If that's what Jesus did, what does that mean to me?

We are entering Holy Week. We have had the chance to attend the Stations of the Cross through out Lent, but this week is different.  This Friday is specific remembrance of the trial, punishment and execution of our Lord. What does that really mean to me? Below are some thoughts to consider especially this week.

The Way of the Cross

This is Jesus’ way.

You are invited – that it may become your own way.

If you stop and look, you may find you have been on this pilgrimage as well. Have you ever been condemned by another? Have you ever fallen? Has your life had difficulties? When you thought you couldn’t make it, did someone appear to help? Have you had times of emotional agony? Were there times when everything seemed as if it were ending, yet after a while, much to your surprise, you found a new life on the other side?

Lent is the time to stop. And remember. Jesus has led you by his example and reminds you along your way. This booklet is not so much a meditation on Jesus’ suffering as contemplation on “How then shall I live?” As you consider Jesus’ path, may you be shown how it reflects and relates to what he asks of you on your own journey. May this process give you insights, renewed strength and the courage to move through your life with surrender and peace about what has been, holiness and great love in each present moment and hope and joy for what is yet unseen.

Go slowly through these questions. Pause on each and truly listen.

Let us pray: “Yes, Lord. Here I am, Thy will be done.”

1 – Jesus is condemned

Have I ever been condemned, treated unfairly, or been blamed? Have my words been used through gossip to condemn or blame others?  Alone, abandoned and betrayed, do I strike out in anger and hold grudges? Am I willing to stand defenseless, unwilling to harm, and able to forgive?

Help me to stand in calmness and patience because my faith is so strong I know the final outcome. 

Let us pray:

Lord, thank you for blessing me with your amazing grace and love, and offering me access to deep wisdom and surprising inner strength.  You present me with self-control and fearlessness. Here I am Lord, welcoming, embracing and embodying your gifts, filled with profound gratitude.

2 – Jesus takes up his Cross

Have I ever taken up my cross? What is a crushing weight in my life? Am I willing to surrender to your will? Do I refuse and run from it? Do I have faith in the eventual outcome? Am I whining often filled with self-pity? Am I crabby? Will I carry it without complaint?

Help me to be obedient to what you ask of me, even if it’s difficult.

Let us pray:

Lord, thank you for blessing me with your amazing grace and love, and offering me access to deep wisdom and surprising inner strength.  You present me with surrender and faithfulness. Here I am Lord, welcoming, embracing and embodying your gifts, filled with profound gratitude.

3 – Jesus falls 

Have I fallen? Was it because the burdens were too heavy? Was it just my unwillingness to carry them? Have I given up? Do I refuse to move or do I get up, even if it’s hard? Have I accessed my inner strength? Will I keep moving forward?

Help me to understand that falls are a part of life. You have shown me to get up and to keep going.

Let us pray:

Lord, thank you for blessing me with your amazing grace and love, and offering me access to deep wisdom and surprising inner strength.  You present me with resilience and commitment. Here I am Lord, welcoming, embracing and embodying your gifts, filled with profound gratitude.

4 – Jesus meets his mother

Am I willing to look into the face of someone who is suffering? Or do I turn away? Have I offered solace to others? When I was in pain myself, was I too self-focused to feel the pain of others? Am I thankful for Love’s power to bless me with its presence? Will I find gratitude in the many small blessings in my life?

Help me to offer comfort to others even when I’m hurting and to see and be grateful for each blessing I receive.

Let us pray:

Lord, thank you for blessing me with your amazing grace and love, and offering me access to deep wisdom and surprising inner strength.  You present me with service and presence. Here I am Lord, welcoming, embracing and embodying your gifts, filled with profound gratitude.

5 – Jesus is helped

Am I willing to help others? Am I willing to be helped? Have I been filled with pride? Do I struggle to do everything myself? Have I found myself unable to do it alone? Do I struggle with receiving? Do I feel unworthy? Can I be humble enough to allow others to help me? Will I accept help from outside myself? If you have been weak, and I have been weak, will I accept that weakness in others?

Help me to turn from pride and toward humility so I can receive with grace and offer empathy to others.

