Artwork by Kristen Cianna, oil on 16" x 20" canvas
Poem by Taylor Miskel
Welcome to the website for Centennial Covenant Church’s podcast Centered. This podcast was created by Karl Helvig, David Dillon, and Kaley Rodda, with the help of many other wonderful people. The content below is a guide for the prayer practice known as The Stations of the Cross, and this website was designed particularly with our friends in the D/HH community in mind. You can use it on its own without the audio podcast, or you can use the website while listening to the podcast to create a more immersive experience. The content here is exactly the same as that on the audio podcast. In other words, this website and the podcast can function either independently or together.
Let’s begin our time, as always, by pressing pause on this moment and taking a few inhales and exhales. Centering yourself on what God may have for you in this time.
Read the words of Mark 15:22-27:
They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.
It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: the King of the Jews.
Now read the reflection on this station by Tony Jones, in his book The Sacred Way:
Huge, sharp spikes are hammered through Jesus’ wrists and feet—he nearly loses consciousness with each swing of the hammer. Now he is raised up and the cross drops with a thud into a hole in the ground. Jesus’ weight hangs on those spikes, and to breathe he has to pull himself up on the nails. A sponge with vinegar is stuck in his mouth, and soldiers below him gamble for his clothes, even as the blood, breath, and life drain from his body.
Take a moment to look at this week’s artwork. As always, begin by simply taking in the image.
As your eyes become familiar with this painting, is there a certain part that seems to capture your attention more than others? If so, go even deeper into that part of the painting. What is it about it that captures your senses?
What kind of a response do you want to offer to what you’re experiencing right now? Perhaps you want to take out some paper and write down your thoughts.
Take another moment to continue to reflect on this image.
When you are ready, read this written reflection by Taylor Miskel:
Inhale.
Transcendent. Immanent. Loving.
Broken. Discontent. Searching.
Creator and Creation,
Separated by the barrier of sin.
One day, they will know in full,
Understanding the breath of our love.
These nails pierce my living hands,
Leaving a physical hole.
This is their fates,
Without us.
It can only be filled,
by one.
Exhale.
When it is finished.
We are looking forward to engaging with you again in the next episode. Grace and Peace.