The Stations of the Cross

“We worship you O Christ and we bless you, because by your Cross you have redeemed the world.”

 The Cross was not a misfortune that came to Jesus at the end of his life. He was born on to a Cross, the Cross was always before him and  the Cross was the theme of his teachings.

The CRIB : “He came to his own and his own received him not” Jn1:11. He was born in a Crib and died on a Cross. He had the company of sheep when he was born and two thieves on either side when he died. Born in a stable, surrounded by animals, visited by the poor shepherds, his birth is the theme of the Cross. The Stable, the Fleeing into Egypt, the Martyrdom of the Innocents, Simeon’s Prophecy of the sword, are all themes of the Cross.  

 

CANA: “My hour has not yet come” Jn.2:4. Cana stands at the beginning of the road to Calvary.  At the request  of his mother, Jesus begins ‘the hour’. The fullness of ‘the hour’ will be on Calvary. His mother is present by his side at Cana as well as on Calvary. She ‘did not understand’   his words neither at the temple in Jerusalem nor at the wedding feast at Cana.  Jerusalem, Jordan, Cana  are the  Stations of the Cross. 

 

The SALT : “You are the salt of the earth” Mt 5.13. Jesus proclaims on the mountain of the Beatitudes at the beginning of his ministry.  Salt has to go into the boiling water and lose its colour and shape, then only it can bring taste. Jesus is the Salt that has been thrown into the cauldron of suffering and pain that he might bring taste,  joy and life to those who receive him. Salt is clearly the theme of the Cross. The Beatitudes are the victory anthem of those on the way of the Cross.

 

The LIGHT : “You are the light of the world” Mt 5.14. Jesus proclaims on the mountain of Beatitudes. A light, the moment it is lit, begins to die.  For fear of death a  candle, is not meant to be kept locked up safely, but it is lit and placed on a lamp-stand for all to see. A light gives and gives, until it is no more. “It is in dying that we are born to eternal life”. Jesus is the Light that gives itself and dies so that others can see.  Jesus’ gaze is on Calvary as he preaches the Beatitudes and gives lessons on Salt and Light.

 

The GRAIN of WHEAT :  “ Unless a grain of  wheat falls into the earth and dies it remains a single grain” Jn.12:24. A grain must go under the mud and lose  its colour and shape and die, then only it brings new life.  By dying it gives new life. Jesus is the Grain of Wheat that was buried, so that it may bring new life. He  is the Seed that was rejected and thrown out. Every seed though small and shapeless, is energy, dynamism, power and life, waiting to be set free and die so that it can  bring  new life.  Death is the way to freedom and growth.   By his death, life has come into the world.  The Cross is the path to freedom and life. The grain of wheat and the Cross have much in common.

 

The BREAD : “I am the Bread of  Life” Jn.6:35. Bread has to be crushed and eaten to make it a source of life.  The wheat  has to be ground and powdered and baked to make it into bread. Jesus is the Bread that was crushed on the Cross so that we can have life. Every time he took  bread,  blessed it,  broke it  and gave it,  it was a prelude to his final giving  on the Cross. The Last Supper was an anticipation of Calvary. He is the Bread taken, blessed, broken and given.

 

 The VINE  : “ I am the True Vine”.  Jn. 15:1 . Vine that bears fruit is pruned by the Father so that it can bear more fruit. The knife that prunes the vine is held by the Father. He will not prune more than one can endure. His grace is sufficient for you. Pruning is painful but that is the only way to be more fruitful. Jesus learnt obedience through suffering. “Not my will, but thy will be done.”  The pruning of the vine is a lesson on the Cross.

 

The GOOD SHEPHERD : “I am the Good Shepherd” Jn.10:11. A shepherd leads his flock to green pastures. He calls each one by name. He knows his sheep and the sheep hear his voice. He lays down his life for his sheep.  He searches for the lost one ’until he finds’. The Father ‘runs’ until his hands are on the shoulders of his lost son.  If he searches we cannot be lost.  There is no distance too far that he cannot cover.  He died that we may have  life. “There is no greater love, than lay down one’s life for his friends”. The Shepherd  and the Cross have the same message.

 

The WAY, the TRUTH, and LIFE : “ I am the  Way, and the Truth and the Life” Jn.14:6. There is only one way, the way of the Cross. All the way to heaven is heaven for Jesus is the Way and his way is the way of the Cross. There is only one Truth. Jesus carrying the Cross and dying in agony and pain is the Truth. Pilate thought he had the truth since he had the power and splendour and crown. But Jesus clad in rags, crowned with thorns and carrying his Cross is the truth. All those who walk his way will find the truth and will have life.   

 

The TOWEL : “ He got up from the table, took off his outer robe and tied a towel around himself and began to wash the disciples feet” Jn.13:4-5. The symbol of authority for Jesus is a towel and not a kingly throne or a golden ring. When the disciples were quarrelling for a place on his right and left, he had strongly warned them, “It shall not be so among you”.   But they were slow to learn the lesson. So now he gives a powerful symbolic lesson on what authority means. Master has a towel around his waist and he washes their feet. Today it is the towel around his waist, tomorrow it will be the Cross on his shoulder and a crown of thorns on his head. We are so slow to learn the lesson of the towel is the lesson of the Cross.  

 

The CUP : “ Father if you are willing, remove  this cup from me, yet not my will but yours be done”.  Lk.22:42 . Jesus was born on to a Cross. He preached the theme of the Cross. He walked the way of the Cross. But now that ‘the hour’ is close, he shivers and shudders. He faces ‘the dark night of the soul’. He doubts whether his death is truly what his Father wants of him. He prays for another way if possible.  But he leaves the final say to his Father. He trusts that his father will not prune more than he can endure.

 

The CROSS : “It is accomplished…and bowing his head he gave up the spirit” Jn. 19:30. Calvary is reached. Truth is nailed to a Cross. The bread is crushed.  His journey is over. ‘The hour’ has come.  God’s plan is accomplished.  The world is redeemed. He was born for this hour and he walked and taught this hour.  Now stretched on the Cross, as he suffers and dies he can say, ”It is accomplished”. 

 

  “We proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles, but to those who are called… Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom,  and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength”. I Cor. 1:25

 

-        Fr T.V. George sdb