Patrick Comerford
Today is Good Friday and later this afternoon I am involved in reading the Gospel at the Good Friday service in Saint Mary and Saint Giles Church, Stony Stratford.
Earlier this week, on Palm Sunday (24 March), I was reflecting on the Stations of the Cross in Saint Alban’s Church, in Holborn, London.
In previous years, during Lent, Passiontide or Holy Week, I have reflected on the Stations of the Cross in a variety of locations including: Saint Mel’s Cathedral, Longford (2018); Saint John’s Well, Millstreet, Co Cork (2018); the chapel in Saint John’s Hospital, Lichfield (2018); Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton, Co Limerick (2019); Gormanston College, Co Meath (2019); Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth (2019); the Church of the Annunciation, Clonard, Wexford (2022); Saint Mary and Saint Giles Church, Stony Stratford (2022); Saint Dunstan and All Saints’ Church, Stepney (2023); and Saint Frances de Sales Church, Wolverton (2023).
I was in Norwich earlier this week, when I visited Norwich Cathedral and a number of churches in the city, including Saint Julian’s Church, where the anchorite Julian of Norwich lived in a cell attached to the church. It is possible her name was taken from Saint Julian’s Church.
Julian of Norwich is the first woman whose writings in English have survived. Her book Revelations of Divine Love was written in two versions, usually referred to as the Short Text and the Long Text. The earlier Short Text was written after she experienced a series of 16 mystical revelations, following her recovery from an illness that brought her close to death. Julian of Norwich is also known in modern literature for the phrase ‘all manner of things shall be well,’ quoted by TS Eliot’s Four Quartets.
The Stations of the Cross in Saint Julian’s Church, Norwich, were painted in 1993 by the artist Irene (Rene) Ogden (1919-2015), and were given to the church by the parish curate, the Revd Marigold Hall (1929-2023). The stations have inspired a devotional booklet by Sheila Upjohn in which she draws on Julian’s text.
Irene (Rene) Ogden was an art teacher at Norwich High School for Girls from 1946 to 1979. When she retired she moved into the Cathedral Close and made Norwich Cathedral her spiritual home.
She is also remembered for making masks for the mediaeval cycle of miracle plays and Chaucer texts performed in the cathedral. She supported the Community of the Resurrection in Mirfield and Christian Aid. She died on 10 November 2015 in Lancaster and a memorial service was held in Norwich Cathedral.
Station 1, Jesus is condemned to death
In Station I, Christ stands alone in Pilate’s Court – perhaps by the pillar at which he has been scourged. In his hand he holds a reed or rod, a simple robe hangs on his shoulders has a crown of thorns is on his head. All are part of the ritual in which he was mocked and scorned after being brought before Pilate (Matthew 27; 28-30; Mark 16: 17; John 19: 2; cf Luke 23: 11).
The reflection on this station in Saint Julian’s Church reads: ‘My Kingdom is not of this world. Everyone that is of the truth hears my voice.’
Station 2, Jesus receives the Cross
At Station II, Christ takes the cross on his shoulders. Saint John’s Gospel alone says that Christ carried the cross by himself (John 19: 17); the other three Gospels say Simon of Cyrene was compelled to carry the cross behind him.
The reflection on this station in Saint Julian’s Church reads: ‘Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.’
Station 3: Jesus falls the first time
At Station III, Christ falls beneath the weight of his Cross. This is one of the traditional Stations of the Cross that depict Passion scenes that are not recalled in any of the Gospel accounts.
The reflection on this station in Saint Julian’s Church reads: ‘He was despised & rejected for our transgressions.’
Station 4: Jesus meets his Mother
At Station IV, Christ meets his Mother Mary. Perhaps he drops his Cross forgetfully as he rushes towards her and she rushes towards him. She stretches out both hands as if she is about to embrace him; he has one arm around her neck, his right hand clutching her left shoulder. But his other arm is being pulled back by the arm of another, a soldier, an official, someone who has also been brutalised.
