children die before them. My late uncle had two sons who died before him. They were afflicted by muscular dystrophy. By the time they were in their mid teens, they were bedridden, and unable to sit up. With the death each son, his heart grew frailer. I could see tears welling in his eyes when he spoke of them. Jesus, who was empathic in general, would have considered the sorrow of His mother. In the midst of His physical agony, Jesus decided to do something for His mother. Just beside His mother was His disciple, the only one who had not run away to hide. He, who was faithful and trusting, would be steadfast in his responsibility to take care of her. Thus, this disciple would take Mother Mary as his own mother. Jesus uttered another of His last words on the cross: Woman, behold thy son, … Behold thy mother.

In giving Mary to the disciple, Jesus also gave the disciple to His mother. At the point of the crucifixion, it was this filial son making arrangements for the care of His mother. As a consequence, the disciple received the gift of a grace-filled and holy woman as his mother. We are called into the one family in baptism. Both we and Jesus call God Father, implying that Jesus and we are brothers and sisters of the same one Father. Similarly, we can call Mary our mother, in the spiritual sense, just as Mary is mother of Jesus, the Son of God. The gift of Mary to the beloved disciple is also Jesus’ gift of Mother Mary to all us as Mother. Therefore, the words of Jesus does not simply mean Jesus entrusting his mother to John, it also means that John is entrusted to Mary. That is why this station is entitled: Jesus entrusts Mary and John to each other.

We must be careful not to make Mary more important than her son. That would not be right. Mary is made mother to care for all of us in the way that she can, not in the way that she cannot. My family started our journey as Catholics when we started going to Novena Church so many years ago. I believe that the prayers of our blessed mother were instrumental in the conversion of my family. The graces my family received so that we might be God’s children were granted by God, not by Mary. However, I do believe that Mary was involved because she had prayed for my family. Perhaps, many people approach Mary to pray for them because they find it easier to relate to a maternal figure. However, we should not wrongly believe that Mother Mary is in command. God is still in command.

In our parish, there is a popular prayer area called Mary’s Courtyard. Many people congregate there to pray the rosary every night. When the governing authorities released their advisory about closing the places of worship, I complied because I understood its importance during this pandemic. A man called me to request that I open the church so that he could pray the rosary at the courtyard everyday as he had always done. I had to turn him down. As I put down the handset to the telephone, I wondered if I should have explained to him the reasons for my decision. God has given us our intellect to understand the situation we are in. The way to lower the number of infections is to stay at home. I believe Mother Mary understands this as well. It is not where we pray that makes prayer efficacious. Not being able to pray at our favourite spot should not make us blind to the needs of all around us. Rather than pray that we can have our prayer area back, we should be praying for the people who are infected and the people who are caring for them. We should pray especially for those who are infected but are asymptomatic, because they may be still oblivious to the danger they might pose if they congregate with others and are not attentive to social distancing.

Mary is our mother and cares for our spiritual and physical well-being. She prays and she cares. Being faithful to God is not simply about our daily prayer, but being faithful in love as well. Faithfulness in love involves understanding our role in society. Thus, being faithful to God in prayer also involves being socially responsible. Perhaps this is what St. James meant when he wrote: If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.  (Jas 2:15-17, Revised Standard Version)

Eleventh Station: Jesus promises his kingdom to the repentant thief

And one of those robbers who were hanged, blasphemed him, saying: If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering, rebuked him, saying: Neither dost thou fear God, seeing thou art condemned under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done no evil. And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdom. And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise. (Lk 23:39-43, Douay-Rheims Version)

We do not know if the two criminals crucified with Jesus were partners in crime. What we do know was that both had really committed crime. The one who spoke kindly to Jesus is often called the repentant thief. While the Synoptic Gospels were quite clear that they were thieves or robbers, only St. Luke records a conversation. The other two state that the two that were crucified with him also reviled him (see Mt 27:44; Mk 15:32). St. Luke’s account showed one of the thieves being just and recognising the innocence of Jesus whilst the other spoke unkindly to Jesus. We assume that the thief that stood up for Christ was repentant because he admitted his crime and was willing to pay for it. As a consequence, he heard another of the last words of Jesus on the cross, and entered paradise with Jesus. After all, if he did not repent, could he have entered paradise?

In the sacrament of reconciliation there are four essential parts: Contrition, Confession, Satisfaction and Absolution. The thief who was kind to Jesus had definitely received Absolution for he was promised paradise by Jesus himself. He accepted the punishment he received; that would be satisfaction. He freely admitted that he had committed evil; that would be confession. He did not express any sorrow for his sin. As the word contrition means one is remorseful or sorry for sin, the question is: Was he contrite?

In the gospel, the words proclaimed by Jesus was: The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel. (Mk 1:15, Revised Standard Version). The word repent has its root in the Greek metanoia, which means a change of direction. It has the idea of changing from living a life that moves away from God to a way of life that moves closer to God. The repentant thief may not have voiced sorrow for his sin but he was certainly repentant as he expressed his desire to be with Jesus and to be removed from the evil he has done. We may say that there is regret in the evil he had done.

