Walking in the footsteps of Jesus

The Stations of the Cross is said to have started because the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, wanted to devoutly pray the path that her son traveled to Calvary.  This devotion may be prayed all year round,  but it is of special focus for Catholics during Lent, (the 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Easter).  Because Christ died on Good Friday, Fridays in Lent are held as the day people gather to pray the Stations together. 

The ideal situation would be to travel to the Holy Land and mark Christ's actual path, but since most Catholics around the world would have difficulty traveling to the Holy Land, the Stations of the Cross are situated in Catholic churches to commemorate this tradition.    If one has an impediment to visiting  a Catholic church, it is acceptable to piously read and meditate upon the passion and death of our Lord for one half-hour, wherever you may be. 

When I pray this Way of the Cross, I find myself especially moved at the Station where Christ is taken down from the cross and His body is laid into His mother's arms.  As a mother myself, I can't help but cry at the thought of what it must have been like to hold your dead child in your arms.  How horrible!  The sacrifice our Savior did for us and the pain and suffering He endured shows us how immensely loved we are.  Thank you, Jesus, for your selfless gift and for teaching us how to give of ourselves to the fullest.