Stations of the Cross Walking the Way of Justice

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1 Casa Alma Charlottesville s Catholic Worker Community What is the Catholic Worker? Founded in 1933 by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin, the Catholic Worker is a movement of people motivated by the teachings of Jesus, especially as they are summarized in the Sermon on the Mount. Catholic Workers feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, live as peacemakers, and care for the earth. How can I get involved? Stations of the Cross Walking the Way of Justice Casa Alma hosts two houses of hospitality, nurtures community, sponsors times of prayer, learning, and reflection, and is developing a sustainable urban farm. Contact Laura or Steve, resident volunteers, at cvillecw@gmail.com or to learn more. Or, visit our website at casa-alma.org and sign up for our mailing list. Pax Christi Charlottesville Pax Christi is a Catholic organization dedicated to the spirituality of nonviolence and peacemaking, demilitarization and reconciliation, economic and interracial justice, human rights, and global restoration. Pax Christi USA commits itself to peace education and promotes peacemaking as a priority in the Catholic Church in the United States. Pax Christi International is active in more than fifty countries and has consultative status as a non-governmental organization at the United Nations. We are actively seeking members from like-hearted community members. For more information, see our webpage, justice/justice/pax-christi/ or contact John Clem at jclem@catholicws.com to receive more information. Presented by Casa Alma, the Charlottesville Catholic Worker, & Pax Christi Charlottesville

2 Closing Prayer Leader: Jesus died so that we might live. Through the pain and suffering of the cross, Jesus bore the weight of all of our sins. His resurrection is the greatest triumph over suffering and death. We are not alone, and we do not lose hope, for God is victorious. Dorothy Day said, The greatest challenge of the day is: how to bring about a revolution of the heart, a revolution which has to start with each one of us? When we begin to take the lowest place, to wash the feet of others, to love our brothers with that burning love, that passion, which led to the Cross, then we can truly say, Now I have begun (Loaves and Fishes, p. 210). All: Loving God, transform our hearts. Help us to be united in compassionate service. Open our eyes and our hearts to the needs of those around us. With love and mercy, guide us on our journey to You. Leader: Let us go now to await our resurrection and the Risen One s presence among us again. Let us await the coming of justice and peace in our midst. Amen. **Opening and closing prayers have been adapted from a version of the Stations of the Cross available from the Catholic Diocese of Joliet, Illinois.

3 The Fourteenth Station: Jesus is Placed in the Tomb Free Speech Wall Reader: In the words of Dorothy Day: The consolation is this and this our faith too: By our suffering and our failures, by our acceptance of the Cross, by our struggle to grow in faith, hope, and charity, we unleash forces that help to overcome the evil in the (Loaves and Fishes, p. 204) If we believe that the reign of violence, death, and sin can be finished, we must use our lives to share the message of Jesus his victory over death. We are a resurrection people, believing in and working toward the day when none of God s children will have to ask, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? We believe that a better world is possible, and we will act on that belief personally and communally. All: At Jesus burial, a few followers waited in hope, ready to witness the glorious freedom of all of God s people and the full coming of a world of justice and peace. Let us be signs of hope and peace in our world and give glory to you with our lives. Amen. Were You There? Were you there when they crucified my Lord? (repeat) Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? (repeat) Were you there when they nailed him to the tree? Were you there when they crucified my Lord? (repeat) Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they pierced him in the side? (repeat) Were you there when they pierced him in the side? Were you there when they crucified my Lord? (repeat) Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when the sun refused to shine? (repeat) Were you there when the sun refused to shine? Were you there when they crucified my Lord? (repeat) Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

4 Opening Prayer Leader: God our Creator, Source of Love, Comforter of the Afflicted, be with us today as we recall the journey of Jesus in his suffering and death. Send us your Spirit so that we may respond to the plight of others who carry burdens, crosses, and despair. All: Awaken our hearts that we may accept your challenge to create the world anew. We ask this in the name of Jesus your Son and in all the Holy names of God. Amen. The Thirteenth Station Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross Square near Fifth Street Northeast Reader: God is present precisely where we would never imagine or look for God s presence: in the cross itself, bleeding with Jesus and all wounded humanity. Jesus, the people of your day were expecting a very different Messiah than you turned out to be. You led no army into battle against the Romans, and you refused every crown the people tried to place on your head. You upended traditional definitions of holiness. You came as a servant, washing the feet of your friends, and you died a criminal s death. You confounded every one of your followers expectations. And we who witness the countless crucifixions of this moment in history we are confounded too. All: God of our salvation, when despair threatens to overwhelm us, remind us again: Take heart, for I have conquered the Lord, we believe. Help our unbelief. Amen.