Contrition is good, there is no doubt about it. However, we must also realise that being remorseful for one’s sin must lead one to repentance. We assume that is the case in the person who celebrates for the Sacrament of Reconciliation because one wants to come back to God. However, there might be different motives for someone who comes to confession. Sometimes it is to fulfil a requirement that he or she is absolved from serious sin to receive the Eucharist. Sometimes, it is the fear that if one dies in mortal sin, one would not be able to go to heaven. I often ask myself when I go a another priest of confession: Am I making confession for the right reason? I must confess that the motives are not always pure: fear of hell is one element that is sometimes present.

In my spiritual exercises, I have to constantly purify my intentions and motives in my relationship with God. There are time when I relationship with God serve to advance my own agenda. That is when I am like the thief that reviled Jesus. The thief obviously believed that Jesus was someone from God and had the power from God. He tried to provoke Jesus to do what he wanted: to be free from the cross. He did not end up in paradise with Jesus. The repentant thief only wanted to be with Jesus. He was probably the first to enter heaven after Jesus. My motive to be reconciled must be more and more like the repentant thief who had his sights only on Jesus, and less and less about me. I hope that I would truly hear the words of Jesus when he encountered the repentant woman who was a sinner: Your faith has saved you; go in peace. (Lk 7:50, Revised Standard Version)

Tenth Station: Jesus is crucified

And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, they crucified him there; and the robbers, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. But they, dividing his garments, cast lots. And the people stood beholding, and the rulers with them derided him, saying: He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the elect of God.
(Lk 23:33-35, Douay-Rheims Version)

When the Shourd of Turin was photographed in 1898, an amazing discovery was made. The blurred image on the cloth became a clear picture of a man’s face in the negative of the photograph. This renewed researchers’ interest in the piece of linen that was thought to be the burial cloth of Jesus. In the years the followed many studies were done and it shed light on what crucifixion entailed. For example, the shroud accurately showed that the nail through the hands was positioned close to the wrist. Pictures of the crucifixion often show the nails nailed through the palms of the hand. If the nails were pierced through the palms, the weight of the body would have caused the hands to be torn because the muscles and ligaments would not have been able to hold a man’s weight. Instead, the wrist was able to bear it. Research of the shroud helped us to come to a greater understanding of the cruelty of crucifixion as a form of execution.

Jesus must have suffered tremendously during the crucifixion. Jesus would have bled slowly. His breathing would have been laboured due to the positioning of his arms. The pain he would have endured to push against the nails on his feet to ease the difficulty of breathing. The physical pain would have been aggravated by the absence of most of His disciples. His dignity as a human being would be nonexistent because he was totally naked. As if to make fun of him. the soldiers gambled with his last pieces of clothing. He was derided by passers-by. His suffering was not just physical but also emotional and social.

Jesus was obedient to the Father. St. Paul describes this beautifully: he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.(Phil 2:8, Revised Standard Version) In his obedience Jesus was willing to give his life. He did it so that he could become the example for all who are called to be children of God. We are called to be children of God. Are we willing to be humble, and so become as obedient as Jesus was?

Even though Jesus was nailed fast to the cross, he was not a prisoner. He was free; free to be who he was: the obedient Son of God. We sometimes give in to fear and thus enslave ourselves. For example, when we give in to our fear of not being acknowledged, we enslave ourselves to the esteem of men. When that happens, the pursuit of other’s esteem becomes a burden and we become miserable. Initially, we might be able to convince ourselves using the saying no pain, no gain. However, our hearts will become heavy with worry and anxiety.

The paradox of Jesus crucified was that although he was in agony,.he was not worried or anxious. He was free. His mind was clear. That was why he was able to utter his seven last words on the cross, the first of which is “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Lk 23:34, Revised Standard Version) Jesus was free from anger and resentment. He was free enough to forgive all those who had caused him the agony he was going through. When I keep grudges, I am not free to forgive. This is because I am enslaved to my anger and my hurt feelings. I may use many different reasons to keep my anger and hurt feelings. I say that I want justice; I say I need satisfaction; I say I do not want to be hurt again. These reasons do not change the fact that I am enslaved. When enslaved thus, I suffer miserably. By letting go of my anger and hurt feelings, I free myself to receive the healing of God. By receiving the grace of being healed, I will have the ability to forgive others. Then the Lord’s Prayer I pray every day would be true: Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Ninth Station: Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem

And there followed him a great multitude of people, and of women, who bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning to them, said: Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not over me; but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For behold, the days shall come, wherein they will say: Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the paps that have not given suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains: Fall upon us; and to the hills: Cover us. For if in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done in the dry?(Lk 23:27-31, Douay-Rheims Version)

There are many studies made about women’s intuition. Many of us have experienced how women are able to tell if their significant other is lying or telling the truth. Scientific studies have shown that women are somehow better than men in reading emotions and situations. How they are doing it? No one actually knows. There are many theories, from culture to genetics, that try to explain the phenomenon, but none are really conclusive. Anyway, women tend to know things without consciously reasoning it out. The same can be said for the women who were weeping for Jesus. They knew He was authentic, when the male-only Sanhedrin doubted and sought to destroy Him.