The reflection on this station in Saint Julian’s Church reads: ‘I know him and the fellowship of his suffering being made comfortable unto his death.’
Station 5: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his Cross
At Station V, we meet Simon of Cyrene, who is compelled to carry Christ’s Cross, according to all three Synoptic Gospels (see Matthew 27: 32; Mark 15: 21-22; Luke 23-26).
The reflection on this station in Saint Julian’s Church reads: ‘Whosever will come after me let him take up his cross and follow me.’
Station 6: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
Station VI tells a story not told in any of the four Gospels, although there are some parallels with the story of the woman who was healed miraculously by touching the hem Christ’s garment (Luke 8: 43-48). In popular depictions of this station, Veronica is often seen on her knees, offering her veil with both hands. Christ stretches out to receive the veil, while Simon of Cyrene continues to prop up the Cross. According to tradition, Veronica is moved with sympathy when she sees Christ carrying his cross and gives him her veil to wipe his forehead. When he hands back the veil, it is marked with the image of his face.
The reflection on this station in Saint Julian’s Church reads: ‘The revelation of the glory of God in the face of Jesus.’
Station 7: Jesus falls the second time
Station VII also illustrates a story that is not told any of the four Gospel accounts of Christ’s journey to Calvary, although the popular numbering of three falls may have a Trinitarian intention. In this station, Christ falls to his knees beneath the weight of his cross. As children, we used to say: ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names shall never hurt me.’ Do those who force Christ to carry his cross beat him as he falls with sticks and stones? Do they berate him verbally and call him names?
The reflection on this station in Saint Julian’s Church reads: ‘He was despised & rejected, he was bruised for our iniquities.’
Station 8: The women of Jerusalem weep for Jesus
Saint Luke alone among the Gospel writers tells the story recalled in Station VIII, where Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem:
A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are surely coming when they will say, “Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.” Then they will begin to say to the mountains, “Fall on us”; and to the hills, “Cover us.” For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?’ (Luke 23: 26-35).
The ‘Daughters of Jerusalem’ are mentioned several times in the Song of Solomon (see 1: 5, 2: 7, 3: 10-11, 5: 8, 5: 16). For example: ‘O daughters of Jerusalem, if you find my beloved, tell him this: I am faint with love’ (Song of Solomon 5: 8).
The reflection on this station in Saint Julian’s Church reads: ‘Weep for me. Weep for yourselves & your children.’
Station 9: Jesus falls the third time
Station IX is another of the traditional stations that does not recall an event in any of the passion narratives in the four Gospels. The third fall, like the other two falls, is not mentioned in the Gospel accounts of the Passion, but the incident is part of traditional Christian piety and Station IX in the Stations of the Cross.
The reflection on this station in Saint Julian’s Church reads: ‘He was despised & rejected, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.’
Station 10: Jesus is stripped of his garments
Station X depicts a scene described in all four Gospels:
And when they had crucified him, they divided his clothes among themselves by casting lots; then they sat down there and kept watch over him (Matthew 27: 35-36).
And they crucified him, and divided his clothes among them, casting lots to decide what each should take (Mark 15: 24).
And they cast lots to divide his clothing (Luke 23: 34).
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier. They also took his tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said to one another, ‘Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see who will get it.’ This was to fulfil what the scripture says,
‘They divided my clothes among themselves,
and for my clothing they cast lots’ (John 19: 23-24).
The reflection on this station in Saint Julian’s Church reads: ‘Being made in the likeness of man, he humbled himself.’
Station 11: Jesus is nailed to the cross
In Station XI, Christ is nailed to the cross. When I search for ‘Nails’ on Google, trying any of the towns I have lived in, I get endless lists of nail bars offering glamorous treatments that I am never going to contemplate or need. But there is nothing glamorous about the nails and hands in Station XI in the Stations of the Cross.
Two thieves will also be nailed to two more crosses on the hilltop. One will ask for mercy and forgiveness and he will receive the promise he seeks from Christ.
The reflection on this station in Saint Julian’s Church reads: ‘I lay down my life of my own free will, no-one takes it from me.’
Station 12: Jesus dies on the cross
In Station XII, the Crucified Christ dies between the two thieves on either side. At the top of the Cross are the words written by Pilate, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.’ In Saint Luke’s Gospel alone, the Penitent Thief cries out: ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom’ (Luke 23: 42).
When Christ dies on the Cross in Station XII, the group at the foot of the Cross are mainly women. The Gospel writers say many women were there (Matthew 27: 55; Luke 23: 55), and they name his mother Mary (John 19: 25-27), her sister Mary, the wife of Clopas (John 19: 25), Mary Magdalene (Matthew 27: 56; Mark 15: 40, 47; John 19: 25), Mary the mother of James and Joseph (Matthew 27: 56; Mark 15: 40, 47), Mary the mother of the sons of Zebedee (Matthew 27: 56), and Salome (Mark 15: 40).
The only man at the Cross on Good Friday, apart from those who condemned Christ and the two thieves, is Saint John the Beloved Disciple (John 19: 26).
The reflection on this station in Saint Julian’s Church reads: ‘When I am lifted up, I will draw all people to me.’
Station 13: Jesus is taken down from the cross
Sometimes, Station XIII is described as ‘The Body of Jesus Is Placed in the Arms of his Mother.’ In the Synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke say Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus, took the body, and wrapped it a clean linen cloth (Matthew 27: 28; Mark 15: 43, 46; Luke 23: 50-53); Saint John’s Gospel adds that Nicodemus helped Joseph with the preparation of the body for burial.
None of the Gospels says that the Virgin Mary held the body of her son when he was taken down from the Cross and before he was buried. But this has become a popular image in Passion scenes, from Michelangelo’s Pieta to the statues that dominate Good Friday processions today in Italy, Spain and Portugal.
The Mother who once cradled the Infant Child on her lap, now holds her dead son on her lap. The hands once raised in adoration and in love, are now raised in horror and in anguish. Had she known that this was the end, would she have said yes to the Angel Gabriel at the Annunciation when he greeted her with those words, ‘Ave Maria, Hail Mary’?
Does she remember now how she once cradled the Christ Child on her lap? Are the grave clothes he is to be wrapped in as he is laid in the grave a reminder to her of the swaddling clothes she wrapped him in as she laid him down to sleep in his crib in Bethlehem?
The reflection on this station in Saint Julian’s Church reads: ‘He that descended is the same that ascended.’
Station 14: Jesus is laid in the tomb
When Christ is laid in the tomb at Station XIV, the Virgin Mary, hands crossed as if she is about to approach the Altar at the Eucharist to receive the Body of Christ, watches as Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus gently lay Christ’s body in the grave.
Nicodemus who came to see Christ under the cover of darkness, now prepares to bury his body before darkness falls. Nicodemus who had questions and doubts, now holds the Body of Christ in his hands. Nicodemus has become a full communicant member of the Church.
In death he knows what is meant by new birth.
‘The Body of Christ given for you.’
‘Amen.’
But this is not the end.
The reflection on this station in Saint Julian’s Church reads: ‘We are buried with him in our Baptism. We are raised to new life with him.’
There are seven days of creation. God’s work is complete and God rests on the seventh day; now Christ is to rest in the grave on the seventh day, his work is complete.
Early on Sunday morning, before dawn on the first day of the week, the women come to the tomb with spices they have prepared. But they find the stone has been rolled away from the tomb, there is no body, and two men in dazzling clothes ask them ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen’ (Luke 24: 5). There is a similar greeting in the other two Synoptic Gospels: ‘He is not here; for he has been raised’ (Matthew 28: 6); ‘He has been raised; he is not here’ (Mark 16: 6).
The Cross is empty.
The Grave is empty.
We have Good News to proclaim.
