Some spend a lifetime shielding their deepest selves from their mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, sons and daughters. The stations grew out of imitations of Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem which is believed to be the actual path Jesus walked to Mount Calvary. When Jesus saw the Cross—the wood beams upon which he would suffer and then die—He did not hesitate. The Stations of the Cross T ucked behind the Portiuncula Chapel and the Crèche, a wooden staircase leads down to Franciscan University’s outdoor Stations of the Cross. ... Franciscans for Justice is a joint project of the O.F.M. Count on nothing except the gifts of faith and hope from my Father. tations f the Cross (continued) The Stations of the Cross are a traditional devotion that commemorates Jesus Christ's last day on Earth as a man. These reflections are available for your personal use with copyright permission from Creative Communications for the Parish. You cannot have the knowledge I have. Lord, free me from vice in my daily life. Or to take on goals that, however worthy in theory, may not be right for you or may be undertaken for inferior reasons. You must learn, as Simon learned, that life is not just or fair – and not even predictable. Why these nails in my hands?”…. Try to learn my Father’s will for you. I wonder if I fell partly because I was trying too hard to keep from falling…. Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus. Out of love for God and for each other, we too have the opportunity to sacrifice and to give of ourselves. When you know for whom you weep, then come to Calvary’s road. I felt badly for Simon of Cyrene. You would instinctively resist having them ripped from you. The Franciscan Way of the Cross is a shorter meditation on the Way of Christ to Calvary. Resisting crosses leads to self-hatred, hatred of others, and bitterness. Blessed art thou among women, Lord, give me the grace to love others as myself, The pain of those nails almost made me black out. I borrowed Peter’s boat to preach from. as we forgive those who trespass against us; You may be about to fall all the harder. The crowd condemns an innocent man to death and Pilate, who could have reprieved Jesus, washed his hands of the affair and gave the people what they wanted. If you have died daily to yourself, the stripping of your humanity at death will not hurt so much. Clothes are very personal. Thy will be done, I was alone, so utterly alone. “Will you watch one hour with me?” I had asked. I said, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” …. I had enough strength and presence of mind to avoid it. As it was, in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Even though he is crushed for a third time by the weight of the Cross, His love for us remains. But you can become like me in the love and gracious acceptance you show precisely when you are at your weakest and most helpless. My response alone determines whether it will be redemptive or destructive, helpful or worthless…. As the prophet Isaiah foretold, “Though harshly treated, he submitted and did not open his mouth; like a lamb led to slaughter…” He humbled Himself out of love for us! This is just one of many instances where God outdoes us in generosity. It was the agony that welled up at the thought of what was happening. Visit the calendar of events to see all the happenings at the Monastery. You are often tempted to take on more than you can do well. JERUSALEM — The Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land launched a virtual Way of the Cross project for pilgrims during Lent because the Holy Land is … You will be my tongue and my throat, parched. Your death will be the end of your ego, and all other empires you have been building during your lifetime. Copyright © 2021 Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. Divided between two levels of the path, the 14 stations each depict the Holy Mother as part of the medium relief scene. I did not want to fall and I did not want to stand. Jesus, the Son of God, falls again under the weight of our sins. Was I trying to hide this final agony from her, thinking she might not be strong enough for it? Should I rebel against Pilate? EIN: 14-1344809. Our Mission Statement – “Our mission is to observe the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by following the example of our holy father, Saint Francis … He was a farmhand coming in from the fields when he was made to carry my cross. If someone tells you that faith and hope will keep you from experiencing doubt and despair, do not listen to them. St. Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscan order, authored Stations of the Cross that popularized the devotion throughout the world. St. Joseph Cupertino Fraternity - Theme for the Year "Sanctify yourself & you will sanctify society". These things don’t make you precious. When, in 1342, the Franciscan Fathers established their house in Jerusalem, and undertook the custody of the sacred places of the Holy Land, they began to spread, throughout the Catholic world, ... At the Cross her station keeping, Stood the mournful Mother weeping, Close to Jesus to the last. In the end, this will fail, because your death has a way of exposing your weakness to your loved ones as nothing in life could. Used by permission. Simon of Cyrene was forced to help our exhausted Savior carry His Cross. You cannot have the power I have. This fall shows me up for being human as nothing else on my way to Calvary. A small chapel was built in 1895 and dedicated to Simon of Cyrene to … Sometimes, silence and solitude is the best religious practice. by James E. Adams Simon had eased my burden. Should I curse this heavy timber and those who laid it on me? A plant or an animal may be in pain, but there is not suffering as we experience it. You cannot have the wisdom I have. Thou didst imprint Thy sacred features upon Veronica’s … My cross did not come only from Pilate or from the Roman soldiers. and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. I want you to know and learn to live the truth symbolized by the ripping off of my clothes. When you are falling into hell, do what I did. My human life was an emptying of myself so I could be filled by my Father. You must not spend your life looking for “reasons” for your