Instead of thanking them for caring for him, Jesus makes a strange remark: weep for yourselves, and for your children (Lk 23:28, Douay-Rheims Version). The reason he gives the women for this strange remark is that there will come a time when people will be so tormented that they wish they did not exist. Jesus knows why he is suffering His passion. In the future, many people will not know why they are being tormented. In the words of Jesus, He gives us a clue to the reason for the torment. The children of the women of Jerusalem would forget their origins. They would forget God their creator. Jesus knew where He came from although the Jews did not (see John 7:14). The people who had forgotten who God was would suffer torment.

There are many who call themselves Christian but have a flawed image of God. God as Father is more a vending machine, doling out gifts that are asked for. This is a flawed image of God. God is not in control here but the human being. It is not the human being living to what God expects but that God does what the human being expects in this flawed image. Thus, there is the torment of one who feels that God has abandoned them when things do not turn out as expected. It is also easy for a person with such an image of God to shift their focus from the creator God to created objects. The pandemic that we are facing now has caused many Catholic Churches to cease the public celebrations during Holy Week that form the most important part of the Catholic Liturgical Calendar. I have heard of irate people who cannot understand why there are no blessed palms. They question why they cannot be allowed to “kiss the cross”. Could not having palms or the public veneration of the cross be more important than the gratitude of our hearts for a God that loves us? The Liturgy are memorials. The Liturgy celebrate significant events in the history of humanity with regard to God and his promises. These memorials point us to God. When the importance moves from God to the things that aid us to remember God’s great acts, we forget, to some extent, the God who created us and continues to love us. We complain of the lack of what we have always had and expect to have, and miss the point totally. Like the “they” that Jesus refers to in his words to the women of Jerusalem, we might end up asking for mountains to fall on us.

Palms, the baptismal water, the wood of the cross and the paschal candle are all important items during Holy Week. Yet we must not forget the God who makes these created things important. It is He who gives meaning to them during this time of the year. The most impactful memory of 2020 in the world would most probably be “COVID-19.” In our life in Christ, let 2020 be the year when we, as Catholics, return to that which is more fundamental: the love of God who continues to love us despite not having palms, not being able to “kiss the cross” and not being able to witness the lighting of the paschal candle. Let us return to the memory of the great saving event of God in Jesus Christ at its most basic. This is expressed in the words of Jesus is the Gospel of St. John, which incidentally does not contain any mention of palms or the cross: For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (Jn 3:16, Revised Standard Version)

Eighth Station: Jesus is helped by Simon of Cyrene to carry his cross

… and they led him out to crucify him. And they forced one Simon a Cyrenian who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and of Rufus, to take up his cross.
(Mk 15:20b-21, Douay-Rheims Version)

Many texts of the traditional stations speak of how privileged Simon of Cyrene was to have helped Jesus carry the cross. I do wonder if Simon really felt privileged when the cross was thrust upon him by the Roman soldiers. He probably resented the Roman soldiers for ordering him to do so. He might even have resented Jesus as well but it is more likely that he resented his own misfortune to be walking at the wrong place at the wrong time. Was he aware of the drama that had unfolded at the praetorium that morning? Who was Simon anyway?

The name Simon is used by both Greeks and Jews. From history, we know that Cyrene was a North African city in the Roman Empire. There was a large Jewish community there at the time of Jesus. The Roman Catholic tradition considers Simon a Jew although there is real historical proof. What we do know is that St. Mark names his sons in his Gospel, indicating that they were known to the Christian community. With respect to Simon’s role, St. Matthew’s account is similar to St. Mark. St. Luke mentions that Simon walks behind Jesus while St. John does not mention Simon at all. Using the Jerusalem Bible translation, we get a kind of harmony:

So in the end Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. Then they took charge of Jesus, and carrying his own cross he went out of the city (Jn 19:16-17) …On their way out, they came across a man from Cyrene, Simon by name (Mt 27:32) … father of of Alexander and Rufus (Mk 15:21) … who was coming in from the country, and made him shoulder the cross and carry it behind Jesus. (Lk 23;26)

As we can read, Jesus carried his cross part of the way out of the city and Simon was made to carry the cross behind Jesus. Simon had to bear Jesus’ burden because the Romans were afraid that Jesus might not survive the walk to the execution site. The soldiers would have to explain themselves if Jesus died from exhaustion rather than from being nailed to the cross. Thus, Simon was forced to carry the cross so that Jesus might be crucified properly. I do not think that the soldiers would be grateful to Simon. He probably got the same treatment as anyone carrying a cross to be executed. He would be shouted at, pushed and shoved to get going when he slowed down. He could not argue lest he suffered punishment for resisting the soldiers. Simon was probably very vexed. He was minding his own business and did not do anything wrong to anyone. Why would the soldiers force him to carry the cross? He must have been very frustrated.

Simon of Cyrene did not know at that time that he was involved in Jesus’ fulfilment of His Father’s will. Simon was probably not a necessary part of Jesus’ redemptive mission but God had planned that he became part of it nevertheless. It does not really matter whether he was initially resentful or upset on being chosen by the soldiers to carry Jesus’ cross. What is significant was that Simon was chosen to be part of the event that is central to the saving plan of God.

