Stations of the Cross
Pomona, CA, 2/27/2020, Stations of the Cross. Come, just as you are. Walk the walk!
Lent is a time for reflections, renewal of covenant, and revival of spirit. Catholics throughout the world join to take this walk – stopping at each station for prayer and meditation. A moving experience for individuals and families as they prayerfully participate in this very personal walk with Jesus.
From the earliest of days, followers of Jesus told the story of his passion, death, and resurrection. Pilgrims to Jerusalem were anxious to see the sites where Jesus was. These sites become important personal connections with Jesus. After many years and people moving around, it was no longer easy or even possible to visit the Holy Sites in Palestine. By the 1500’s, people all over the world started creating “replicas” of the places along the route in Jerusalem. Eventually, these shrines became the 14 stations (Stations of the Cross) we now know and celebrate today. The word “station” comes from the Latin word “stare” that means to stand. We are walking from Christ’s trial to His crucifixion at Calvary and we stop and stand at certain sites (stations) that commemorate various events that took place along the way.
“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
We commonly use the phrase "a cross to bear", a popular derivation of the words of Jesus: "Take up your cross and follow Me." While the phrase is commonly understood to mean acceptance of some burdensome task, the command to take up the cross is much more than a symbol of the difficulties experienced by humanity. We all have cross(es) to carry or carrying on our shoulders every day. These crosses may not be intended to lead us to oneself crucifixion, nor represent judgment of guilt and sin but our inner feeling of troubled souls and our wants and determinations to always want to follow the path of Jesus. The reward is worth the price. Jesus followed His call of death to self (“Take up your cross and follow Me”) with the gift of life in Christ: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Luke 9: 24; Matthew 10:39; cf. John 12:25). Afterall, Jesus had been crucified and had died for all our sins. The cross(es) on our shoulders are merely a constant reminder of our responsibilities, and purpose on earth, and to one another, so that we are always focused on the path of good deeds and salvation. A cross of good things as well. a reminder and a testament of all the good we do to others, a cross that we feel on our shoulders yet so light in weight we feel floating of joy and happiness further reflecting and confirming our believes and faith and our fulfillments of God’s commands.
St Joseph AACC is joyous to publicly profess its faith by walking and praying the Stations of the Cross during the holy season of Lent. Stations of the Cross are held at every mass at the Pomona Campus on Saturdays, at 6:30pm and at the Redlands Campus, Sundays, at 12:30pm prior to the usual Saturday and Sunday Mass. This year, St. Joseph AACC celebrate the Stations of the Cross by engaging the youngest among them.
Mrs Christina Ennabe is so happy the Sunday School/First Communion class students are engaged in such a holy event as they walk the path with Jesus, as He did thousands of years ago. The First Communion students, under the direction of Christina, assisted by Lucy Joellson and Rana Hadded, are preparing the student to share the body of Christ at a First Communion ceremony to be held in late 2022. Traditionally, as the faithful come to each station, they stop, pray, read the scriptures, pray the prayers, and contemplate the situation before moving on. As they walk from one station to the next, their walking becomes a devotional act, because they are walking with Jesus as He walks to Calvary. “It’s so profound that we plant the significance of the procession in our youngest so that they grow humble and respectful reflecting the image of Jesus throughout their lives. Our whole human life is portrayed in the Stations of the Cross where the downs and ups (sequence is important here) of Jesus can teach us a good lesson which we try to instill in our children’s hearts,” added Father Ala.
Do not forget to check out the attachment, the 14 Stations of the Cross with pictures, the story associated with each station, prayers, and meditations. Keep checking the Church Website, stjosephaacc.org for more details, dates, events during the 2021 lent and Easter.