ST. MATTHEW’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

“The Bible is a book best read outdoors.” – Wendell Berry

Good Friday Wilderness Stations of the Cross

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HOW WE’LL PROCEED

As we set off on our hike, enjoy the park around you and let your soul be nourished by the silences and sounds that arise from nature. We’ll stop at 14 appointed stations, where we’ll ask for a one volunteer to lead the call and response, read the scripture, and offer the prayer. A moment of silence is appropriate in between each reading. The Stations of the Cross are an activity of popular piety, which means they can be led by anyone, and preferably should be led by those who may not get very many opportunities to speak. The church offers no rubrics or doctrine for this liturgy. There are no fixed stations or readings, so in years to come, if there’s a part of the Passion you would like to incorporate, please feel free to let Fr. Christian know. Finally, the stations were created to engender compassion. They began as a way to help us more fully join our lives to Christ’s, and through Jesus, they help us stand in solidarity with the wider Body of Christ. As we walk the way of sorrows with Jesus, Mary, the disciples, criminals, and strangers, let yourself grow closer to God and your neighbor. There are still plenty in our world who know betrayal, condemnation, injustice, estrangement, and oppression. There are still plenty of us who can find healing in Christ’s wounds.

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FIRST STATION – JESUS IS BORN

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, Yet the world did not know him.

John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

Blessed Creator, we give thanks for your passion, which stretched from the womb to the tomb. By your miraculous birth and precious death, we are redeemed. Amen.

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SECOND STATION – JESUS IS BAPTIZED

The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near;

repent, and believe in the good news.

Mark 1:9-13 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’ And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness for forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.

Holy Redeemer, anointed by water and the Holy Spirit you accepted your mission to bring good news to the poor and forgiveness to all sinners. By the waters of all baptisms, we are redeemed. Amen.

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THIRD STATION – JESUS PRAYS IN THE GARDEN

And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

Mark 14:32-36 They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. And he said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake.’ And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. He said, ‘Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.’

Eternal Sustainer, you returned to the garden for rest and reprieve, but found only loneliness and obedience. By God’s will and the sweat of your brow, we are redeemed. Amen.

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FOURTH STATION – JESUS IS CONDEMNED

Everyone who is of the truth listens to Christ’s voice; What is truth?

John 19:13-16 Pilate brought Jesus outside and sat on the judge’s bench at a place called The Stone Pavement, or in Hebrew Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover; and it was about noon. He said to the Jews, ‘Here is your King!’ They cried out, ‘Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!’ Pilate asked them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but the emperor.’ Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.

Compassionate Prophet, you came to proclaim the divine power of love and we chose the imperial power of death. By your patience and truth, we are redeemed. Amen.

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FIFTH STATION – JESUS IS SCOURGED

He was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace.

Matthew 27:27-31 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters, and they gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on his head. They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him and mocked him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ They spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. After mocking him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

Suffering Servant, upon you was heaped scorn and humiliation; even creation was twisted to shame you. By your vulnerability and integrity, we are redeemed. Amen.

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SIXTH STATION – THE CROSS IS LAID ON CHRIST

But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die. The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom we killed by hanging him on a tree.

John 19:16-17 Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha.

Lord of all Creation, the first Adam brought us death through disobedience and the tree of life, but you have brought us life through obedience and a tree of death. By your wisdom and order, we are redeemed. Amen.

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SEVENTH STATION – SIMON OF CYRENE HELPS JESUS

For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.

Mark 15:21 They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus.

Dearest Brother in the faith, in the midst of your trials, you were helped by a stranger and his family, revealing our need for a community of faith. By your bonds of love and family ties, we are redeemed. Amen.

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EIGHTH STATION – JESUS MEETS THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM

A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation,

Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.

Luke 23:27-31 A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are surely coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us’; and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

O little child of Bethlehem, we have sought your death since your birth and made the mothers of the world weep in every generation. By your innocence and a parent’s love, we are redeemed. Amen.

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NINTH STATION – THE SOLDIERS DICE FOR JESUS’ CLOTHES

Behold, I cry out, ‘Violence!’ but I am not answered;

I call for help, but there is no justice.

John 19:23-25 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.” This was to fulfill what the scripture says, “They divided my clothes among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots.” And that is what the soldiers did.

Judge of all humanity, on behalf of prisoners everywhere, you endured the corruption and miscarriage of our justice systems. By your courage and law, we are redeemed. Amen.

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TENTH STATION – JESUS BIDS FAREWELL TO HIS MOTHER

This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel; and a sword will pierce your own soul too.

John 19:25-27 Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

Beloved Son, we hail you and your mother, full of grace, for undergoing a bitter separation so that the world may know eternal homecoming. By your tears and your tenderness, we are redeemed. Amen.

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ELEVENTH STATION – THE GREAT FORGIVENESS

Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone; But when they heard it, they went away one by one.

Luke 23:32-43 Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” Then one of the criminals said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Compassionate Christ, you pardoned your killers and the criminal beside you so that the way of forgiveness might be open to all. By your mercy and charity, we are redeemed. Amen.

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TWELFTH STATION – THE DEATH OF JESUS

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. As we wait eagerly for adoption and the redemption of our bodies.

Matthew 27:45-56 From noon on, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, ‘Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ Then Jesus cried again with a loud voice and breathed his last. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. After his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many. Now when the centurion and those with him, who were keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said, ‘Truly this man was God’s Son!’

Renewer of life, in emptying yourself on the cross you became the new Adam, Eve, and creation. By your death and crucifixion, we are redeemed. Amen.

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THIRTEENTH STATION – JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS

If I saw one of my people who had died and been thrown behind the wall of Nineveh; I buried them.

John 19:31-38 Since it was the day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the bodies left on the cross during the sabbath, especially because that sabbath was a day of great solemnity. So they asked Pilate to have the legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies removed. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. After these things, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, though a secret one because of his fear of the Jews, asked Pilate to let him take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission; so he came and removed his body.

God of power and might, your strength is reflected in the kindness of faithful people who labor in the graves with no hope of repayment. By your empowerment and example, we are redeemed. Amen.

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FOURTEENTH STATION – JESUS IS LAID IN THE TOMB

All are from the dust, and to dust all return.

John 19:39-42 Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Oh Tender Pioneer, you blazed the trail from life to glory but not before passing through death and hell. By your faith and way, we are redeemed. And now we wait for the first fruits of the resurrection. Amen.

Go in peace to watch with the women. Thanks be to God.

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Image Credits

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