There are times when we cannot understand why something happens. This COVID-19 pandemic is just one of those times. We cannot understand why God would allow it to be so serious that Catholics are not able to worship like they normally did. The advisory from the government was that all places of worship were to be closed to the public. That would mean that Catholics would not be able to come into the Church grounds to pray. I can empathise with those who feel so cut off and do not understand why God could allow this thing to happen. Yet I hope that like Simon of Cyrene, I might nevertheless comply with the advisory and come to see the greater significance which God has for allowing this situation. As St. Paul would write, Now we are seeing a dim reflection in a mirror; but then we shall be seeing face to face. The knowledge that I have now is imperfect; but then I shall know as fully as I am known. (1 Cor 13:12, Jerusalem Bible)

Seventh Station: Jesus takes up his cross

Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, 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 he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Gol'gotha.
(Jn 19:14-17, Jerusalem Bible)

It is only in the Gospel of St. John that Jesus is said to carry his own cross. The other Gospels do not say that. They recount that Simon of Cyrene was asked to carry the cross of Jesus. In the traditional stations of the cross, Simon comes in only after Jesus suffers his first fall. The Gospels do not recount any fall but it would not be surprising if Jesus did fall. St. John’s Gospel reveals to us a very sad irony: Pilate, the non-Jew admits that Jesus is king but the Jews reject that idea, admitting Pilate’s king as their king.

Both St. Matthew and St. Mark indicate that the soldiers were the ones who led Jesus to the site of his execution. St. John and St. Luke do not indicate the actual people who led Jesus. Rather the impression one gets is that the Jews were the ones who led Jesus to Golgotha. The significance of St. John’s narrative should be clear: the Jews, who had rejected their own king, forces Him to carry the instrument of His death and leads Him to the place of execution. St. John writes a the beginning of his gospel: He came to his own home, and his own people received him not. (Jn 1:11, Revised Standard Version)

God is love. Whatever God wills of us has its beginning and end in love. When I admit God as my God, I admit that I shall do what He wills because His will is good for me. When I sin, I reject this notion. I do not go according to God’s will because I think I know better. In fact, when I act in sin, I am actually rejecting God as my God; I am rejecting love.

When Jesus took up His cross in his walk to Calvary, he did so for love of all humanity. (NB: Calvary is derived from the Greek word for skull) He denied Himself and did what was necessary for us. In his predictions of his passion, he says: “The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” And he said to all, “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake, he will save it.” (Lk 9:22-24, Revised Standard Version) We can see that when we imitate him, we take up our cross for the purpose of losing our lives for His sake. Only then will we gain the life Jesus wishes to give us: eternal life.

When I call Jesus Master and Lord, I am admitting that He is God. I am proclaiming that I will follow Him. That would include the carrying of my cross. When someone says that a particular suffering is a cross they must bear, it impresses me that the person sees the cross as something negative. Did Jesus consider his cross as the suffering he went through? True, the cross was the source of suffering for Jesus, but was it the suffering itself? The cross was the means by which He obeyed the Father in love. Physically, the cross caused him great suffering. I believe that the cross was an instrument of blessing for Jesus. The suffering he bore was a consequence of accepting the cross as the means of loving obedience. If I were to follow Jesus and carry my cross, I cannot view the cross as a necessarily evil that I must bear. Rather, I must view the cross as the means of obeying the Father. The consequence of bearing the cross might include suffering, but the cross itself is not the suffering. It is a tool for me to express my relationship with God the Father. Self-denial brings about suffering to a sinful self, but is itself an instrument for greater holiness. This sentiment is captured in the following verse of the hymn O Mighty Cross, Love Lifted High by David Baroni and John Chisum:

O Mighty Cross, O Christ, so pure,
Love held Him there, such shame endured;
His sacrifice on Calvary
Has made the mighty cross
a tree of life to me

Sixth Station: Jesus is scourged and crowned with thorns

Then therefore, Pilate took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers platting a crown of thorns, put it upon his head; and they put on him a purple garment. And they came to him, and said: Hail, king of the Jews; and they gave him blows.
(Jn 19:1-3, Douay-Rheims Version)

The Gospels do not say much about scourging. The Gospels only say that Jesus was scourged. There are no details. Was it as cruel as that depicted in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ? Objectively, we cannot say. There are records of the way Romans scourged their prisoners. Yet they are so varied that we cannot simply state that Jesus had the most severe of the scourging. However, scourging is not the same as receiving the rotan when I was a child. Scourging was definitely excruciatingly painful and it was definitely injurious. It was a punishment dealt to criminals. Jesus was not a criminal. Pilate did not find any fault in Jesus and yet he ordered Jesus to be scourged. Furthermore, the soldiers seemed to have enjoyed torturing their prisoners. They crowned Jesus with thorns to mock him. Even if a prisoner deserved his punishment, was the mocking a part of the punishment?

In this station, my meditation will neither be on how terrible the scourging was, nor how painful the crown of thorns was. Instead, my meditation brought me to a single point: justice.

