06 April 2023

Praying at the Stations of the Cross in
Lent 2023: 6 April 2023 (Station 12)

‘Jesus dies on the Cross’ … Station XII in the Stations of the Cross in Saint Dunstan and All Saints’ Church, Stepney (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2023)

Patrick Comerford

We are coming close to the end of Holy Week, the last and closing week of Lent. Today is Maundy Thursday and later this morning I hope to at the Chrism Eucharist in Christ Church, Oxford, and the renewal of ordination vows by deacons, priests and bishops in the Diocese of Oxford.

But, even before today begins, I am taking some time early this morning for prayer, reflection and reading. In these two weeks of Passiontide this year, Passion Week and Holy Week, I am reflecting in these ways:

1, Short reflections on the Stations of the Cross, illustrated by images in Saint Dunstan’s and All Saints’ Church, the Church of England parish church in Stepney, in the East End of London, and the Roman Catholic Church of Saint Francis de Sales in Wolverton;

2, the Gospel reading of the day in the lectionary adapted in the Church of England;

3, a prayer from the USPG prayer diary.

Station 12, Jesus is Nailed to the Cross:

The Twelfth Station in the Stations of the Cross has a traditional description such as ‘Jesus dies on the Cross.’

In Station XII in Stepney, Christ dies, his jaw drops, his head falls to one side limply, his side is pierced, the bones of his ribs press through his skin, blood drips from his head, his hands and his side. There is a skull at the foot of the Cross, for this is Golgotha.

There are two groups of people at the Cross, one on either side of the Crucified Christ. To the viewer’s left, the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Evangelist are standing, while Saint Mary Magdalene has fallen to her knees; to the right, a Roman solider and an older man are talking to each other, the soldier holding a lance or spear – perhaps the very spear that has pierced Christ’s side.

The words below read: ‘Jesus dies on the Cross.’

In Station XII in Wolverton, there are only three figures at the foot of the Cross: Saint John and the Virgin Mary on each side, their hands raised in horror or in prayer, and as they look on in grief and distress, and Saint Mary Magdalene, who has fallen to her knees. In a way, their presence here makes them representatives of all humanity, male and female, brought to the foot of the Cross on that first Good Friday.

The words below read: ‘Dies on the Cross.’

‘Dies on the Cross’ … Station XII in the Stations of the Cross in Saint Francis de Sales Church, Wolverton (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2023)

John 13: 1-17, 31b-35 (NRSVA):

1 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4 got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ 7 Jesus answered, ‘You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ 8 Peter said to him, ‘You will never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.’ 9 Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ 10 Jesus said to him, ‘One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.’ 11 For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’

12 After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. 16 Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33 Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’

Today’s Prayer:

The theme in this week’s prayer diary of the Anglican mission agency USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel) is ‘Good Neighbours in Times of War: a View from Europe.’ This theme was introduced on Sunday by the Ven Dr Leslie Nathaniel, Archdeacon of the East, Germany and Northern Europe, with an adaptation of his contribution to USPG’s Lent Course ‘Who is our neighbour,’ which I have edited for USPG.

The USPG Prayer Diary today (Thursday 6 April 2023, Thursday in Holy Week) invites us to pray:

Let us pray for those who live with betrayal and rejection. May they find strength to live with brokenness, and healing that brings freedom and peace.

The Collect:

God our Father,
you have invited us to share in the supper
which your Son gave to his Church
to proclaim his death until he comes:
may he nourish us by his presence,
and unite us in his love;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Post Communion:

Lord Jesus Christ,
we thank you that in this wonderful sacrament
you have given us the memorial of your passion:
grant us so to reverence the sacred mysteries
of your body and blood
that we may know within ourselves
and show forth in our lives
the fruit of your redemption,
for you are alive and reign, now and for ever.

Yesterday’s reflection

Continued tomorrow


Maundy Thursday 2023 … images from a variety of locations (Photographs: Patrick Comerford)

Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition copyright © 1989, 1995, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org

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