杏MAP导航

By Tiziana Campisi

A path offered to every human being鈥攁 journey inward, a reckoning of conscience, pausing on Christ鈥檚 sufferings on the way to Calvary. In his Via Crucis meditations, 杏MAP导航 Francis shows that the Way of the Cross is indeed the descent Jesus undertook 鈥渢oward this world that God loves鈥� (Station II). It is also 鈥渁 response, an acceptance of responsibility鈥� by Christ. He who, 鈥渘ailed to the Cross,鈥� intercedes, placing Himself 鈥渂etween conflicting parties鈥� (Station XI), and carries them to God, for His 鈥渃ross tears down walls, cancels debts, quashes judgments, establishes reconciliation.鈥� Jesus, 鈥渢he true Jubilee,鈥� stripped of His garments and revealed even 鈥�to those who watch Him die,鈥� looks upon them 鈥渁s beloved ones entrusted by the Father,鈥� showing His desire to save 鈥渁ll of us, each and every one鈥� (Station X).

God鈥檚 economy

杏MAP导航 Francis invites us to break free from our own schemes and to understand 鈥淕od鈥檚 economy鈥�, which 鈥渄oes not kill, discard or crush.  It is lowly, faithful to the earth鈥濃�攁nd to follow the path of Jesus, that of 鈥渢he Beatitudes,鈥� which 鈥淚t does not crush, but cultivates, repairs and protects.鈥� (Station III). Yet it is the 鈥渄ivine economy鈥� (Station VII)鈥攕o unlike today鈥檚 economies 鈥渙f calculation and algorithms, of cold logic and implacable interests鈥濃�攐n which Francis dwells. For humanity, Christ accepted the cross, and its weight speaks of the breath of the Spirit, 鈥�鈥�who is Lord and gives life鈥� (Station II). We, by contrast, 鈥渞un out of breath from avoiding responsibility.鈥� But, the 杏MAP导航 urges, 鈥渋s to stop running away and to remain in the company of those you have given us, in the situations where you have placed us鈥�; only then do we cease 鈥渢o be prisoners鈥� of ourselves. What truly burdens us are 鈥渟elfishness鈥� and 鈥渋ndifference.鈥�

The prayer of people on the move

In his introduction to the fourteen Stations, Francis writes that in Jesus鈥� steps toward Golgotha 鈥渙ur exodus to a new land鈥� is reenacted, for Christ 鈥渃ame to change the world,鈥� and we too must 鈥渃hange direction, see the goodness of His traces.鈥� Thus, 鈥淭he Stations of the Cross is the prayer of people on the move.  It disrupts our usual routine.鈥� It is a costly way in 鈥渢his world that calculates everything,鈥� where 鈥済ratuitousness comes at a dear price.鈥� Yet 鈥渋n the gift,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 observes, 鈥渆verything blossoms anew: a city split into factions and torn by conflict can move towards reconciliation; an arid piety can rediscover the freshness of God鈥檚 promises; and a heart of stone can turn into a heart of flesh.鈥�

Human freedom

Jesus鈥� sentence of death prompts reflection on 鈥渄ramatic interplay of our individual freedoms鈥� (Station I). From the irrevocable trust with which God places Himself 鈥渋n our hands,鈥� bringing a 鈥渉oly restlessness,鈥� marvels can spring forth: 鈥渇reeing the unjustly accused, discerning the complexities of situations, countering judgments that kill.鈥� Yet we remain 鈥減risoners鈥� of the roles we cling to, afraid of the inconvenience of a change in our life鈥檚 direction. Often we let slip the possibility of the Way of the Cross. Christ, 鈥渟ilently before us in every sister and brother exposed to judgment and prejudice,鈥� challenges us鈥攂ut a thousand reasons (鈥渞eligious arguments, legal quibbles,鈥� and 鈥渢he so鈥慶alled common sense that avoids involvement in others鈥� destinies鈥�) drag us to the side of Herod, the priests, Pilate, and the crowd. Still, Jesus does not wash His hands of it; He loves 鈥渋n silence.鈥� In Station XI, nail鈥憆idden, He 鈥渟hows us that in every circumstance there is a choice to be made鈥濃�攖he 鈥渁mazing reality of our freedom鈥濃�攁s He attends both criminals, letting one鈥檚 insults pass and welcoming the other鈥檚 plea, even interceding for those who crucify Him: 鈥淔ather, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.鈥�

