Stations of the Cross: Opening Prayer and the 1st Station

 Stations of the Cross

Opening Prayer

Jesus, in the garden at Gethsemane you prayed alone, you walked the route of Calvary alone, with immense love you submitted to death on the cross, utterly alone. Each person faces death ultimately alone, but each person because of your death on the Cross and three days later, resurrection from death, has the hope of eternal life. With sorrow for my sins and amazement at your love, I begin this sorrowful journey of the cross. I accompany you from a distance, watching, listening, alone with my thoughts, I cling to your Sacred Heart and find sure safety and sweet consolation. Jesus, my hope for life, my Saviour, and my Lord. Amen

The 1^stStation: Jesus is condemned to death.

We adore you O Christ and we praise you.

Because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

The garden was traumatic, the disciples had slept, the traitor had kissed Jesus, the soldiers ushered him away. Peter had drawn his sword, but Jesus told him to put his sword away. Now here he is standing before Pilate. Jesus was silent before his accusers.

I am silent too. In the face of evil and suffering I have no answers. Silence is not weakness, or passive acceptance. Silence is love in action. For only love speaks louder than words. I can’t change everything, there are circumstances beyond my control, but I can love in the face of hatred, I can love when I am wronged or hurt. I can love and find the inspiration to love in Jesus, standing silently before his accusers. An image that haunts me and yet inspires me is that of the 21 Coptic Martyrs so recently killed by terrorists, (15^thFeb 2015) who murdered them because of hatred. The silence that surrounded the moments before their horrific deaths echoes the silence of Jesus before his accusers. Out of love, Jesus stands silent, as his way of the cross begins.