For centuries Christians have walked the “stations of the cross” to commerate the day leading up to Jesus’ death on the cross. From the earliest times pilgrims would go to Jerusalem to walk the the actual route that Jesus walked from Pilate’s house to Golgotha. By tradition, this was known as the Via Dolorosa (way of sorrow) or Via Crucis (way of the cross).
Through time different cities in Europe began to set up their own stations so that believers could walk the passion of Christ more than once in a lifetime. Now, many churches, particularly Catholic Churches, have their own stations within their buildings, in outdoor courtyards or at retreat centers. Unfotunately, this practice is not common or in some cases even known to many believers outside the Catholic Church.
This leads us to the first planned event for Wellspring Ministry for 2008. On March 22, 2008, 6:30 pm, we will lead a prayerful, meditative walk around Golden Ponds in Longmont, Colorado of the 14 stations of the cross. These 14 stations are based on those developed in 1991 by Pope John Paul II and are based on scriptural passages that chronicle this terrible, awful, wonderful, day. We will start the first station reflecting on Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and end with the fourteenth station with Jesus being laid in the tomb.
Our prayer and hope is that all who join us on this walk would be able to enter into this story, to feel it and the emotions, and to understand most of all the great love Jesus has for us. Begining on March 9th we will begin a daily writing of these fourteen stations with the devotion for the final station on March 22nd.
Join us here on this website for the daily stations beginning March 9th and if possible on March 22nd at Golden Ponds.
Blessings, Scott for Wellspring 2008