Pilate had Jesus scourged to placate the Jewish authorities who had also riled up the crowd. Instead of using the normal Roman way of quelling an unruly but unarmed crowd, Pilate had a man whom he had declared innocent scourged. I am just as guilty the soldiers when I did not speak up for a person whom I knew did not deserve a reprimand.

The Romans had a reputation for liking violence. It can be deduced from the way the gladiatorial games were conducted in the Colosseum. In the case of Jesus, the soldiers did not think anything of mocking Jesus. I suspect that many just joined “for fun.” They were the typical bullies. Bullies do not serve justice, they serve themselves. Those with authority can often end up as bullies. I can sense this keenly because I am given authority as a parish priest. It would be easy for me to use my authority to thumb people down and keep them down. When this happens for a selfish reason, I am unjust. There are times when I might need to assert my authority to stop a person from harming others. I know that I must consider the common good. If I were to assert my authority just to keep things easy for me, it would be unjust.

In the world today, there are many who resent authority and are anti-institutional. They consider authority to be an illusion and constantly mock legitimate authority. In one extreme, they claim that they would rather have exercise of personal responsibility than enforced order through an external authority. This ideal would only work if there were neither sin nor selfishness in the world. Let us consider the present situation in Singapore. We are asked to exercise social responsibility and I have personally experienced those who do not think much about social distancing. They flout the guidelines when the authorities are not around. When reminded by their peers, they throw daggers with their eyes.

The scourging of Jesus and the crowning of thorns remind us that there is a lack of love of neighbour in Pilate and the soldiers. It shows us how much Jesus was willing to go through for love of all humanity. We must learn from Jesus and not to be like Pilate and the soldiers. I am reminded of what St. John wrote: We love, because he first loved us. If any one says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. (1 Jn 4:19-20, Revised Standard Version)

Fifth Station: Jesus is judged by Pilate

And straightway in the morning, the chief priests holding a consultation with the ancients and the scribes and the whole council, binding Jesus, led him away, and delivered him to Pilate. And Pilate asked him: Art thou the king of the Jews? But he answering, saith to him: Thou sayest it. And the chief priests accused him in many things. And Pilate again asked him, saying: Answerest thou nothing? behold in how many things they accuse thee. But Jesus still answered nothing; so that Pilate wondered.

Now on the festival day he was wont to release unto them one of the prisoners, whomsoever they demanded. And there was one called Barabbas, who was put in prison with some seditious men, who in the sedition had committed murder. And when the multitude was come up, they began to desire that he would do, as he had ever done unto them. And Pilate answered them, and said: Will you that I release to you the king of the Jews? For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him up out of envy.

But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas to them. And Pilate again answering, saith to them: What will you then that I do to the king of the Jews? But they again cried out: Crucify him. And Pilate saith to them: Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more: Crucify him. And so Pilate being willing to satisfy the people, released to them Barabbas, and delivered up Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.
(Mk 15:1-15, Douay-Rheims Version)

Pontius Pilate was not really historically significant. His significance comes from his sentencing of Jesus when he was governor of Judea. We recite in the Nicene Creed that Jesus “was crucified under Pontius Pilate.” In the Apostle’s Creed, we say Jesus “suffered under Pontius Pilate.” In the gospels, Pilate is described as a weak governor, who acted unjustly because he feared the Jews. He sentenced Jesus because he did not want to offend the people. In the Gospel of St. Matthew, he declared Jesus to be innocent and yet handed him over to be crucified. He even washed his hands to symbolise that he did not agree with the judgement of the people. The accounts show him anxious: on one hand, he did not want to kill an innocent man, on the other he had a possible riot happening. He had a dilemma and he made a decision. Although the gospels took pains to show that he did not find Jesus guilty, he was nevertheless the one who sentenced Jesus to death.

By sentencing Jesus, he still made a judgement. He was probably thinking about how he was to control the unruly crowd. Perhaps, as St. John implied, his standing with the Roman Emperor might be affected. Whatever it was, he made a judgement that Jesus’ life was not as valuable as his authority or reputation. Did he have the authority to do so?

In my life, I would probably not be put into a similar situation like Pilate. Yet, as a parish priest, I have to make decisions. I have bowed to public pressure just to make things easier on myself. I have also made judgements that put my interests above others. While not all these decisions were immoral, I have allowed my selfish motivations to cloud my judgements. This becomes even more urgent in these times when the sacraments are not celebrated as usual. I could argue that there is less of a need to listen to confessions as there is no public masses celebrated. Thus I might be tempted not to make myself available during the times scheduled for celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation. However, that would be selfish. When I consider my own convenience as more important than that of the spiritual health of the parishioners, I act just like Pontius Pilate.

