“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Jesus Christ bore sins and sufferings of mankind. He was nailed to the cross, and achieved eternal salvation. Fourteen Stations of the Cross sculptures show whole process of Jesus’ suffering. Gazing at these scenes of Jesus falling, bleeding, and being nailed to the cross can make us feel God’s love and salvation intuitively.
First Station: Pilate Condemns Jesus to Die
Jesus stood before Pilate, wearing a crown of thorns, and his hands were bound. He silently accepted unjust verdict. This silence was not weakness, but tolerance of human nature. Jesus was willing to be scapegoat for sinners, and our salvation began with his sacrifice. Jesus endured the injustice, teaching us to respond to hatred with love.
Second Station: Jesus Accepts His Cross
Jesus was forced to carry the cross to Golgotha. We can see that he opened his arms and looked up to sky. Despite being mocked and persecuted by soldiers, he was still praying to God, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” In daily life, we may find it difficult to forgive others. But when we remember that Jesus accepts his cross, can we become humble and obedient?
Third Station: Jesus Falls the First Time
Crown of thorns hurt his head, and the weight of cross made him fall. Seeing Jesus lying on the road, we burst into tears. How fortunate we are to be freed from the burden of sin because of Jesus.
Fourth Station: Jesus Meets His Afflicted Mother
Seeing Jesus suffer, Mary was deeply saddened. She reached out her hand to touch Jesus and wanted to relieve his pain. This was a mother’s love for her son, as well as her obedience and humility to God.
Fifth Station: Simon Helps Jesus Carry the Cross
Simon of Cyrene was pushed by soldiers to carry the cross. He was both a victim of violence and a participant in salvation. On the road to salvation, we must actively follow Jesus to obtain eternal salvation.
Sixth Station: Veronica Offers Her Veil to Jesus
Veronica gently wiped Jesus’s sweaty face with her veil. When she took back the veil, holy face of Jesus was miraculously imprinted on veil’s surface. As long as we have a pious heart, even the smallest action can be loved by God.
Seventh Station: Jesus Falls the Second Time
After much torture, Jesus fell for the second time. But he still did not give up. This makes all of us, who have experienced weakness, understand that the path of faith allows for falling, but never giving up.
Eighth Station: Jesus Speaks to the Women
When Jesus carried cross and walked to Golgotha, many people followed Jesus. Among them were women of Jerusalem, who wept bitterly for Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.” When we pray, we need to repent for our own sins and pray for the souls of others.
Ninth Station: Jesus Falls the Third Time
Jesus fell on the stone, already bruised and exhausted. Christ’s fall was not a failure, but a love to lift us up when we fall. When our souls deeply resonate with Christ’s fall, that is when his love is with us.
Tenth Station: Jesus is Stripped of his Garments
Soldiers roughly stripped Jesus’ clothes, which foreshadowed that he would be crucified. Although Jesus was naked, he accepted all the sins and ugliness of mankind.
Eleventh Station: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross
The Roman soldiers’ iron nails pierced Jesus’ wrists and ankles, fixing Him to the rough wooden cross. Whenever I think of Jesus being crucified for us, I cry and repent. He shed his blood and died for us so that we can be justified freely. And our response is to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice.
Twelfth Station: Jesus Dies Upon the Cross
Our sins are so heavy that no one can pay them except Jesus’ death. Jesus completely obeyed God’s will and gave his soul completely into God’s hands. John 19:30: When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. We should bow before Jesus in awe and gratitude.
Thirteenth Station: Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross
After Jesus died, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus took down his body from the cross.. Physical torture and suffering were over.
Fourteenth Station: Jesus is Placed in the Sepulcher
Jesus’ body was wrapped in a shroud and placed in a tomb. After Jesus’ body was placed in the tomb, a large stone was rolled to the entrance of the tomb.
Fourteen Stations of the Cross sculptures are not just statues carved out of marble. They show us a spiritual journey, leading us to see grace in suffering and resurrection in death.
