“Hope is being able to see there that there is light despite all the darkness.” – Desmond Tutu
The last 2 years have been difficult to deal with. My brother died in 2012 and then my mother in 2013. They both asked when they would be ‘going home’.
Have those who died of violence around the world have that same opportunity? What of their loved ones? Have they found hope?
Photo (c) 2012 John M. KIngery
Station 13: Jesus is taken down from the cross (St. Francis shrine: St Cecilia parking lot)
Theme: There is hope for the helpless
Tema: Hay esperanza para los desamparados
Scripture: John 19:33-37
When the soldiers came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead so that they did not break his legs, but one of them opened his side with a lance, and immediately there came out blood and water. An eyewitness has testified, and his testimony is true; he knows that he is speaking the truth, so that you also may [come to] believe.For this happened so that the scripture passage might be fulfilled: “Not a bone of it will be broken.” And again another passage says: “They will look upon him whom they have pierced.”
Reflection by Matt Cato of the Office of Life, Justice and Peace: When he was elected Pope Francis I said that, “Right away, with regard to the poor, I thought of St. Francis of Assisi, then I thought of war. Francis loved peace and that is how the name came to me.”
He had also thought of St. Francis of Assisi’s concern for the natural environment, he said, and how he was a “poor man, a simple man, as we would like a poor church, for the poor.”
Like St. Francis, Francis emphasized our role to protect all of humanity, but “especially the poorest, the weakest, the least important, those whom Matthew lists in the final judgment on love: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and those in prison.”
“Today amid so much darkness we need to see the light of hope and to be men and women who bring hope to others,” he said. “To protect creation, to protect every man and every woman, to look upon them with tenderness and love, is to open up a horizon of hope, it is to let a shaft of light break through the heavy clouds,” he said.
Prayers: We thank you for the abundance of love and forgiveness which flows from you to all of us. WE THANK YOU, LORD
Petitions: Let us pray for those from other countries, that here they find community and be treated with dignity and respect as we welcome the stranger. O GOD, HEAR OUR PRAYER
Let us pray for charity in our hearts so that we may contemplate the face of Christ in everyone we meet. O GOD, HEAR OUR PRAYER
In the coming week we will eat simply and with gratitude, remembering those who do not have enough and being faithful stewards of all creation. O LORD, WE WANT TO WALK IN YOUR WAYS
LET THE ST. CECILIA CATHOLIC COMMUNITY TAKE UP THE CROSS
Song: “Jesus Remember Me” (repeat as needed)
Photo (c) 2012 John M. KIngery
Station 12: Jesus Dies on the Cross (Apartments)
Theme: Jesus stands with the homeless
Tema: Jesús está con los que están sin casa
Scripture: Luke 23: 44-46
He said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and in the prophets and psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures. And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day.
Reflection by Mark Forker of Habitat for Humanity: Every day in Washington County, low income, hardworking families struggle to find affordable housing. The recession, job insecurity, unemployment and rapidly rising rents force families to live in unsafe, unhealthy and overcrowded conditions. Families are forced to move frequently – children transfer from school to school making it difficult to receive a quality education. In the Beaverton School District alone, 1,800 students are reported to be homeless. And so the cycle of poverty continues.
Believing decent shelter is a matter of conscience and action, Habitat works to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness one house, one family at a time. Beginning in 2008, the St. Pius X Community has sponsored two homes with Willamette West Habitat for Humanity. We worked alongside the Martinez family of four and the Monterroso family of five. Today both families are homeowners, living and thriving in simple, decent and affordable homes
In 2012, St. Pius X Community sponsored another home as part of an Interfaith Build in Aloha. This year, we will again sponsor a home as part of an Interfaith Build in Hillsboro. To date, Willamette West Habitat for Humanity has placed 86 local families in simple, decent homes. 147 adults and 249 children have escaped the cycle of poverty to achieve a better life. For families struggling just to survive, Habitat’s self-help housing program is a beacon of hope.
