I recently talked with a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints member about praying at the Stations of the Cross. I was outside Queen of Peace Catholic Church in El Paso, Texas, when these two young men approached me after I had finished praying the Stations of the Cross.
This young missionary asked me why we pray the Stations of the Cross when there is a living prophet in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Members of the Mormon Church believe that the Church founded by Jesus Christ is their denomination. They further believe that the Mormon Church is led by a living prophet who speaks for God.
“We have a sacrament meeting every Sunday,” said the missionary, “we share bread and water, like your communion.”
He went on to tell me that praying prayers, like the Stations of the Cross, is meaningless because they don’t seem to focus on God.
“The prayers you say,” said the missionary, “are too formulaic, saying the same thing day after day. That is not what Heavenly Father wants. Knowing that, why pray the Stations of the Cross? It’s vain repetition.”
Why Pray the Stations of the Cross?
Praying the Stations of the Cross, especially during Lent, is a meaningful way to deepen our understanding of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross and connect with the mystery of his Passion and death.
Focus on Jesus’ Suffering:
During Lent, we should focus on Jesus’ suffering and death. When I meditate on His suffering and death, I tend to find my mind wandering, thinking about things tangentially connected to His suffering, such as what onlookers must have thought and felt, what the Roman guard felt when he thrust the spear into Jesus’ side. Praying the Stations of the Cross helps me by providing a structured way to meditate upon the events leading to Jesus’ Crucifixion, allowing me to tangibly see His love and sacrifice.
Commemoration of Christ’s Death:
As a writer and artist, I vividly imagine Jesus’ walk along the Via Dolorosa: many in the crowd cheered him on as He carried His Cross to the place of execution, taking perverse pleasure in His pain and suffering. Still, others were filled with guilt and sorrow, understanding the gravity of events and what was about to unfold: the salvation of mankind.
The Stations of the Cross are a way to Commemorate Jesus’ death and Crucifixion, and this is especially true on Good Friday, the day He was Crucified.
Spiritual Pilgrimage:
In Israel today, many, especially during the Lenten Season, pray the Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa. The last time I was in Israel and had a chance to be a tourist, I witnessed this devotion and pilgrimage. I did not participate as I was still an Orthodox Jew but was still touched and moved by the faithful’s devotion.
We can make this spiritual pilgrimage anywhere; we don’t need to be in Jerusalem. Praying the Stations of the Cross at home, our parish, or even in a public park allows us to follow Jesus’ path from his trial to his burial, affording us opportunities for prayer and reflection with each step.
Personal Reflection:
I want to make a personal confession here: during my time in the RCIA, when I saw a Crucifix, I would focus on how my sins caused Jesus to suffer upon the altar of the Cross and how I could be forgiven. The Stations of the Cross helped me understand what Jesus did and the forgiveness of my sins.
While praying the Stations of the Cross, we can reflect upon our sins and failings, ask forgiveness at each station, and follow Jesus more closely.
Before confession, when I fear that my sins may not be forgiven, I will pray the Stations of the Cross after the examination of conscience. This helps me to overcome the fear of confession and assures me of forgiveness.
Hope and Joy:
“The greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to My mercy.” – Saint Faustina Kowalska.
This quote by Saint Faustina Kowalska, who had a profound devotion to Divine Mercy, highlights God’s limitless mercy. It reminds us that no matter how great our sins may be, we are always deserving of God’s mercy. Knowing God’s unfathomable mercy brings immense joy and hope to our hearts.
Focusing on Christ’s suffering, the Stations of the Cross provide a message of hope and joy. They remind us that Jesus’ death was not the end but the beginning of our salvation, allowing us to approach God’s limitless mercy.
To know Jesus Christ, who is fully God and fully man, a concept known as the hypostatic union, where two distinct natures (divine and human) are united in one person, He knows the temptations we suffer. He also knows that we can overcome those temptations. This is, for me, another aspect of the hope and joy I find within the Crucifixion of Jesus, which is reflected in the Stations of the Cross.
Conclusion:
Over the last four years of being Catholic, I’ve learned that many traditions, prayers, devotions, and novenas within the Church help us focus on God’s love for us. These prayers are not vain repetition; as the Mormon missionary stated, they are guides to focus our thinking and guide our hearts.
Can prayer, or praying the Stations of the Cross, become nothing more than a vain repetition? Yes, they can, but only if we simply say the words and perform an action because it is expected of us. Yet, when we put our heart and soul into the prayers and fully meditate on the Stations of the Cross, and what it means for us today, our prayer is enlivened with faith and the power to transform us from sinner to saint.
My conversation with the missionaries took about an hour. During that time, I learned that these boys, just eighteen and nineteen years old, were far from home. I also learned that they are steeped in Mormon theology and dogma and that there is no wiggle room allowing for beliefs other than their own. It’s actually sad.
We parted with handshakes and a promise to pray for each other.
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