For nearly thirty years we have used an order for the Stations of the Cross at the parish which was assembled by the now-departed Fr. W. T. St. John Brown. I have always found this particular version of the Stations to be especially beautiful, a lovely combination of traditional devotions coupled with Collects from the Book of Common Prayer, and readings from the scriptures. I guess it’s the scriptures that really get to me. Or, to be more specific, the version of the scriptures which is used is what I love; namely, the old Authorized Version, also known as the King James Version. Yes, I know -- there’s a lot of baggage that goes along with that. But I can’t help it. There’s something about those familiar words that really burrows down deep in my soul.
Fr. Brown’s order for the Stations can be found
here, and as an added bonus there are some reflections by John Henry Cardinal Newman. We don’t use the reflections in our public saying of the Stations, but they’re included for your edification.
We pray the Stations of the Cross at the parish each Friday in Lent, first with the students of the Academy at 2:15 p.m., and at 7:00 p.m., we have Solemn Evensong, then Stations, followed by Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
5 comments:
This is the first time I can recall seeing the Newman meditations. They remind me of a number of more traditional settings for the Stations.
If I were making the Stations on my own, my own preference would likely be to use the Newman meditations and skip the Scriptural version. Newman moves you along station by station, and causes you to focus on how my own sins contributed to the scene. On the other hand, the Scriptural version seems to have to work hard to come up with some piece of Scripture that relates to the scene when the scene itself isn't in Scripture or has just a brief phrase. When Jesus meets his Mother, Newman has you at the scene while Jesus is carrying His cross;while Fr. Brown puts you at the foot of the cross. After announcing the station with Veronica wiping the face of Jesus, Fr. Brown really says nothing about it; while Blessed Newman meditates upon the scene.
I understand your thought about this Daniel; however, having the familiar Scriptural references is, for many of us, rather like having an old friend accompanying us on the way.
"Fr. Brown’s order for the Stations can be found here...
You mean I didn't have to "steal" one from Church to bring with me when I move?
I love it too, Father.
@Jen - "Thou shalt NOT steal." Please put the stolen one back in its place. (You didn't "steal" a mass book, too, did you? It asks you RIGHT ON THE BOOK not to remove it from the church.
Ah, but I've given Jen my permission to take one. Since it's a law I enacted, it's a law I can suspend. And please note -- we follow the principle of Roman law in this matter; no precedent is set.
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