Originally published at Ignatian Spirituality
On Good Friday, 1991, Pope John Paul II introduced an alternative way to pray the Stations of the Cross. Foregoing some of the traditional scenes that are not found in the Bible (e.g., Veronica wipes the face of Jesus), this new approach to the centuries-old devotion allowed believers to engage in the mysteries of Christ’s Passion in a way that was based entirely on Scripture (for instance, the inclusion of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, which is not found in the original meditation).
Though I grew up on the traditional Stations, I’ve developed a great love for the scriptural Stations over the last few years. They not only help me during difficult times, they help me to know Jesus better through the Bible. My book, Station to Station, is a product of that devotion. What I find so intriguing and heartfelt about this version of the sacred mysteries is that as much as these Stations focus on Jesus’ Passion, they also offer us 14 distinct ways Jesus responds to suffering. Hence, the Scriptural Stations of the Cross isn’t just a spiritual exercise, it is also a guide to living a life with integrity and character. When Jesus was frightened,