Nothing much else is known about Pilate for certain. There have been suggestions that he was anti Semitic. There are many varying apocryphal accounts of him. He was a Christian in one account, and a villian who uses the coat of Jesus to save his own life in another. Let us not judge Pilate the man. God is the only one able to do that. We can assess his behaviour and learn from it. Jesus died for all, including Pontius Pilate. Our understanding of this station where Pilate judges Jesus will help us realise the depth of God’s love for us. As St. Paul says: God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. (Rom 5:8, Revised Standard Version)

Fourth Station: Jesus is denied by Peter

Now when Peter was in the court below, there cometh one of the maidservants of the high priest. And when she had seen Peter warming himself, looking on him she saith: Thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. But he denied, saying: I neither know nor understand what thou sayest. And he went forth before the court; and the cock crew. And again a maidservant seeing him, began to say to the standers by: This is one of them. But he denied again. And after a while they that stood by said again to Peter: Surely thou art one of them; for thou art also a Galilean. But he began to curse and to swear, saying; I know not this man of whom you speak. And immediately the cock crew again. And Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said unto him: Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt thrice deny me. And he began to weep.
(Mk 14:66-72, Douay-Rheims Version)

In the previous station, my meditation showed me how being rash could cause me to condemn another. In this meditation, I encounter another person who was rash, albeit in a different way. In his early encounters with Jesus, St. Peter was aware of his weakness and sinfulness. That was why he asked Jesus to depart from him (see Lk 5:8).

Being with Jesus gave St. Peter more confidence. His fidelity to Jesus also allowed him to receive many graces. He was able to walk on the water (see Mt 14:23-33). He was able to receive the Father’s revelation that Jesus was the Christ (see Mt 16:13-17). However, he became overconfident and ended up being called Satan (see Mt 16:23), resorting to violence (see Jn 18:10) and boasting that he would stay faithful to Jesus. Yet we know that in the end, Peter would deny Jesus three times, betraying the master he said he would stay with. Most importantly, he did not reject the grace of repentance. It is only in St. Matthew’s Gospel that St. Peter is seen to weep bitterly (see Mt 26:75), indicating that he regretted what he had done. Judas also regretted his actions but did not see any hope in repentance and eventually took his own life (see Mt 27:5). St. Peter, on the other hand, continued to live in hope, relying on the mercy of God, and eventually becoming a leader Jesus called him to be.

Every year, I renew my baptismal promises at Easter. I promise I will reject evil and sin, and believe in God who loves us. Yet, I am also aware that I would, like St. Peter, end up denying Jesus through my sin. Yet, I must also learn from St. Peter to swallow my pride and admit my wrongs, and then trust in the mercy and grace of God.

Jesus predicted St. Peter’s denial. He looked at St. Peter when the cock crowed. I tried to imagine what Jesus looked like at the time. Was it an accusatory look? Was it an I told you so look? Was it a look of disappointment? Was it a look of compassion? In the many times I had meditated on St. Peter’s denial, Jesus’ face took on different expressions. When I was struggling with sin, the expression was one of compassion. There was even an I told you so look when I had been self-righteous. In this last meditation that I made, Jesus simply looked tired and anxious. He seemed to be anxious for St. Peter. It was a look of pleading. He was appealing to St. Peter to turn back to God the Father and seek solace there. With an emotion that was welling up in himself, St. Peter understood that his master knew what He was doing, and that he (St. Peter) should repent and turn back to God. That was why he left to weep.

In these times where we cannot worship together, let us pray to the Lord Jesus to be compassionate on us as he was with St. Peter. In our anxiety and desperation, we might even deny that Jesus is allowing this crisis to help us strengthen our faith.When he turns to look at us, may we be able to accept God’s grace in the same way that Peter did and turn back to the God who loves us.

Third Station: Jesus is condemned by the Sanhedrin

And as soon as it was day, the ancients of the people, and the chief priests and scribes, came together; and they brought him into their council, saying: If thou be the Christ, tell us. And he saith to them: If I shall tell you, you will not believe me. And if I shall also ask you, you will not answer me, nor let me go. But hereafter the Son of man shall be sitting on the right hand of the power of God. Then said they all: Art thou then the Son of God? Who said: You say that I am. And they said: What need we any further testimony? for we ourselves have heard it from his own mouth.
(Lk 22:66-71, Douay-Rheims Version)

Who were these men who condemned Jesus? Were they just and upright men? The Sanhedrin was made up of leading men of the Pharisees as well as the chief priests of the Temple. The Gospels recounted how Jesus had called the Pharisees fit for hell or brood of vipers (Mt 23:15,33, Jerusalem Bible), but never useless or worthless. Jesus wonders how they could escape being condemned to hell (Mt 23:33, Jerusalem Bible), but never actually says that they would be going to hell. Jesus’ words were not meant to say that these men are irredeemable but were words of warning that they were heading that way. Jesus wanted to give them the chance to realise their folly. Yet for these men, Jesus needed to be killed: But one of them, Ca’iaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all; you do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.” (John 11:49-50, Revised Standard Version)

Like the Pharisees, I have also judged others and condemned them. My conscience would prick me after my emotions calm and I realise how rash I have been. My conscience would be like Nicodemus, who had earlier asked if it was right to judge a person without properly examining the facts:

Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why did you not bring him?” The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!” The Pharisees answered them, “Are you led astray, you also? Have any of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, who do not know the law, are accursed.”