crosses. Throughout the year, the Stations of the Cross allow today’s pilgrims to engage in a Franciscan devotion that engages the whole person—body, mind, and spirit—as they walk along the path and meditate on the way of Calvary. I had asked some of the apostles to be with me during my agony in the garden. My Father uses anything and anyone to accomplish salvation. Jesus’ earthly life ended as it began, in the arms of his saintly Mother. Amen. Participants in Franciscan University’s pilgrimages to sacred shrines and holy sites sponsored the stations. You also will be startled by crosses thrust upon you when you least expect them. Simon Of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry His Cross, Our Lady of the Atonement House of Discernment, Graymoor Ecumenical & Interreligious Institute, Ecumenical & Interreligious Ministry Blog. and forgive us our trespasses, The project, conceived by the Franciscans after realizing the impossibility of pilgrimages this year, aims at providing a way for the faithful to be able to join in a Way of the Cross … Some woods are stronger than steel because they bend. Instead of judging, do what you can to relieve both their pain and their suffering. Designed by artist Carmelo Puzzolo, the stations were cast in the same mold as those he originally designed for Mount Krizavec in Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina. A time of prayer and reflection with the Stations of the Cross, with reflections written by the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal. About Franciscan Be with me in silent heartfelt prayer at least once a day every day — and you will be on the road to becoming a faithful disciple. If you thought about your death, you could see more clearly that some of the things you are most obsessed with are the least important. How could it be? There are times when you must work, of course, but there are even more crucial times when you must say nothing and do nothing except be with me, your heart aching, as Mary and the faithful disciples were with me after the crucifixion. At each station, the individual recalls and meditates on a specific moment in …you decide what you want and then you say to yourself: I am going to achieve this goal, and when I succeed, even God will have to be impressed! What we give to Him, He returns one-hundred fold. Jesus was not only put to death, he was executed in one of the most violent and painful ways possible: crucifixion. You surely would not be so worried about money, clothes, cars and careers. Could I have lived and died as a man without experiencing despair and doubt? Kindness is learned. Sometimes, it is better to be silent, to pour out your heart where no one can hear, than to shout prayers in public. Have you ever been compelled to help in a difficult situation? JOURNEY OF DECISION – A Way of the Cross. Lord, give me the strength and clarity to defend the innocent. if you don't have a laminating machine you can just pick up some sheets like this at your local store, or here on amazon. You won’t have a Pilate to tell you the place, the time or the circumstances of your death. My face wasn’t the first – or the last – that she soothed. It uses the traditional stations and in the introduction describes briefly the indulgence related to the devotion. “O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer me.”, I have just seen my mother Mary. I borrowed Mary’s womb for my conception. That becomes like quicksand pulling you down lower and lower. I had no grave of my own. His reverence for the Body of Christ can inspire us to similar faithfulness each time we receive Our Lord in Holy Communion. Even in death I had no place to call my own here on earth. (see notes below). Even goals that seem worthwhile wouldn’t seem nearly so important if you think of death. Think of that when you catch yourself saying you’re too busy to help others. I was sinking to hell and wondered if I would come back. (see credits at end of video). Do you think Veronica was the one who just happened to be at the right place at the right time for this one celebrated act of kindness? Indeed, when religious practices are carried out mindlessly, they aren’t helpful. The Stations of the Way of the Cross. But you cannot see their suffering. What flashed in my mind was that these fleeting strokes of good fortune meant I could somehow bypass the rest of the journey. They were blunt Roman spikes that seemed to crush rather than pierce the flesh and bone. but deliver us from evil. Mary and a few of my faithful disciples take me down from the cross. Pilate is not my enemy. Then, when you go to work, open your heart to him and let him work in and through you. The images of the Stations are from the garden area outside the Mausoleum at San Xavier Mission. Yes. So what you would be holding up as yours is really his already. I tried to avoid it. (Genuflect) R: Because, by Your holy cross, You have redeemed the world. Twelfth Station Jesus Is Raised Upon the Cross and Dies V. We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You. They pulled Simon of Cyrene out of the crowd and made him help Jesus with his burden. Amen. But that alone doesn’t make one holy, because holiness is willing what my Father wills, wanting what he wants, accepting it and embracing it and making it one’s own. ... pilgrimages –and following the original Stations of the Cross –will not be possible. They are your credentials for being human. You, too, cannot expect to be gentle in a crisis unless you have practiced gentleness so often that it starts to become almost natural. You may, like me, not even clutch as your clothes — as well as your superficial self — are stripped from you. Holy Mary, Mother of God, Rather, it’s an education as rigorous and demanding as it is faithful–an education that challenges you intellectually, forms you professionally, and feeds you spiritually. My suffering was infinite because my capacity to ask why was infinite and my love for you was infinite. You may not get that blessing. Pilate told me when and how I would die. Let the superiors take care that the devout exercise of the Way of the Cross never be omitted from Community on Friday or another day of … Do I have to die to get you to listen and love in silence? Maybe it was a loose cobblestone, a rock I stubbed my foot on