Andrew Blair posted: " Firstly a description; The Traditional Stations of the Cross arrive at us over the centuries from the Gospels and mythology. Stations of the Cross: Traditional and Scriptural Versions (catholic-resources.org) Tony Hassan Across Country acrylic "
Resilience of the human spirit. Northmead Creative and Performing Arts High School. An annual Art Exhibition co-hosted by Northmead Uniting Church and Northmead CAPA HS, exploring the journey of living, dying and our humanity.
The Stations of the Cross, a railway to Golgotha,terminating there in the depot of Gabatha.
Several Artists were allocated a Station to produce their rendition of it.
I have 3 here. The first, Station 5 ,by Jenny Little,from where Simon of Cyrene traditionally takes up Jesus Cross. However in this series of Stations this is the stop where women join the train.
5.Women of the world carry the Cross
Women, tortured,raped, suffered every humiliation
Innumerable sufferings the women bore wrought by men and neighbours of people of every ilk. Prostitutes,Nuns,mothers and aunts, girls in their cradles shrink before men. Carry hIs cross most willingly laying their burdens on he who will die to forgive saint and sinner the guilty and the innocent. The self-blamers, those who blame every one else for their shortcomings, justifying murder et al Humanity has fallen here in the taking up of wood.
Fall of humanity
Station 9 Jesus Falls the third time
Here the indiginous of our Land, the Aboriginals, make their accusations regarding the crimes of the invaders. How:
We violated the Land over which they were viceroys
We stole their Religion
Telling them they worshipped the wrong god
Decrying the Dreaming as valuless, childish, babble
We took away their souls
We took away their lives
WE FELL MOST VIOLENTLY INTO THE PIT
Still they live calling us to repentence-what manner of words will be enough?
Station 15
For me, this is an interesting Station because being a Barn with slated walls, the image is as much us looking into the empty tomb as us looking out. That with the Resurrection of Christ our resilience has lifted us from the fall. Another thought may be it's a resemblance to the stable in which most people believe Jesus was born.
Why walk the Sacred Railway
The Stations of the Cross provide(d) or enabled believers to walk with Jesus to his Crucifixion without going to the Holy Land, to Jerusalem to do so.There are prayers for every station, and for the alternative Scriptural Stations, Biblical passages to be read at each stop.
Our lives can be very much like the Railway with the depot of birth and the depot of death and the myriad stations between offering choice of different destinations: Holiness,unholiness,selfishness,self giving. Swaping Trains mid journey for ease of arrival or to flee sin or the call to vocation.
Missing our Train, stranded at a Station hostile or frightening or to be schooled in righteousness, come learn of me, come lean on me, my cross is light. Must learn the lesson, must pay attention until our ticket to ride becomes ours and we catch the next train.
Sometimes we catch the wrong train, get off at the incorrect Station to wander lost and afraid about the Terminus, dozens or more trains, immmovable and unmoving have gathered for repair before leaving for the spiderweb of rail. And we do not know which is ours.
Trust in me, do not be afraid, I have got you,lean on me just follow me and I will take you home.
But have we arrived at the station of Faith and Obedience yet? Can we just let go? Stop trying to determine our own destiny and accept the call of God whispering from within every human heart? Watch the web of rail melt into a singleton, the train heaving at the station, belching with good old fashioned smoke as the billy boils. Climb aboard, next stop Home.
I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. 26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; 27 I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:25-27 NIV)
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