Every time we’re in the Church, we probably see them, fourteen of them, but how often do we take the time to look? Or think about why they’re important enough that every Catholic Church displays them? The Stations of the Cross begin with Station I in the left front of the church, and moving counter clockwise to Station XIV in the right front, depict the last hours of Jesus’ life on earth.
Lent provides us with the perfect opportunity to truly reflect on the journey that Jesus took in those last days; meditating on the needlessness of his death sentence, the cruelty of those around him, and his ultimately giving his life for us. Saint Ambrose Parish joins as a community each Friday in Lent to remember this journey that we call the Passion and to ponder how we can be better Christians.
We use reflection booklets that are available as you come in the church, that first remind us of what Jesus was going through, then help us ask ourselves what we can learn. Just as one example, one of the booklets that we use (and we’ll use five different ones during the six weeks) includes this prayer for the third station, about Jesus falling the first time: “Lord, how often have I see you fall, and, unlike Mary, left you there without concern? How often have I seen people make mistakes and laughed at them? How often do I find myself getting angry when someone does things differently than I? Lord, have mercy on me.” (Praying the Stations with Mary the Mother of Jesus by Richard Furey, Twenty-Third Publications)
We gather in the church at 7 pm each Friday, from February 15 to March 22. And, just as importantly, we gather for a light soup supper (homemade by parishioners and meat-free, of course) and fellowship in Fannon Hall before our reflection (starting at 6 pm). Each year more and more parishioners join us, young and old, for this community-filled, prayerful evening. If you haven’t, will you think about it? If you have, come back and bring a friend!
Sincerely,
Your friends of the Adult Faith Formation Team