Jesus4u.co.uk - Stations of The Cross 2010 - Meditations

Preface

When I sat down to write a set of reflections on the Stations of The Cross specifically for Good Friday 2010 I found myself almost overwhelmed by the weight of my own Passiontide history, itself only a scruple compared with the weight of a tradition of piety in words, painting, sculpture and music almost entirely based on the Synoptic tradition and, necessarily, denying itself any hint of Easter; but I found myself deeply stirred by a growing consciousness of the Johannine tradition which speaks of how Jesus never lost control of his situation. I therefore resolved to write two reflections for each scene, the first synoptic and more familiar, the second Johannine and perhaps a little challenging, sometimes verging on the - some might say "arrogant" - triumphalist. Some will find the two accounts uncomfortably dissonant but I hope that many will find them profoundly contrapuntal.

Kevin Carey
Penhurst
November 2009

Liturgical Note

These reflections, with a period of silence after each, were written to occupy two hours. At their first trial, each was followed by a half verse of the Stabat Mater (Attrib. Todi, Trans. Caswell; Tune Stabat Mater) and while the material of the reflections and hymn did not correspond, it was felt that the music broke up the continuous speech otherwise only interrupted by periods of silence. The insertion of the hymn necessarily shortened the periods of silence.

Ideally, the two 'voices' should be taken by different readers, one gentle in tone for the Synoptic voice, the other more definite in tone for the Johannine.

For

Michel and Val
in whose house the work began

and

Richard and Storm
in whose house it was completed.

Sections

Please select a section:

Return to all Meditations