Stations of the Cross for Marriage

I offered the Stations for marriage this time…

1st Station: Jesus is condemned to death
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You,
because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world
(at this point in each Station, I kiss the ground,
as I would if I were in Jerusalem, walking the Via Dolorosa–
which is what the Stations are meant to represent)

We point fingers in the wrong direction–
condemning people rather than sin.
Fight the right enemy!
We’re unjust judges,
handing down corrupt decisions (cf. James 2:4)

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.

2nd Station: Jesus takes up His Cross
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You,
because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world

We are given burdens to be carried–
precious, priceless burdens to be embraced out of love,
preferred to all others because they come from love.
Love lightens the load
(it’s not heavy–it’s my beloved)

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.

3rd Station: Jesus falls the first time
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You,
because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world

We’re limited.
We’re going to fall.
It teaches us compassion for the fallen.
We need to help each other up.
A fall–yours or another’s–is not the end.
It’s part of the process.
Welcome it too!
Don’t let it stop you.

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.

4th Station: Jesus meets His mother
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You,
because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world

Our parents are part of the process too.
They care.
They help in their own way (sometimes it’s painful).
Welcome them too.
You can be sure that St. Joseph would’ve been there too
(and certainly was following everything in spirit with great love!)
The Holy Family is pulling for you.
Acknowledge them.
Love for love.

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.

5th Station: Simon of Cyrene is forced to help Jesus carry the Cross
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You,
because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world

There’s a sense in which we’re all unequally yoked
–we’re different—
unwilling sometimes, unable others.
Still, there’s a grace in working together,
sharing the burden no matter how unjust it maybe.
In the end, justice will win out, despite injustice.

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.

6th Station: Veronica wipes the Face of Jesus
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You,
because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world

Little things make such a big difference!
We need to keep vigil to recognize and meet the little needs
and to appreciate the little kindnesses done for us.
They make love grow stronger on both sides
(inside & outside–we’re one, after all!).
And on the other side,
keep vigil to avoid perpetrating little annoyances
& overlook the ones done to us.

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.

7th Station: Jesus falls a second time
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You,
because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world

Falling isn’t something that only happens once & is gotten out of the way.
Coordinating doesn’t happen all at once.
Failure is progress.
It means you tried, you risked.
And you’re not God…but even God allowed Himself to fall.
You’re better than He?
Turn the humiliation into humility.
Celebrate it, get up, and keep going.

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.

8th Station: Jesus meets the weeping women of Jerusalem
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You,
because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world

You’ll meet people who just don’t get it.
They’ll praise things that don’t matter (or are downright wrong)
and grieve your successes.
Gently point them to the truth.
Love them in their creaturehood.
Redirect their misguidedness with compassion.
They really are trying.
Credit where it’s due.
But don’t leave them to the error of their ways
to be swept away by destruction!
Then move on.
You’ve got your own mission to fulfill.
Don’t let them stop you.

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.

9th Station: Jesus falls a third time
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You,
because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world

Don’t ever consider yourself “safe” from falls.
Don’t relax your vigilance.
Keep attentive to the end.
You’ll still fall, but you’ll be prepared to handle it.
It ain’t over ’till its over.

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.

10th Station: Jesus is stripped of His garments
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You,
because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world

You don’t know what’s really you
and what can be, must be, stripped away,
chipped and chiseled away
to fully reveal you.
Marriage is God’s workshop
where that happens.

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.

11th Station: Jesus is crucified
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You,
because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world

Marriage anchors us open.
That’s what it’s for.
Sometimes that hurts.
But it’s love.
It’s what we were made for.
It lifts us up as an example to the world
of what Heaven is all about.

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.

12th Station: Jesus dies on the Cross
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You,
because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world

“’till death do us part”…and beyond…
Death to self, mortification.
Forgiveness, desire (“I thirst”, John 19:28),
giving of parents, giving of paradise, giving of all.

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.

13th Station: Jesus is taken down from the Cross
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You,
because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world

Picking up the pieces,
loving to the end and beyond,
being a burden
but still pouring out our heart

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.

14th Station: Jesus is laid in the tomb
We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You,
because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world

Giving with no thought of return,
emptiness of loss–price of love,
trusting One greater than ourselves to fill the gap.
Stillness.
Abandonment.
Love spilling over in tears that water new gardens of faith.
Hope that endures beyond the grave
and waits to return with coming dawn.

Our Father…
Hail Mary…
Lord Jesus crucified, have mercy on us.

Weekly Date–With our Divine Bridegroom

My husband and I made a conscious decision to keep dating throughout our marriage. One night a week is set aside specifically for that purpose, and we guard it zealously (although we can rearrange days at need). Last summer we took up the challenge of “Project 52” to plan our dates as special occasions (you can see the outcome here). It’s been a lot of fun & a vast improvement over “What do you want to do?” “I don’t know, what do you want to do?”

When we were at Mass yesterday it occurred to me that God has weekly dates with His Bride too–daily, if she’ll come–and they’re always a special occasion (although, admittedly, some are more special than others). He brings out candles, music, flowers, the finest golden dishes, storytelling and intimacy far beyond what any merely mortal husband and wife experience!

God’s Bride is His Church (Ephesians 5:25-32). He dates Her (us!) lavishly every week (and every day) in the holy sacrifice of the Mass.

This divine romance can clue us in to what works in our earthly marriages. If God thinks it’s that important to date His Bride every week, perhaps we should consider dating our earthly spouse that often.

And our experience of earthly marriage can and should help us to understand better just what God’s doing for us as His beloved. I can tell you from experience that preparing special time together benefits a marriage. God’s prepared special times to spend with us. It helps if we don’t “stand Him up”!