welcome to the 12 Stations of the cross

The Stations of The Cross began as a practice that pilgrims would have when they were retracing Jesus’ final steps in Jerusalem up to the hill where he was crucified.

Wanting to share that practice and experience with people who couldn’t make the trip to Jerusalem, they created these stations of meditation that became in itself a tradition.

This journey to the cross is not only a mediation of Jesus accomplishing what he came to do - the redemption of humanity through his own wilful sacrifice - but it’s also a contemplation of Jesus silently participating in some of the worst aspects of being human. We see him being tempted. Being betrayed by a friend. Being convicted in an unjust system. physical pain. Mockery. Public humiliation. Broken family relationships. And one of our greatest fears… having to die. These are all aspects of human life that he was not insulated from. In fact on the cross he quotes King David saying “My God My God, Why have you forsaken me?” … as if to say “Why is it like this?” He was one who was not separate from our own pain.

I don’t think our deepest question is ‘Is there a God?”

I think our deepest question is ‘Is there a God that’s with us in all this?”

These stations are a cross-section of elements, ideas, and objects from Jesus’ journey of being with us. As you work through these stations, my you see that we are not troubled guests in the world… that we are not forgotten… and that the good news of this season was expressed best by Jesus when he said “In this world you’ll experience many trials. But take heart… I have overcome the world.”

by Scott Erickson - the artist behind these 12 stations