Love is the reason - Station 12

Then Jesus cried out with a loud voice and said, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit."  And having said this, he breathed his last and died.

There were many puzzling events that happened around the time of Jesus' death.  At about noon, darkness covered the land, after Jesus' death there was an earthquake and the curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom.  Could you imagine being an eyewitness to this single event that would change the trajectory of human history?  Could you imagine being there the previous Sunday shouting "Hosanna" and then in less than a week be a part of the bewitched mob that were yelling crucify him?   

All these events, regardless of how gruesome and anti-human were a part of God's master plan to reconcile humanity to the creator and each other.  Could there have been an easier plan B?  Probably.  When I have conversations with inquirers and new converts, they almost always ask "Why did Jesus have to die on the cross?" The answer is a simple one syllable, four-letter word.  LOVE.  I am reminded of a gospel song recorded by the Sidney A. Locks Mass Choir of Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church, "Love is the reason."  

"Love is the reason I'm here today.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only son.

And the son gave his life for you and for me.

When he suffered, bled and died on Calvary.

Love is the reason, the reason I live this life."

Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus crucified, love is the reason we live this life.  Make us ever mindful and ever grateful of your love for us.  Make us agents and instruments of that same love.  It is through your holy crucifixion and resurrection that we move, live and have our being.  Amen.

Faithfully,

Karr

Nailed - Station 11

On the first Good Friday, I bet Jesus did not belt out at the top of his lungs "Thank God it's Friday!" I'm sure that if Jesus had a twitter account, he wouldn't have hashtagged #TGIF on this dreadful morning.  In Station 10, Jesus is nailed to the cross.  After his last supper and evening with friends, prayer, arrest, denial by Peter, trial and condemnation to capital punishment by means of crucifixion, and a dusty walk outside of Jerusalem on the Via Dolorosa, Jesus is nailed to the cross.  I can only imagine his pain and anguish, as he was nailed to that cross.  They say that a picture is worth a thousand words.  Look at the images below and think on them this blessed Good Friday.

        

 

"Were you there when they crucified my Lord?  Were you there when they crucified my Lord?  oh, Oh, OH!  Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.  Were you there when they crucified my Lord?  Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?  Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?  oh, Oh, OH! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.  Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?"

Prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus crucified for us.  Have mercy on us.  Amen.

Faithfully,

Karsten

Naked and not ashamed - Station 10

I'm not quite sure how I would react if my clothes were unwelcomingly ripped off my body.  I like my clothes a lot, I would not have bought them if that were not the case.  Regardless of whose label is on the garment, Ralph Lauren (my preferred), Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Faded Glory or Merona, our clothes on some level represent our status in society.  They cover parts of the body, that are deemed not appropriate for public exposure.

Here we are, Station 10.  Jesus is getting stripped of his garments.  Just as Adam and Eve realized that they were naked in the Garden of Eden and had to face consequences for disobedience, Jesus at this moment is preparing for what might be potential abandonment from God, not for anything that he had done, but rather for us.  In the midst of his semi nude state, Jesus was still moved with compassion enough to forgive one of the malefactors crucified with him and welcome him into paradise.

In order to bathe or take a shower, one must be naked.  We have been cleansed and washed anew into life eternal through Jesus' nakedness, shame and humiliation.  Our sins have been separated as far as the east is from the west in Jesus' nakedness.  Nakedness reveals vulnerability.  As you go to that vulnerable place, remember that Jesus is there with you.  He's already walked the road ahead of you and he is willing to walk with you the rest of the way.  In the midst of your nakedness, remember that you are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus crucified, who took on our sins in the midst of humiliation and vulnerability, strengthen us that when our weaknesses are exposed, we will rest in your grace and mercy.  Amen.

Faithfully,
Karr

Down again - Station 9

One of my favorite commercials as a teenager was for LifeCall.  In this commercial, Mrs. Fletcher, an elderly lady falls in her home and can't get up.  The memorable line from this commercial is "Help, I've fallen and I can't get up!"  The journey to Calvary continues.  Jesus is in a state of mental anguish, extreme fatigue, and hunger as he has been abused, cursed at, spat upon and condemned.  There were some people that helped him out along the way, Mary, his mother, Simon, Veronica and women of Jerusalem.

In the mid-day heat, Jesus falls yet again for the third time.  In the LifeCall commercial, Mrs. Fletcher could not get up.  Jesus however, had no choice but to get up.  He could have easily laid on the dusty ground, and just given up.  He could have easily called for a legion of angels to come wipe out the city of Jerusalem and all the spectators.  Jesus arose from his final fall knowing what  needed to be done.  Instead of doing what would be easy for himself, he became the ultimate sacrifice and model of selfless love.  Because Jesus got up, we too can get up and walk into new mercies, each and every morning.  We can walk with love and charity in our hearts.  When we fall, let us be ever mindful that we have to get back up, although it may be easier to lie in our dust of self-loathing, bitterness, contrariness and melancholy.  Jesus got up, so that you could get up and face your cross at this very hour.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus crucified, help us to remember that when the weights of life become too burdensome for us to bear, help us to remember that you are always there.  Make us ever mindful that because you got up, we too may get up and arise in your glory.  Equip us to help those around us that may have fallen and feel as if they have no hope.  Amen.

