By Francis Van Uden Hey everyone!! It’s Francis and I miss you all sooooo much! I hope that you have been finding fun things to do around the house. Something that’s been hard for me during this time of isolation is honouring the fact that it’s currently Lent and that we should be preparing ourselves for Jesus Christ’s ultimate sacrifice of the Crucifixion. Every year except this one, being at Mass every week was the primary way I was preparing for the Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil). After hearing a homily about going to confession and preparing our hearts for the Lord’s resurrection was almost always the theme of the Palm Sunday homily, and with only a week left until Easter, it’s an important one. But here I am, sitting at home experiencing an eternal “Saturday”. And you know what’s great? Right here at home I am able to pray a special prayer that walks me through the steps Jesus took as he agonizingly walked to his death out of love for each and every one of us. Any guesses as to what prayer? .... It’s the Stations of the Cross! The Stations of the Cross are 14 stations that Jesus suffered through on his way to Golgotha (the place where he was crucified). As you pray through these stations, usually there is a type of reflection of what Jesus went through at the particular station and a prayer to go along. Each station is a significant moment, and as we remember what Jesus suffered through, we are able to see the immense love Jesus has for us, and the extent He was willing to suffer so that we would be able to spend eternity with Him in Heaven. The first station, for example, is “Jesus is condemned to death”. The stations go through Jesus’ three falls and the people he meets along the way, all the way up to his crucifixion. Something super cool about the Stations of the Cross was the way that they started. After Jesus’ death, Mary the Mother of Jesus would walk the same path Jesus walked, and she would pray and reflect as she did so, stopping ever so often to remember a certain moment of Jesus’ suffering. People would watch Mary walk this path daily, and began to join her in this prayer. This practice eventually spread, and followers of Christ began to pray similar prayers wherever they were. The Stations of the Cross also became a popular art theme, especially in Catholic Europe. Did you know that along with the red votive candle (or known as the sanctuary lamp) that symbolizes Christ present in the tabernacle, you can tell a Church is Catholic by seeing the Stations of the Cross images (just like at St. Martha’s!) displayed somewhere in the sanctuary? You can pray along with the Stations of the Cross HERE.
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PulsePulse is our Jr High group (Grades 6-9) for those who want to be journeying to learn more about God and how He fits into this crazy thing called life! From Saint of the Day to talks to activities, we work to understand more about our faith and its importance in our everyday lives as we all work to become modern day saints. Categories
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