Nicode'mus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee.”
(John 7:44-52, Revised Standard Version)

The response of the Pharisees was one of presumption and discrimination. When I examine the rash judgements I had made before, I can see that there was presumption and discrimination as well. Jesus knew their motives and yet chose to keep silent. Instead of arguing with them, he stated the facts simply: the members of the Sanhedrin had already made up their minds and His replies no longer mattered to them. In fact, in all the Gospels, the Sanhedrin were not really interested in the truth but to find something to justify the sentence they had already passed. When I judge rashly, I actually close myself to the truth. Whether I was in the right or not, whether I had justification or not, it mattered not. I had already made up my mind and was not going to move away from my decision regarding a person. In that sense, I have condemned someone like the Sanhedrin had condemned Jesus.

How often I needed to admit that I was impulsive and had made a rash decision? How often had I to face and apologise and find some way to make reparation? How often had I found my ego being a stumbling block to doing that? How often had I found myself condemned instead and endure the consequent tirade? I had to ask the Lord for the courage to face to my sin and make reparation. I had to remind myself that I had deserved the scolding but the person that I had condemned earlier did not. It is not easy to eat humble pie, and I had often had to pray to the Lord for the grace to endure it.

The golden rule, as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them (Lk 6:31, Revised Standard Version), is an ethical rule found in many religions. If I do not want to be condemned, I should not condemn others. That is a simple rule but it is not easy to follow because I am a sinner. I can only rely on the grace of God to keep to the path. The version in St. Matthew’s Gospel reads: So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. (Mt 7:12, Revised Standard Version) What is ironic is that this is what Hillel, a leader of the Sanhedrin that lived at a time before Jesus was born, had taught: What is hateful to you, do not to your neighbour: while the rest is the commentary thereof; go and learn it. (Babylonian Talmud, Shabbath 31a)

I believe that Jesus Himself set a higher standard in His parable regarding the last judgement: Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me. … Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me. (Mt 25:40,45, Revised Standard Version)

Second Station: Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested

As he was yet speaking, behold a multitude; and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near to Jesus, for to kiss him. And Jesus said to him: Judas, dost thou betray the Son of man with a kiss?And they that were about him, seeing what would follow, said to him: Lord, shall we strike with the sword? And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answering, said: Suffer ye thus far. And when he had touched his ear, he healed him. And Jesus said to the chief priests, and magistrates of the temple, and the ancients, that were come unto him: Are ye come out, as it were against a thief, with swords and clubs? When I was daily with you in the temple, you did not stretch forth your hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.
(Lk 22:47-53, Douay-Rheims Version)

I have asked myself why Judas would betray Jesus who loved him. Was Judas so corrupted that he could only repay evil for good? Why would Jesus, who seemed to know many things, choose someone who would betray him? In response to the first question, I realise that I am like Judas in many ways. I know God’s love because I have experienced His love. I have believed in the Son of God who died for me because God loved me. Yet, I would betray God time and time again in my sins. Why do I repay evil for good? Am I as corrupted as Judas?

Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. A sign of friendship becomes the sign of betrayal. Years ago, I came across a meditative song entitled Why? Michael Card, whom I believe wrote the music and lyrics, made this observation:

Only a friend can betray a friend, a stranger has nothing to gain
And only a friend comes close enough to ever cause so much pain

Jesus chose Judas as a disciple and allowed him into His life, His thoughts and His affections. Jesus considered Judas a friend and allowed him (Judas) to be close to Him. He must have been devastated to experience betrayal through the gesture used by friends: a kiss. Judas would be accused of bringing harm to Jesus if he (Judas) was merely a stranger. It is precisely because Judas was part of the closest circle of Jesus’ friends that his actions was seen as a betrayal.

Perhaps Judas was not able to accept the entire message of Jesus. Perhaps that was why he gave up on Jesus and focussed on his own wants. Perhaps he joined Jesus because he accepted the part of the message of Jesus that appealed to him but got disillusioned when the message did not satisfy what he expected of Jesus. Perhaps that is what caused Judas to betray his friend and master, Jesus.

When I consider my betrayals of Jesus, I also see those times when I did not accept the entire message of Jesus. I was not able to trust that Jesus entirely. I used to hear the phrase, “You cannot have your cake and eat it …” When I betray Jesus in my sins, I am saying, “I want my cake and eat it.”

Jesus called St. Peter to be the visible head of the Church. He was told, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Mt 16:18-19, Revised Standard Version) Jesus gave St. Peter the assurance that any decision that he makes as the visible head of the Church is endorsed by heaven. When the Pope, the successor of St. Peter, as visible head of the Church, declared that there should be no public celebrations of the Easter Triduum in those countries affected by the pandemic during this time, it was very hard to understand. Could the Pope have made a serious error in giving this instruction? Does he not have any faith that God will protect his people? In my meditation of this station, I could not avoid asking if I had, like Judas, accepted only what I liked or preferred.

