Artwork by Megan Hatak, graphite and charcoal, 8" x "10
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.
Today’s Station of the Cross is Jesus falls a second time. This station, like some others, doesn’t come from a specific place in the Gospels. However, as we’ve mentioned before, it’s not hard to imagine that the long journey Jesus walked while carrying his cross would have included him stumbling or falling numerous times.
In addition, there is a scripture that gives a little bit of a backdrop to this particular Station of the Cross. It comes from the Old Testament book of Psalms, chapter 22 verses 6-7. This Psalm is considered one of the “Messianic” Psalms - a foreshadowing of some of the things Jesus would experience.
We know that Jesus experienced some very painful realities in his life. And hopefully, for us, we can feel all the more connected with God, because we know that whatever painful things we go through in life, God himself has experienced those as well.
Take a moment to read this Psalm, which captures a bitter, painful, and even humiliating part of Jesus’s life on earth:
But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
Now read this reflection on Station 7 from Tony Jones in The Sacred Way:
The weight is too much and Jesus falls again. His knees scrape on the road, and his face is pushed into the dirt. Maybe he’s reminded that “from dust you came and to dust you shall return.” Maybe he catches his breath for a moment before the soldiers force him back to his feet.
As you consider this scene, how are your senses engaged? Not only the sight, but what does it feel like there? What smells might be in the air? Where are your senses drawn? Go to that place, and sit with your experience.
What sort of response does this scene elicit from you? Are you angry? Do you feel sorrow?
It can be a valuable experience to document what you are experiencing - perhaps through journaling, or even creating your own drawing or sketch of this scene.
Continue to spend time in reflection, and read once again Tony Jones’s words:
The weight is too much and Jesus falls again. His knees scrape on the road, and his face is pushed into the dirt. Maybe he’s reminded that “from dust you came and to dust you shall return.” Maybe he catches his breath for a moment before the soldiers force him back to his feet.
As you close your time of reflection, take a couple deep breaths.
One way we would invite you to consider responding is to share any drawing, or writing, or capturing of your experience that you might create. If you would be willing to share your responses, you can share them in the comments on this website. It is vulnerable, but always so valuable, to share with others what you are processing.
Grace and Peace.