STATION 2: JESUS TAKES UP THE CROSS
The soldiers took Jesus into the courtyard of the governor’s headquarters (called the Praetorium) and called out the entire regiment. They dressed him in a purple robe, and they wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head. Then they saluted him and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” And they struck him on the head with a reed stick, spit on him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship. When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified.
— Mark 15:16-22 (New Living Translation)
Pilate brought Jesus out to them again. Then Pilate sat down on the judgment seat on the platform that is called the Stone Pavement (in Hebrew, Gabbatha). It was now about noon on the day of preparation for the Passover. And Pilate said to the people, “Look, here is your king!” They yelled, “Away with him. Away with him! Crucify him!” Pilate asked, “What? Crucify your king?” The leading priests shouted back, “We have no king but Caesar!” Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus away.
— John 19:13-16 (New Living Translation)
Station 2
The first two stations — Jesus is Judged and Jesus Takes Up the Cross — are mere footsteps from each other.
Jesus and two other condemned men are given their crosses to carry through the city streets to their place of execution. The Romans regularly used crucifixion as punishment, and it was uniquely designed to extract the maximum amount of pain while keeping the prisoner alive for as long as possible. The details of the way the condemned would have died are well documented elsewhere, and not necessary here. Suffice it to say that the English word “excruciating” comes from this mode of execution. Terrible, unbearable pain.
As they carried their crosses, Jesus and these two other condemned men knew what was coming. It must have made every step they would take even more painful and terrifying.
Added to this physical pain was emotional, mental, and spiritual anguish. The men were forced to carry the devices of their death through the streets. Many people watching this shameful processional would have taunted and mocked them, heaping humiliation and fear onto their already burdened bodies. On the narrow streets of Jerusalem, such as the one pictured here, there would have been no way to avoid those onlookers, those spectators, those voyeurs. Their guards would also have been watching closely, no doubt adding their own choice words to the mix.
Let us pray.
Gracious God,
We pray this day for police officers, prison guards, social workers, for all those whose vocation it is to enforce the law and to carry out the sentences of the convicted. We pray that you would keep them safe and strong as they do their difficult work, in which they often see daily the darkest side of humanity. We pray that their spirits would be filled with your peace, and that they would know how loved they are by you, and how appreciated their work is by so many.
We pray for those who misuse or abuse their position of power, that their hearts would be softened. We pray for them to have your wisdom in dealing with each person they encounter, seeing in them not someone to be discarded, but a person you love and for whom you died. Give them insight and grace, and give them fortitude and endurance.
We pray for bystanders who would line the streets to see someone’s humiliation, for those who find a sense of satisfaction in the misfortune of others. We pray that their hearts and spirits might also be softened, and that they might understand the damage their words and actions can inflict on the people around them.
We pray for ourselves, acknowledging that our own words and actions are not consistently healing or wholesome. We pray that where we have done harm, you would guide us in making amends. We pray that where we have rejoiced over the suffering of another, we would seek their peace and restoration.
As you, on the cross, cried out, “Forgive them, for they know not what they do,” we pray this day that you would forgive us. We pray that you would heal us, and lead us closer to your love.
We finish this station by praying in silence, that you would open our spirits to you this day.