or a wet spot that was too slick…. Lord, it is with sadness and contrition for my sins that I walk with you on this road to Calvary. Franciscan University of Steubenville is no ordinary university, and a Franciscan education is no ordinary education. That is why, too, that you must never underestimate the power of my suffering. There’s a profound lesson here for you in your journey. That is why you must never underestimate the degree of suffering of any of your brothers or sisters. No one sustained more pain than I. You will have to be picked up by others. now and at the hour of our death. You never know when an act of kindness you do will be the last one a person experiences. He took it upon his shoulders and began to walk, willingly embracing these excruciating hardships out of love for you and me. The Traditional Stations of the Cross have long been celebrated in many forms with the 14 Stations familiar to us a relatively recent form. St. Francis of Assisi National Shrine: Stations of the Cross Lord, grant us the desire to help those who need our assistance. My strength was gone. These things won’t help you when your time to die comes. You were born with defects that you may control but never abolish. You are making yourself like me on my cross. Franciscan Daily Short Stations of the Cross Monks singing Gregorian Chant in a Catholic Benedictine Seminary i like to laminate them after painting or coloring so they're sturdy. Some were closer to me then than they were ever before. pray for us sinners, Several of the stations arise from long-held traditions among the Christians of the Holy Land, but they are not necessarily Scriptural. The devotion itself largely goes back to St. Francis, while the prayers and meditations contained here were written in the 16th century and have been used by Franciscans when preaching missions. Despite the anguish she felt, she did not try to stop her Son from making the ultimate sacrifice. You may someday fall for a third time and have no strength to get up. You can learn something from my fall. You may never know until after your death. Not one of them had the energy left to be with me. I wanted to stay on my feet all the way to Calvary. Stay close to the Lord in life, in suffering and in death, recognizing that His sacrifice has set us free. And when the borrowing is over, you will be my brothers and sisters, risen. The Stations of the Cross depict 14 events in the Passion of Jesus Christ, beginning with Jesus being condemned to death and ending with His body being laid in a tomb. I think I was lulled into a momentary lapse. Learn to bend. It is for this reason that she is such an advocate for those who suffer, both physically and emotionally. She was the last person in my earthly life to touch me in a gentle act of mercy…. Just as he gives you the grace to face loved ones when all hope seems lost, so he gives them the grace to cope not only with your pain but their own as well. Before I even recognized that as a temptation, I fell. She had not been as close to me in life as others, but she responded when I needed an act of kindness. Yet you must not curse yourself or your limitations. This program invites participants to walk with Jesus in the Scriptural Stations of the Cross, to suffer with Him, and to stand with his mother the Blessed Virgin Mary at the foot of the cross. Yet you stand condemned to death as surely as I was. But it didn’t hurt my ego. Some of you may think I cried “My God, why have you forsaken me?” only because I was reciting a psalm or fulfilling a Scripture passage. You may have been taught that being my disciple is primarily an active role. * I … Veronica had soothed my sweaty face. When that happens, my Father and I will not hold against you your reflexive cry of “Why me?”  But you must quickly move beyond that to prayerful acceptance. All rights reserved. You will be my body, stripped. Do you tend to avoid your loved ones, and they you, in times of crisis? I detest religious routines when they become a way to avoid your deep personal commitment to me and my Father. How immense is the mercy of Our God! Why wait until death or desperation to “meet” your loved ones? Be careful not to condemn Simon. If you look only at their pain, you may wonder what they have to complain about. How great the Lord’s love is for us that He gave up his life to save us. You don’t know how sensitive they are, how quickly their pain can become insufferable agony. Don’t let that lead to despair; it does not mean you are less than human. What was your reaction? But if you bear your weakness with love, you are doing wonders for yourself, as well as the whole of creation. But they were so depleted from talking, walking, planning and worrying about the future that they quickly fell asleep. Stations of the Cross by St. Francis of Assisi | St. Joseph Cupertino Fraternity - Theme for the Year "Sanctify yourself & you will sanctify society". Kneeling before the altar, make an Act of Contrition, and form the intention of gaining the indulgences, whether for yourself or for the souls in Purgatory. Complain to him to your very last breath, as I did. Our passionately Catholic faith, based in our Chapel Ministries, animates everything we do at Franciscan University of Steubenville. A Franciscan Way of the Cross Preparatory Prayer Most Holy Trinity, receive my humble prayers in union with the suffering of the Poor Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and all the saints, in gratitude for your grace, in satisfaction for my sins, in remembrance of my … Current Superiores, ut pium Viae Crucis exercitium feria VI, vel alia hebdomanae die, numquam a Communitate omittatur; quod etiam loco meditationis vespertinae haberi poterit. Eventbrite - Franciscan Chapel Center presents Franciscan Chapel Center Stations of the Cross - Friday, March 26, 2021 at Franciscan Chapel Center, Minato City, Tōkyō-to. They were so depleted from talking, walking, planning and worrying about the future that quickly... The Church and the many gifts he bestows upon our lives a Franciscan education is no ordinary University and. Faith and hope from my Father ’ s a profound lesson here for in! T get up with my own burial plot… she might not be possible the question is not whether life crosses. 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