Falling and rising

At the Third Station, Jesus 鈥渇alls the first time,鈥� teaching that 鈥渢he Way of the Cross is traced close to the earth: the mighty withdraw from it, yearning for heaven. Yet heaven hangs low, and we can find it even in our falls.鈥� At His second fall (Station VII), Christ shows us 鈥渇all and rise again; fall and rise again,鈥� the human adventure of sin and conversion. 鈥淲e hesitate, stray, become lost,鈥� yet we also experience joy鈥斺�渢he joy of new beginnings, the joy of rebirth.鈥� Humans are 鈥渉andcrafted鈥濃�攗nique mixtures of grace and responsibility. Jesus, made 鈥渙ne of us,鈥� did not fear to stumble. We, however, often hide our falls, rejecting the path Christ chose. God鈥檚 economy, in which 鈥渘inety鈥憂ine matter more than one,鈥� is inhumane: today鈥檚 world is built on such logic 鈥渙f calculation and algorithms, of cold logic and implacable interests.鈥� The 鈥渄ivine economy,鈥� by contrast, 鈥渋s different.鈥� Turning to Christ, who falls and rises, is 鈥渁 change of course and a change of pace鈥攁 conversion that restores joy and brings us home.鈥�

Like the Cyreneans

In Simon of Cyrene (Station V), returning from the fields, 鈥渢hey laid the cross on him,鈥� illustrating how we can stumble upon God unexpectedly. Though Simon did not ask for the cross, he bore it. Christ鈥檚 yoke is 鈥渆asy, and His burden is light,鈥� and He loves involving us in His work that 鈥渨hich ploughs the earth so that it may be sown anew.鈥� We need that surprising lightness. Without God, toil is in vain; 鈥淥n the way of the cross, the new Jerusalem is rising.鈥�

Women along the road to Calvary

Stations IV, VI, and VIII highlight women: Mary, Veronica, and the daughters of Jerusalem. Mary鈥檚 discipleship is 鈥渘ot a sacrifice but a continuous discovery.鈥� She, 鈥渢he first disciple,鈥� shows that 鈥淚n God, words are deeds, promises are realities.鈥� Veronica鈥檚 veil bears Christ鈥檚 face鈥攖he proof of 鈥淗is decision to love us to the last breath, and even beyond,鈥� for 鈥渓ove is as strong as death.鈥� And the daughters of Jerusalem, moved to weep, are urged to weep 鈥渇or themselves and their children,鈥� for our wounded coexistence, our broken world calls 鈥渇or tears that are heartfelt and not merely perfunctory鈥�

Jesus is among those who hope

At Station XIII, Joseph of Arimathea, 鈥渁 good and righteous man 鈥� waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God,鈥� takes Jesus鈥� body. Christ is 鈥渋n the hands of someone who continues to hope, one of those who refuse to think that injustice always prevails,鈥� granting 鈥済reat responsibilities,鈥� emboldening us. Finally, at Station XIV, the Sabbath silence of Holy Saturday: 鈥淭each us how to do nothing at those times when it is asked of us only to wait.  Teach us sensitivity to the seasons of the earth.鈥� Jesus, 鈥渓aid in the tomb,鈥� shares in our human condition, descending into the depths we fear, teaching rest, anticipation, and preparing all creation for resurrection peace.

Concluding Prayer
鈥溾�楲audato sì, mi鈥� Signore鈥欌�斺�楶raise be to you, my Lord.鈥� In Saint Francis of Assisi鈥檚 canticle, our common home is a sister who cries out because of the harm we have inflicted on her. 鈥楩ratelli tutti鈥欌�斺�楤rothers and sisters all,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 writes, calling us to be marked by the flavour of the Gospel, 鈥楬e loved us,鈥� wrote Saint Paul, 鈥榯o make us realise that nothing can ever 鈥榮eparate us鈥� from that love.鈥�

We have walked the Stations of the Cross.  We have turned towards the love from which nothing can ever separate us.  Now, as the King sleeps and a great silence descends upon all the earth, let us pray, in the words of Saint Francis, for the gift of heartfelt conversion: