The Fourteenth Station
Jesus is laid in His tomb

John 19: 38-42 - After this, Joseph, who was from the town of Arimathea, asked Pilate if he could take Jesus’ body. (Joseph was a follower of Jesus, but in secret, because he was afraid of the Jewish authorities.) Pilate told him he could have the body, so Joseph went and took it away. Nicodemus, who at first had gone to see Jesus at night, went with Joseph, taking with him about one hundred pounds of spices, a mixture of myrrh and aloes. The two men took Jesus’ body and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices according to the Jewish custom of preparing a body for burial. There was a garden in the place where Jesus had been put to death, and in it there was a new tomb where no one had ever been buried. Since it was the day before the Sabbath and because the tomb was close by, they placed Jesus’ body there.
And so, because He died, sin has no power over Him; and now He lives His life in fellowship with God. In the same way you are to think of yourselves as dead, so far as sin is concerned, but living in fellowship with God through Christ Jesus.

Meditation:
People have returned to their homes for the Sabbath. The streets of Jerusalem are dark and quiet after a day of noise and chaos. John, Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, and Mary go from The Place of the Skull to Jesus’ burial tomb. Joseph and John carry Jesus into the tomb. They lay him on a rock bench in the burial chamber. The men move a big boulder in front of the entrance to block it. They will have to come back after the Sabbath to finish preparing His body. They bow their heads, and sadly walk home to their own Sabbath celebrations. They all know that none of them will ever be the same again. They have been changed forever.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, sometimes I really hate myself for the unkind things I say or do. Help me to let those old bad habits and ways die, so that I can experience life with You in a new and content way. The darkness that comes to be in our lives can either be seen as the darkness of a cold tomb or it can been as the darkness of a womb about to give birth to something wonderful. Lord, in my walk with You, help me to give birth to something wonderful in my life and in the lives of those around me. This I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen

Thirteenth Station

Ending the walk

You have now completed the 14 Stations of the Cross. The people of St. Anne’s hope this has been a meaningful experience for you.

As you finish the walk, please do so in a contemplative manner, holding to your heart the love that Jesus offers.

If you like, pray the prayer of St. Francis (or pray your own prayer):

Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace,
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be
understood as to understand, to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying
that we are born to eternal life.
Go in peace and may God bless you.

The Thirteenth Station
Jesus is taken down from the cross

Luke 23:50-53 - There was a man named Joseph from Arimathea, a town in Judea. He was a good and honourable man, who was waiting for the coming of the Kingdom of God. Although he was a member of the council, he had not agreed with their decision and action. He went into the presence of Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took the body down, wrapped it in a linen sheet, and placed it in a tomb which had been dug out of solid rock and which had never been used. It was Friday, and the Sabbath was about to begin. The women who had followed Jesus from Galilee went with Joseph and saw the tomb and how Jesus’ body was placed in it. Then they went back home and prepared the spices and perfumes for the body.

Meditation:
Sabbath is rapidly approaching and the crucified ones have to be taken down before the beginning of the Sabbath celebrations. The scene is one of hurrying. The crowd rushes to their homes before the beginning Sabbath or they’ll be excluded from the celebrations. The other two men crucified with Jesus appear to perhaps be still alive, so the soldiers break their legs to speed their death. More blood, more pain. In one last final blow, although they are quite certain Jesus is dead, one of the soldiers pierces Jesus’ side with a spear. More blood shed. Mary is still here. She has stayed under the cross, never leaving her Son. Joseph and Nicodemus take Jesus down from the cross. Mary can hardly bear it. How does a mother cope? She holds her child’s limp body close to her heart. She doesn’t want to give Him up, but she has to. She kisses Him and allows Him to be taken to the tomb that has been offered by their friend.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You died for me. You took my sins upon Yourself and died so my sins may be forgiven. I am truly sorry for all the ways in which I have not always followed You. I am truly sorry that I have sometimes fallen short. I truly want to please You and be at peace with myself, my family, my neighbours and this garden earth on which I live. Help me to love You more and to be grateful for all the blessings of my life. This I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen

Twelfth Station           Fourteenth Station