Transform Your Lent

The Stations of the Cross are a Lenten devotional that can transform your Lent. During the 40 days of Lent, the Church encourages her followers to focus especially on the Gospels, and within the Gospels, the Passion narratives. The Passion narratives are the suffering and death of Christ. However, there is another way to understand the Passion. Pope Benedict XVI considers the word “passion” in its more modern sense. He says, “God is a lover with all the passion of a true love.”

Stations of the Cross Can Be Intimidating

There are a number of different elements that can make the Stations of the Cross appear intimidating. First, the traditional devotion can seem a bit lengthy. It can seem like quite the time commitment in order to pray them. Another element that can make them intimidating is the complexity of the devotion. When do you stand? When do you kneel? And finally, if you are praying the Stations at your parish, the time may be inconvenient or the distance is a little too far to travel.

Meaning of the Stations of the Cross
 

The Tradition Began Early in Christianity

Very early in Christianity, Christians were already gathering at Christ’s tomb to pray. By 313 AD, in the time of Constantine, pilgrims were beginning to travel to the Holy Land to retrace the steps of Christ. When we pray the Stations of the Cross, we are united with these people. In the 1500s/1600s, Stations of the Cross began to be placed in churches. In 1731, Pope Clement XII solidified the fourteen Stations of the Cross.

Stations of the Cross Are Doorways into Christ’s Heart

Through the Stations of the Cross, Christ wants us to enter into his Passion. The Stations of the Cross are not just something for us to view but instead we are called to enter into it. Christ wants us to participate in his Passion. There are ways that even our own sufferings can help us enter into Christ’s suffering. We’re called to love like Jesus, so we need to encounter that love.

Why Are They Called Stations?

The meaning of the word statio in Latin is “a place to stop or rest on a journey.” When praying the Stations of the Cross, it is important to pause and meditate on them. We are given the Stations of the Cross in small doses so that we can truly take time to contemplate them and enter into them.

Stations of the Cross Are a Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Devotional

This devotional requires physical movement. You stand and sit, genuflect, and in some cases, even walk from station to station. It also requires you to mentally think of each station and what happened in that station. Finally, it is spiritual because you can unite your suffering with Christ’s.

5 Ways to Pray the Stations of the Cross
 

1. Traditional – Pray at your parish with your parish community. The Stations are prayed every Wednesday at 7:00 PM at St. Anne Parish. 
    
2. On Your Own – You can pray the Stations of the Cross on your own at your parish. You can use a little booklet, find something online, or do brief personal reflections.
    
3. Pray At Home – Create a prayerful space and pray them at home. You could create stations using candles and images of the stations. Go through each station as you move around your house from station to station. You can also simply pray in a quiet place in your home.
    
4. Incorporate Into Everyday Life – You can pray the Stations of the Cross while driving, flying, exercising, walking, etc. Whether it is with a booklet or a personal reflection, you can pray the Stations of the Cross every day!
    
5. Quick Stations – Announce the Station; pray a Hail Mary; and briefly reflect on the station as you pray.