Lenten Journey Week 5

I don’t know about you but it’s been a incredible week of high and low and it will be nice to get back to my spiritual journey. So often life has a way of creeping into the best of our intentions and maybe that’s a good metaphor for the next station in our own “way of the cross”, when Jesus meets his mother. When we go through difficulties in our life, so often we become so self absorbed, all we can do is think of our own problems. And then all of a sudden we our confronted by the realization that our actions effect those around us, especially our family and friends.

It is suggested that you take only one station each day and reflect on the meaning that it has in your life and before beginning these exercises it is recommended that you find a quiet place, take a few deep breaths and let the world slip away, spend some time repeating a sacred word or phrase, (it can be anything; Jesus heal me, Holy God, or anything that resonates with you) and once you feel that you are centered and in touch with heaven ask for Gods guidance along this journey and thank him for His love and protection.

Station 6 Family

First let us give thanks for those individuals whom God has placed in our lives. I always find the mechanics of relationships strange, out of all the billions of souls in the world we choose so few to be our friends, and the oddest assortment of characteristics become endearing to us. So to with family; that we should bond so completely with individuals sometimes so different from ourselves. Who could not but wonder at the complexities of life and relationships and not marvel at God’s creation? So let us now close your eyes and ask for God to come into your heart. Thank him for those individuals he has placed into our lives. Feel His love and peace melt away any barriers or problems you have with those closest to you. And ask God to forgive you when your actions might have harmed those whom you care most about. Ask God to give you the courage to follow and to show His love no mater what crosses we are asked to bare Feel his love and thank Him for that love.

Station 7 accepting assistance

So often we pride ourselves on being self reliant. In feeling that we can do it all, even though we could use some help. I often feel that is the reason why God put difficulties in our lives which we can not handle alone. For even Jesus had to accept assistance from someone else. This is one of the most difficult stations for many of us who allow pride to separate us from those whom God has placed in our lives. So let us close our eyes and ask God to come into our hearts. Thank him for the difficulties that we can not face by ourselves, thank him for the times we are forced to rely on someone else and to rely and to trust in His love. And ask God to give you the courage to follow His path and consent to the crosses he gives us to bare Feel his love and thank Him for that love.

Station 8 falling the second and third time

Oh sure we might trip occasionally along our spiritual journey and continue our merry way, But what happens when we fall time and time again, how many of us just give up, say it’s not meant to be, abandon our spiritual path because of the difficulties which we might encounter along the way. After all if God had wanted me to walk this path he would have mad it easy, wouldn’t he? Perhaps that’s the reason Jesus fell three times and still got up and continued to carry his cross. When we are beaten and broken and tired we must ask God to give us the strength to continue His work upon this earth. So now let us close your eyes and ask for God to come into your heart. Feel His love and peace melt away any frustration with the path he has chosen for us And ask God to give you the courage to follow Him, and consent to the crosses he gives us to bare and give us the courage to continue even when we fall or have difficulties. Feel his love and thank Him for that love.

Station 9 stripped bare

When everything is taken away from us do we continue to trust in God’s love? As long as we have a few comforts in life we are happy to follow Christ, but when those few items are taken away do we still continue our spiritual journey?  Christ was laid bare upon the cross, the last strand of decency and self respect were ripped away with the few pieces of clothing that stuck to his body. We cling to our possessions and if they are ripped away it is difficult for us to see God love much less reflect it. And yet we are asked to pick up our own crosses and follow him. So now let us close your eyes and ask for God to come into your heart. Feel His love and peace melt away any frustration with the path he has chosen for us And ask God to give you the courage to follow Him, and consent to the crosses he gives us to bare and give us the courage to continue even when everything is taken away. Feel his love and thank Him for that love.

 Station 10 Forgiveness

In the hardest times, in the most difficult situations, we are asked to forgive. Forgive anyone who might have harmed us, forgive anyone who might have caused us pain or hardships, and forgive ourselves for how we might have reacted. Jesus tells us that how we forgive and judge others is the measure in which we will be judged, and gives us the example that even on the cross at the point of death, in agony and in pain; he forgave everyone who harmed him. Let us ask God to give us the courage to do the same. So let us close your eyes and ask for God to come into your heart. Feel His love and peace melt away any anger or frustration which keeps us from showing God’s love And ask God to give you the courage to follow Him, and forgive anyone whom might have harmed us, Now take a deep breath and feel his love and forgiveness and thank Him for that love.

Station 11 feeling abandoned

There are times on our spiritual journey that we feel abandoned and alone that God himself has forsaken us. Perhaps this is the hardest part of our own spiritual path, our way of the cross, to continue to follow Christ even when we doubt of his existence, or can no longer feel His love. The world crashes in around us and we feel completely abandoned, we struggle with our faith, we struggle with the difficulties in life. And yet God asks us to follow him even in those darkest moments. So let us close our eyes and thank him for those difficult times he put into our lives, for often time the hardest journeys shows us his greatest love. That it is not Him who abandons us but we separate ourselves from his love. Thank Him now for that love and feel His love embrace you, feel it’s warmth as it comes into your heart, and praise him just for being.

And finally Station 12 let us die to ourselves and live only for His love, reflecting His joy and peace into the world. That we might rise with Him and be with Him for all of eternity.

May Gods love be with you this week, and always.

Peace be with you all

Jerry (aka FatMan911)