In the season of Lent the church turns her attention to the challenges and suffering in life. At St. andrew we walk the Stations of the Cross three times a week as a Lenten observance. This ancient devotion does not shy away or deny the agony and suffering that is present in life; nor does it deny the human emotions of feeling persecuted, abandoned, and despised amidst our darkest hours.
All you who pass by, behold and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow. My eyes are spent with weeping; my soul is in tumult; my heart is poured out in grief because of the downfall of my people. “Do not call me Naomi (which means Pleasant) call me Mara (which means Bitter); for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.” (13th station)
Walking the stations at Lent reminds me the church’s place is not only in the joyful and triumphant experiences in life, but also a companion upon the path of sorrows and suffering that are prevalent in these times.