a series of reflections based on this online stations of the cross experience.
This is the first station that doesn’t connect specifically with a situation in scripture, but has been part of church tradition for a long time. And isn’t that true–that there are things that this story of Jesus does and is that go beyond the specific words that are written about him. This journey with Jesus isn’t just about recounting the specific, historical steps of Jesus. This journey with Jesus is also about reflecting on the impact of those steps on the church throughout time and space.
In January I got to spend 10 days in the Holy Land with some ministry colleagues, led by a co-worker who is Palestinian. It was an incredible journey to visit the sites and hear from the tour guide various interpretations of the traditions and stories that go along with these sites. Beyond the sites themselves, I was struck by the impact of this story. People from all over the world were there to learn about, to recount, to pray at the sites that are part of this story. These sites themselves still hold the gospel–the good news.
And that good news continues to be told even in the midst of a political environment that is incredibly complicated. A unique part of our time in the Holy Land was the reflection and discussion about the Israeli-Palestinian dynamic as our coworker and guides shared their personal stories in light of the current context.
So at this station we reflect more on the WEIGHT of carrying the cross. Even for Jesus, the cross got heavy. Even for Jesus, the cross got heavy. That’s pretty intense. Telling the story of Jesus means pausing to fall down under its weight every now and then. Telling the story of Jesus means falling under the historical realities where this story has been used to cause harm. Telling the story of Jesus means sometimes collapsing under the weight of it.
Because it’s heavy, this cross. This journey through death to resurrection is heavy. It leaves scars and wounds. It causes pain. It goes beyond the historical details to the traditions and interpretations.
It’s heavy, this cross.