When I do not accept the entire message of Jesus, I am also not able to accept the person of Jesus. Could I actually say I have faith in Jesus and yet not be trusting enough to accept everything that Jesus says? One probable source of my betrayal of Jesus is my inability to accept the entire message of Jesus. Can I not ask for a greater faith and trust in Jesus? The question from Job comes to mind here: If we take happiness from God’s hand, must we not take sorrow too? (Job 2:10, Jerusalem Bible)

First Station: Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane

Then Jesus came with them into a country place which is called Gethsemani; and he said to his disciples: Sit you here, till I go yonder and pray. And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to grow sorrowful and to be sad. Then he saith to them: My soul is sorrowful even unto death: stay you here, and watch with me. And going a little further, he fell upon his face, praying, and saying: My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me. Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
(Mt 26:36-39, Douay-Rheims Version)

I have often meditated on what was in the mind of Jesus when he was in the Garden of Gethesmane. After all, it is the First Sorrowful Mystery in the rosary prayer. Although it is in my mind when during the rosary prayer, I must confess that I rarely go beyond the time needed to recite the 10 Hail Marys for the decade. I had a good opportunity to go beyond that time when I sat down the other day to think about what to write to formulate the content for this First Scriptural Station of the Cross.
Foremost in our minds these days are the difficulty we have in understanding the decision made by the Church authorities for not having public masses. I have heard all the arguments on both sides and I also understand the frustrations felt by both sides because of the decision that was made. Please do not think that the Pope and bishops made this decision frivolously. I am sure they prayed over and over on what had to be done.

When I place myself in the shoes of Jesus that night in the Garden, I also sense frustration. It was a frustration that emerged for the necessity for Jesus to allow himself to be handed over to the Jewish authorities. The four gospels reveal to us the fact that Jesus was aware that His teaching was causing the Jewish authorities to reject him. We can see that in the predictions He made regarding His passion and death. Yet, can we not see how human it is to consider alternatives and other possibilities when confronted with a possibility that would cause great hurt and harm? What went through Jesus’ mind as he prayed in the garden? The Synoptic Gospels relate how Jesus struggled in his prayer (see Mt 26:39,42; Mk 14:36; Lk 22:42). He wanted to do His Father’s will although He did not like what was going to happen to Him. Like us, he was probably thinking whether there was an alternative way: Was there another way to fulfil the Father’s will? Surely the Father did not want His Son to suffer, did He? I think it would be too simplistic to say that God wanted His Son to be tortured and crucified. God loves His Son. He definitely would not want evil for His Son. God’s will was that Jesus stick to the mission. Jesus was sent to bring the Good News that God was Father. To run away from the cross would invalidate that message. Jesus endured His Passion to tell us that this Good News is worth losing His life for. To show that He had the power of God by breaking free miraculously would also be unhelpful. God loves us and would like us to freely respond in love. To be awed by spectacle, might and power, would not have helped the recipients of His message to respond in freedom. Rather, it would have caused fear; the kind of fear that deprives people of freedom.

I have heard how some have responded to the cessation of public Masses. How could God who gave us the Eucharist agree to deny us the Eucharist? Are we not thinking like Jesus in the garden? Are we not thinking of alternatives? Unlike Jesus, we get worked up and upset. Perhaps, what gets us upset is that we realise that the decision made was made maliciously. We struggle to understand how the decision could be a right one. There are some of us would go so far as to say that the ecclesiastical authorities had given in to something diabolical.

Meditating during this station, I started thinking about Jesus own response to the frustration he felt as he prayed. He did not give in to His human frustration. Instead he took solace in His Father. He decided to trust the Father. Things did not make sense but He decided to do what the Father willed. His love for His Father led him to obey His Father.

The Eucharist is the Blessed Sacrament. We Catholics believe that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist. We want our sustenance. We want our Lord. We want to go to Mass to receive the greatest gift God has given us: His Son in the Blessed Eucharist. Yet, have we asked if that was what God wants at this moment in time? Perhaps the ecclesiastical authorities are as wrong as the Jewish authorities were. Yet, it was to obey His Father’s will that Jesus kept silent as He was led to His death. It was to obey His Father’s will that Jesus allowed himself to suffer the torments that we would come to call His Passion.

Being deprived of the Eucharist is not a good thing. Neither is being deprived of life. If Jesus could trust in the Father and allow His Father to lead him towards that which was not a good thing, could we not also allow the Father to lead us in the midst of this difficult situation? Could we not make the words of Jesus ours as well? My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. (Mt 26:39 Revised Standard Version)

An Introduction to the Meditations on the Scriptural Stations of the Cross (for 2020)

Many, including myself, are feeling that we have been abandoned during this difficult time of the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, I am sure that many of my parishioners feel abandoned by me as well as I have not done anything visibly significant during this time when public masses have been suspended. I knew of the Scriptural Stations of the Cross that were celebrated by Pope St. John Paul II. I had not ventured to meditate on them being content with the traditional stations. Just the other day, as I was thinking of how to do more for my parish in terms of prayer and sacrifice during this Lent, the Scriptural Stations came to mind. I have prayed them and would like to share my meditations with those who would not mind the reflections of a limited and sinful man trying to be a good pastor.

Starting tomorrow, I will post the meditations of two stations each day. On Good Friday, the meditations of the last two stations would be posted. Hopefully, it would give those who decide to read them something to reflect and meditate on.

God Keep us and Bless us during this difficult time.