Faithfully,
Karr

Don't cry for me - Station 8

A lot of times we tend to focus so much on the relationship that Jesus had with his disciples, that we forget about the fact that Jesus had a major fan base of women.  If Facebook were around in the first century, it may be safe to assume that the majority of people that would "like" or follow Jesus would have been women.  Women often ministered to and with Jesus.  Jesus openly spoke about theology to women, and even entertained a woman at the well, who had five previous husbands and was living with a man to whom she was not married.  To take it a little further, he asked the same woman at the well, who was a both a Samarian and ceremonially uncleaned for a drink of water.  Women were the apostles to the apostles, they were the first to see the resurrected Jesus. 

In the first century, women, especially the widows and poor were deeply marginalized.  They had no one to care for them nor claim to anyone's inheritance for survival.  Through Jesus' interactions with women, we see a man who is bold enough to counteract the societal norms of his times, while embracing radical feminism.  So then, it is no wonder that on the road to Golgatha, the women would be weeping and wailing without consolation.  If we were to take a roll call of the women who were there, I wonder who would be present and accounted for.  Would we see Mary and Martha?  How about the Syrophoenician woman?  What about the Samarian woman at the well and Mary Magdalene?  What about the Jairus' daughter, whom Jesus resurrected and the unnamed woman with the issue of blood who touched Jesus' garment and was healed?

I imagine that all the women following Jesus' execution procession had been touched by him in some meaningful way.  Some of these women had been cast out and cut off from society, banished from public worship and narrowly escaped being stoned.  It is no wonder that these women would be weeping for a man who looked beyond their status as women, but regarded them as equal children of God.  With pain in his eyes, Jesus told the daughters of Jerusalem, "Don't weep for me, but weep for yourselves and your children."  At this point, Jesus did not want pity or sympathy, he simply wanted redemption for all and the fulfillment of God's will.

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus crucified, help us to be moved beyond tears with compassion to minister to those who, in the eyes of society have no hope.  Help us to be bold in our witness, as you ministered to the women, and all those deemed in the eyes of society as the least of these.  Amen.

Faithfully,
Karr

And again, he falls - Station 7

 

In station 7, Jesus falls for the second time.  Even with the help of Simon and possibly a few grouchy Roman soldiers, and a quick dab on the face from Veronica, in great anguish and fatigue, Jesus falls again. 

Have you ever had all the help in the world, or at least your world and still felt as if you were falling apart or coming short?  We've all probably have been there and if not, keep living.  Your turn will come soon enough.

 

Even in the midst of falling and stumbling, Jesus is the man of the hour.  His falls are not a symbol of weakness, but rather representative of the numerous falls that we in our humanity will take even as we strive to be more like Jesus.  This particular station reminds me of the spiritual "Jesus walked this lonesome valley."  The first verse is as follows. 

Jesus walked this lonesome valley.
He had to walk it by Himself;
O, nobody else could walk it for Him,
He had to walk it by Himself.

There are times when we, like Jesus will have to walk our own lonesome valley.  No one else can walk it for us, and we may even stumble and fall along the way.  The good news in all this, is that the presence of God is ever with us.  

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus crucified, as we daily take up our cross and walk the lonesome valleys of our lives, help us to remember that when we fall your grace will enable us to get up and face the rising sun of each new day, crowned in new mercies.  Amen. 

Faithfully,
Karr 

Veronica Who? - Station 6

As we continue down the Via Dolorosa, we are introduced to a figure who somehow was not mentioned in the gospel accounts of the crucifixion.  Her name, Veronica, referred to as St. Veronica by some.  Whether or not if Veronica was passed down to us through oral tradition, or remained out of sight from the gospel writers, there is a lesson that we can learn from her. 

I'm sure you've had moments when your friends and family members were going through a major life changing event that only they could go through.  Even in your best efforts, you felt helpless, because there was nothing that you could do.  Even though there is very minimal that we can do in our minds to help, often times that is just what is needed at that time.  I imagine that Veronica felt the same way. 

 

Here we are with Jesus, on a dusty road, in late morning Middle Eastern heat, falling and stumbling along the way, and in some non-verbal way, encouraging our mother Mary, that everything would be okay.  We are grateful for the help of Simon of Cyrene.  Our vision is blurred by shouts of crucify him coming from the crowd and intermingled with looks of sheer hatred.  For a brief moment in time, Veronica interrupts our staggered agony and offers what she could.  Veronica wipes the face of our Lord, which is bloodied and covered with spit from scoffers.  Offering what little she had, Veronica provided a brief respite.  Her random act of kindness enabled her to share in Christs suffering.  His cross became her cross. 

At this point, Jesus is pretty beat up.  It would even be appropriate to call him a "hot mess."  The prophet Isaiah spoke of the appearance of Jesus during his final hours. "He had no beauty or majesty to atttract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.  He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.  Like one from whom people hide their faces, he was despised, and we held him in low self esteem."  Isaiah 53:2-3.  The lesson in this is that even in Jesus' most gruesome moment, Veronica still managed to seek the face of God and comfort and console him as best she could.  Have you ever been able to stare at horrific events and still manage to see the face of God?

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus crucified, we tend to be attracted to things in which there is beauty, charm and desire.  Help us to be able to seek your face even in the ugliest of trials and situations.  Grant us the ability to use what we have to comfort the afflicted, as your servant Veronica did.  Amen.

Faithfully,
Karr