Stations of the Cross

This is the first Sunday of Lent, the season of wounded joy. This is the season where we think about the work of Jesus and what passion and death really mean. If you are new to our church we have two particular seasons of the church that focus on two aspects of Jesus life. In Advent we think about who Jesus is - the Incarnation. In Lent we think about what he did - his death, burial, and resurrection. So, here we are thinking in a focused way about Jesus and his work on the cross. That is so huge, how do you get your head about? What categories do you use? How can we think about it in a way that makes sense? I mean, Charles Williams, a good friend of C. S. Lewis, says this, “In Christianity, the cross is the center and there is no circumfrance.” That is true. Here at St. Patrick we alway talk about the cross, it is our glory, because on it Jesus took our shame.

So I move to the previous question, “How can we talk about the cross in a way that does justice to the subject matter?” I'm glad you asked. People far smarter than Josh and I have thought about this and, in fact, they were thinking about this centuries ago, and so one of the helpful ways to think about the cross is called The Stations of the Cross. This language is not original with me but has been used by the whole church across time and space for centuries, to contemplate the work of Jesus in salvation. “Stations” is another word for “events,” or “scenes.” So from now until Palm Sunday we will look at various scences in Jesus' life from his condemnation to his atoning death on the cross. 

This is exciting stuff for me because all the answers to life's problems are found in the work of Jesus on the cross. I’ll be the first to admit, I get bored with things easily. I like to create things and move one, I like to see and experience the new and novel or things never done before and yet here is one of the great ironies of my life - I have never out grown the cross! It continues to be the center of my salvation and joy. The cross of Jesus I have never gotten over and I pray I never will. In fact, Paul says it well, "I will boast in nothing but the cross!"

If you want to know what all the fuss is about join us this Sunday and during Lent as we walk with Jesus from Pilate’s hall of condemnation to his final hours on the cross as he bears our sin and shame away. In fact, we will start there this Sunday and look at Jesus bearing our shame. We also have some of our youth taking vows, so I hope to see you Sunday,

Blessings,Jim