Let us pray:

Lord, thank you for blessing me with your amazing grace and love, and offering me access to deep wisdom and surprising inner strength.  You present me with understanding and humility. Here I am Lord, welcoming, embracing and embodying your gifts, filled with profound gratitude.

6 – Jesus’ face is wiped

If I can’t correct a problem am I willing to bring slight ease? Can I find comfort in a caring soul who offers only soothing? Am I willing to be grateful for a small kindness? Am I aware enough to even to notice them? Do I become thank-full? Will I give little things the value they deserve?

Help me to pay attention to the numerous small blessings, even in the most distressing of circumstances. Help me to be grateful.

Let us pray:

Lord, thank you for blessing me with your amazing grace and love, and offering me access to deep wisdom and surprising inner strength.  You present me with awareness and gratefulness. Here I am Lord, welcoming, embracing and embodying your gifts, filled with profound gratitude.

7 – Jesus falls a second time

How many times have I fallen? Have I done things I didn’t want to do? Have I failed to do what I wanted? Are my thoughts always of praise and thanksgiving? Does my voice utter only words to lift others? Has my body failed me, even with others help? Do I despair? Will I use your strength to show me my own? Will I get up again?

Help me to know that falling is not the problem. It’s in staying down. Even with great burdens I can get up again with your help.

Let us pray:

Lord, thank you for blessing me with your amazing grace and love, and offering me access to deep wisdom and surprising inner strength.  You present me with persistence and power of will. Here I am Lord, welcoming, embracing and embodying your gifts, filled with profound gratitude.

8 – Jesus meets the women

Am I able to look beyond the exterior and see the hearts of those in my life? Do I judge others by their occupation or finances? Will I look beneath the surface? Have I reached out to help others? Am I only absorbed in myself? Even when I’m in pain will I respond with tenderness and compassion to others who are hurting? 

Help me to look with spiritual eyes and to see the depth in others, no matter what’s going on in my life.

Let us pray:

Lord, thank you for blessing me with your amazing grace and love, and offering me access to deep wisdom and surprising inner strength.  You present me with generosity and compassion. Here I am Lord, welcoming, embracing and embodying your gifts, filled with profound gratitude.

9 – Jesus falls a third time

Can I embrace my vulnerability? Am I able to allow others to see it? Do I forgive myself when I have failed? Am I willing to forgive others when they fall again? Do I get up as many times as I fall? Am I willing to love enough and have the determination to reach to you for more strength to go forward on purpose?

Help me to understand my weaknesses and to reach beyond them with devotion to your will for me.

Let us pray:

Lord, thank you for blessing me with your amazing grace and love, and offering me access to deep wisdom and surprising inner strength.  You present me with vulnerability and devotion. Here I am Lord, welcoming, embracing and embodying your gifts, filled with profound gratitude.

10 – Jesus is stripped 

What am I unwilling to have taken from me? What do I refuse to release? Can I hold on to dignity and purity as you did? Even when in pain? Am I willing to stand before the world with nothing to shield me? Can I know in my heart what is yet unseen?

Help me to hold lightly the things of this world, help me to hold tightly to my spiritual gifts.

Let us pray:

Lord, thank you for blessing me with your amazing grace and love, and offering me access to deep wisdom and surprising inner strength.  You present me with security in the knowledge of the truth. Here I am Lord, welcoming, embracing and embodying your gifts, filled with profound gratitude.

11 – Jesus is nailed to the Cross

Could I have such mastery over my physical body? Am I willing to endure pain and humiliation if I know it’s for a greater good? Do I maintain my gentleness when all around me is not? Can I hold onto the ultimate truth that this body will be transcended? Am I willing to be peace-filled in this material plane?

Help me to live your vision of obedience to God’s will.

Let us pray:

Lord, thank you for blessing me with your amazing grace and love, and offering me access to deep wisdom and surprising inner strength.  You present me with gentleness and peace in obedience. Here I am Lord, welcoming, embracing and embodying your gifts, filled with profound gratitude.

