As we are over the half way point in Lent, it is time to begin the preparation for Holy week. As a MT last year, I was given permission to conduct a Good Friday Meditation based on the Stations of the Cross. The aim of the service is to allow people to come into the church, say a few prayers, sing some hymns and then to begin the Stations. Unlike the traditional method of the Stations, I have made it more like a Labyrinth, to give people the chance to walk through the story in a different way. There are so many variations to the stations, but I have chosen the nine that are scriptural in the gospels and they are:
Stations of the cross.
- Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Mark 14:32-42
- Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested, Mark 14:43-52
- Jesus is judged by Pilate, Mark 15:1-15
- Jesus is helped by Simon to carry His cross, Mark 15:21
- Jesus is crucified, Mark 15:21-32
- Jesus promises His kingdom to the repentant thief, Luke 23:39-43
- Jesus entrusts Mary and John to each other, John 19:25-27
- Jesus dies on the cross, Mark 15:33-41
- Jesus is laid in the tomb. Mark 15:42-47
At each station, there is a bible open with the selected scripture for you to read the story, then there are application questions to reflect on. There is usually a reflective aid to help you focus, e.g. Jesus in the Garden is represented by a kneeler for people to kneel and pray. The natural way of going through the stations is in a chronological order, but you can go through it by a different order which would be a change.
If you are thinking about Good Friday this year and you have no plans, then I suggest this method as a good alternative for a Good Friday service.
Fan into Flame 