5 The Twelfth Station Jesus Dies on the Cross Square near Fifth Street Northeast The First Station Jesus is Condemned to Death Federal Courthouse Reader: At noon, darkness fell over the countryside until three in the afternoon. At that time, Jesus cried out, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? A bystander put a sponge soaked in wine on a reed and gave it to him to drink. Then, Jesus uttered a loud cry and gave up his spirit. All reflect and pray in silence. (adapted from Matthew 27:45-50.) Reader: Jesus is beaten, tortured, and condemned to death. He begins his walk to Calvary, mocked and scorned by the crowd. Judas is ashamed: I have sinned, he says, I have betrayed innocent blood. But many who watch Jesus are triumphant now that justice will be done. Over the centuries, many who claim to follow Jesus have stood with the executioners kings, presidents, judges, and soldiers. Yet capital punishment is not what Jesus taught. It is what he suffered. Today, men and women are still put to death, and the condemned are disproportionately poor members of minority groups. All: Jesus, as we walk these final steps with you, open our hearts to your mercy. Help us walk alongside the condemned, and work for justice. We pray that those who decide the fate of others will know your compassion, and recall that all life is a gift from You. Amen.

6 The Second Station Jesus Takes Up His Cross Vinegar Hill The Eleventh Station Jesus is Nailed to the Cross Square near Fourth Street NE Reader: Caiaphas said It is better for you that one man should die instead of the people. With these words, the Pharisees sought to justify their actions. The cross reminds us that there is no justice, mercy, or peace when people are sacrificed for a false goal. We remember the sins of our own community, including the reckless decision to clear this area of Vinegar Hill for progress. Our black brothers and sisters were forced to move their neighborhood and churches destroyed. Today, racism continues in our community, in ways both pervasive and subtle. Reader: After reaching Golgotha, the heavy burden of the cross was finally removed from Jesus shoulders, only to be replaced by nails in his hands and feet. While we may not see this type of crucifixion in our world today, there are plenty of modern-day examples of oppression. We are participants in systems that kill, exploit, inflict suffering, and oppress. We cannot be silent bystanders and participants. We must speak out against violations of God s vision when we see them, and offer passionate witness to the power of Jesus crucifixion. All: Jesus, you took up the cross for our sins. Help us to dismantle systems of oppression and to develop right relationships, fairness, and equity with all in the human family. Give us the grace to uproot racism from our world and from ourselves. Amen.. All: Creator God, we thank you for Jesus example of sacrifice and unconditional love for all of your people. We ask for your forgiveness for all of the times that we fail to stand up for what is right and just. Amen.

7 The Tenth Station Jesus is Stripped of His Garments Bank of America The Third Station Jesus Falls the First Time Square near Main Street Arena Reader: In the moments before his crucifixion, Jesus was stripped of his clothing. In our community, predatory banks have stripped people of their houses and possessions. Peter Maurin, co-founder of the Catholic Worker movement, writes: Christ says: "The dollar you have is the dollar you give." The Banker says: "The dollar you have is the dollar you keep." Christ says: "You cannot serve two masters, God and Mammon." What we give to the poor for Christ's sake is what we carry with us when we die. Reader: As he bore the weight of the cross by himself, Jesus stumbled and fell. Already bloodied and bruised, Jesus pain made it difficult to continue. Psalm 142 might have been in his mind: I cry out to you, Lord. Listen to my cry for help, for I am brought very low. We can picture Jesus lying in the dust. A crowd surrounds him, but no one moves to help him stand. In our day we see many who are unable to pull themselves up: a homeless woman, an unemployed man, a lonely child. We see them and we must choose: do I to turn away, or extend a loving hand? Am I my brother s keeper? Am I my sister s keeper? All: God of justice, we have given our tacit support to national and global institutions that exploit the poor. Give us the courage to withdraw our support from every institution that stands in the way of a just society, and help us build communities in which justice for all can be a reality. Amen. All: God of the broken, open our eyes, our hearts, our hands, and our lives to those who have fallen under the weight of their cross. Give us the courage to leave the comfort of the crowd, and to embrace the outcast. Amen.