12 - Jesus dies on the Cross

Is it possible that I could sacrifice? What about little ones for my family? Could I hold such unfailing trust in God? Am I willing to forgive even small trespasses? Will I forgive myself? Can I accept what you have done for me? Is it possible for me to understand what you have given? Will I commend my spirit into your hands?

Help me to hold nothing back, to offer myself fully to you. 

Let us pray:

Lord, thank you for blessing me with your amazing grace and love, and offering me access to deep wisdom and surprising inner strength.  You present me with forgiveness, and willingness for love. Here I am Lord, welcoming, embracing and embodying your gifts, filled with profound gratitude.

13 – Jesus is taken down from the Cross

Can I imagine what it would be like for a mother to see that of her son? How could one bear it? Will I have similar strength if I need it? Is there a consolation that is offered to help us bear tragic circumstances in our lives? Do I believe and trust you will help me?

Help me to know that your gifts surround me like you were enfolded in your mother’s arms.

Let us pray:

Lord, thank you for blessing me with your amazing grace and love, and offering me access to deep wisdom and surprising inner strength.  You present me with comfort, and consolation. Here I am Lord, welcoming, embracing and embodying your gifts, filled with profound gratitude.

14 – Jesus is buried

Has it ever looked like all was falling apart around me? Has there been a time in my life that I have gone into a cocoon? Did I separate myself from others and use that time to change myself?

Help me to have spiritual eyes so that I may have the peace that passes understanding.

Let us pray:

Lord, thank you for blessing me with your amazing grace and love, and offering me access to deep wisdom and surprising inner strength.  You present me with transformation and peace about it. Here I am Lord, welcoming, embracing and embodying your gifts, filled with profound gratitude.

The Resurrection

As Christians we are Easter people. We know that what looks like death is not. Like the seed planted in the dark soil, new life will burst forth. Like the caterpillar after the cocooning and dissolution of the old body, a new one comes forth. In each case more vibrant and more beautiful than before.

Have I had times of transformation, remission or rebirth in my life? Am I cognizant of the blessing that it is? Do I wait in joyful hope?

Help me to offer praise and thanksgiving in all things.

Let us pray:

Lord, thank you for blessing me with your amazing grace and love, and offering me access to deep wisdom and surprising inner strength.  You present me with transformation and rebirth. Here I am Lord, welcoming, embracing and embodying your gifts.

Wonder and delight at the mystery and majesty fill me with abiding contentment, incredible joy and profound gratefulness.

Amen.

Dear Lord,

- Thank you for helping me to stand in calmness and patience because my faith is so strong I know the final outcome.

- Thank you for helping me to be obedient to what you ask of me, even if it’s difficult.

- Thank you for helping me to understand that falls are a part of life. You’ve shown me to get up and to keep going.

- Thank you for helping me to offer comfort to others even when I’m hurting and to see and be grateful for each blessing I receive.

- Thank you for helping me to turn from pride and toward humility so I can receive with grace and offer empathy to others.

- Thank you for helping me to pay attention to the numerous small blessings, even in the most distressing of circumstances, for helping me to live in gratitude.

- Thank you for helping me to know that falling is not the problem. It’s in staying down. Even with great burdens I can get up again with your help.

- Thank you for helping me to look with spiritual eyes and to see the depth in others, no matter what’s going on in my life.

- Thank you for helping me to understand my weaknesses and to reach beyond them with devotion to your will for me.

- Thank you for helping me to hold lightly the things of this world, helping me to hold tightly to my spiritual gifts.

- Thank you for helping me to live your vision of obedience to God’s will.

- Thank you for helping me to hold nothing back, to offer myself fully to you.

- Thank you for helping me to know that your gifts surround me like you were enfolded in your mother’s arms.

- Thank you for helping me to have spiritual eyes so that I may have the peace that passes understanding.

- Thank you for helping me to offer praise and thanksgiving in all things.

-Thank you Lord for filling me with abiding contentment, incredible joy, and tremendous gratefulness.

Amen

If these words have made a difference in your life in any way and you would like to share your insights, please send a note or call:

Lynn Durham, RN 603-926-9700, smile@lynndurham.com

To share with others: www.thewayofthecrossandresurrection.com PDF to download    

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