8 The Fourth Station Jesus Meets His Mother Southern Environmental Law Center The Ninth Station Jesus Falls for the Third Time Landmark Hotel Reader: Wounded and bleeding and carrying a cross, Jesus encounters his mother. When Jesus eyes lock with Mary s, each can imagine the terrible pain that the other one feels. Today, our planet Mother Earth is being consumed to satisfy our greed. We pollute her waters and air, deplete her glaciers and atmosphere, destroy indigenous habitats, and create systems of farming that lead to starvation for some, and sickness for many. As we journey with Jesus, let us reflect upon the sacredness of his Creation and our obligation to honor it. Reader: Yet again, on this long and terrible walk, Jesus stumbles and falls. How often have immigrants stumbled in their journeys? How many sacrifices have they had to make? How often have they put their lives at risk to reach their goals? Often the journey to the Promised Land becomes the journey of the cross, replete with danger, obstacles, and pain. We can reach out to those carrying such heavy crosses. We can help them to rise and continue onward, hoping and believing that God will give strength to all of us who labor together for justice. All: Lord of Creation, awaken in us a consciousness of our interconnectedness with our planet, and of our own role in its defilement. Help us become agents of healing and wholeness for all of God s creation. Amen. All: God of life, you call us to walk with those leaving their homes in search of a better life, lifting them when they fall and bringing them to a place of hope and newness. Open our eyes to their struggles and lead us to serve them with compassion. Amen.

9 The Eighth Station Jesus Comforts the Women of Jerusalem Community Square near Fountain Reader: Even as he walked his last steps, Jesus reached out to comfort those around him. In Corinthians, we read that, If one suffers, all suffer. Do we enter into the suffering of our brothers and sisters who experience injustice from those in our immediate circles to those on the other side of the globe, and everyone in between? Do we seek solidarity with them? For whom do we weep? The Fifth Station Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry His Cross The Haven at First and Market Reader: Simon, what brought you close to the crowd that day? Was it curiosity? The lure of the spectacle? Or some deeper pull? Were you ashamed to accompany a condemned criminal when his cross was thrust upon you? Were you annoyed by this inconvenient detour to Calvary? You may not have known whose burden you carried, but we follow in your footsteps every time we accompany our brothers and sisters on the hard roads of their lives. All: Loving God, in you we are united to all of our brothers and sisters around the Help us to enter into the challenges that others face and to recognize the interconnectedness of our one human family. Amen. All: God of mercy, sometimes you ask us to serve and sometimes you press us into service. Give us the grace to trust that you are always guiding us into deeper communion with each other on this road to your kingdom. Amen.

10 The Sixth Station Jesus Falls the Second Time Robert E. Lee Statue, Lee Park The Seventh Station Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus Holy Comforter Soup Kitchen Reader: Ammon Hennacy made a deep and lasting impression on the Catholic Worker movement. [Ammon] always dwelt on the duty of civil disobedience in order to call attention to the hideous dangers hanging over the world today, and our personal responsibility to do something about them We were setting our faces against things as they are, against the terrible injustice our basic capitalist industrial system perpetrates by making profits out of preparations for war. But especially we wanted to act against war and getting ready for war: nerve gas, germ warfare, guided missiles, testing and stockpiling of nuclear bombs, conscription, the collection of income tax against the entire militarism of the state. (Loaves and Fishes p ). Reader: This perspective was written by an anonymous server in the early days of the Catholic Worker movement: They continue to come... The hands of some tremble from age, sickness, or drink. It is near closing time and the line thins out. They must go out now into a world seemingly full of people whose hearts are as hard and cold as the pavements they must walk all day in quest of their needs... Then there is the worry of the next meal or that night's sleeping arrangements. Here starts their long weary trek to Calvary. They meet no Veronica on their way to relieve their tiredness, nor is there a Simon of Cyrene to relieve the burden of the cross. It is awful to think this will start again tomorrow. All: Loving Redeemer, you have called us live a life of active nonviolence. When you were on your way to Calvary, you did not threaten those who shouted at you or retaliate. Help us to follow your example, to love one another, love our enemies, and be true peacemakers. Amen. All: God of compassion, forgive us for the times when we have hardened our hearts against our brothers and sisters. Help us recall that we are your hands to wipe the faces of the downtrodden, and your voice to challenge the structures that perpetuate the poverty of your children. Amen.