Annually, 50 families apply for a Habitat home with Willamette West, yet current funds can only support 5-6 homes a year. Let us pray that more of God’s people will hear the call to work tirelessly to eradicate the social injustices of poverty housing and homelessness.
Prayers: We thank you for the homes we have, and remember that our resources are a gift from you. WE THANK YOU, LORD
Petitions: Let us pray for those suffering with homelessness or enduring poverty housing and remember that they need our help. O GOD, HEAR OUR PRAYER
Let us pray for Habitat for Humanity, who in our own community and around the world works with our neighbors to build simple homes and neighborhoods for the working poor. O GOD, HEAR OUR PRAYER
We commit ourselves to see the homeless, and to support organizations who work to alleviate homelessness. O LORD, WE WANT TO WALK IN YOUR WAYS
LET THE BEAVERTON FOURSQUARE, CEDAR HILLS UCC AND VILLAGE BAPTIST COMMUNITIES TAKE UP THE CROSS
Song: Vengan a la Cruz, Adoremos (repeat as often as desired)
Photo (c) 2012 John M. KIngery
Station 11: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross (Social Security Administration)
Theme: The role of government is to protect human dignity and promote the common good
Tema: El papel del gobierno es proteger la dignidad humana y promover el bien común
Scripture: Luke 23: 33-34
When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”
Reflection by Scott Kolbet of St. John Fisher Catholic Church: The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation.
The economy is for us to all to share at the table of resources. Sadly, many are left out and many refuse to share. Only when we all share at the table are we a true family.
There should always be opportunities to work and to earn a living wage.
The Social Security program expresses our national solidarity and how all people’s lives—especially those of average- and low-wage workers and their families—are enhanced or diminished.
People of good will must support a social contract that reflects our enduring commitment to those in our community and nation, as members of one human family. When you are naked, I will clothe you. I ask the same in return.
Prayers: We give thanks for the great blessings we have. May we share them with each other, our family. WE THANK YOU, LORD
Petitions: Let us pray that we might never strip another person of their dignity or worth by our words and actions. O GOD, HEAR OUR PRAYER
We will build others up, rather than tear them down. O LORD, WE WANT TO WALK IN YOUR WAYS
LET THE WILLAMETTE WEST HABITAT FOR HUMANITY COMMUNITY TAKE UP THE CROSS
Song: “Jesus Remember Me” (repeat as needed)
Palm Cross – Photo copyright 2012 John M. Kingery
Station 10: Jesus is Stripped of His Garments (Bombshells)
Theme: We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of God’s creation
Tema: Mostramos nuestro respeto al Creador cuidando la creación de Dios
Scripture: Matthew 27:34-35
They gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall; but when he had tasted it, he would not drink. Then after they had crucified him, they divided his clothes, casting lots, to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet, “They divided my clothes among them, and upon my garments they cast lots.”
Reflection by Mission of Atonement Catholic and Lutheran Church:
The burden that crushes Jesus is like the burden of materialism. Every time the world worships things before people, power before justice, and consumption before the spirit, we lose what it means to be human and alive.
Prayers: We give thanks to the Lord for carrying our crosses when we did not have the strength to get up again. WE THANK YOU, LORD
Petitions: Let us pray that Jesus Christ pick us up each time we fall. O GOD, HEAR OUR PRAYER
Let us pray for the strength to go on when all seems hopeless. O GOD, HEAR OUR PRAYER
We commit ourselves to live simply so that others may simply live. O LORD, WE WANT TO WALK IN YOUR WAYS
LET THE ST. JOHN FISHER CATHOLIC COMMUNITY TAKE UP THE CROSS
Song: Vengan a la Cruz, Adoremos (repeat as often as desired)
Palm Cross – Photo copyright 2012 John M. Kingery
Station 9: Jesus Falls the Third Time (Planned Parenthood)
Theme: Jesus stands for the sanctity of life of all, while suffering death to redeem us
Tema: Jesús esta por lo sagrado de la vida, mientras sufre su muerte para redimirnos
Scripture: Luke 17: 1-2
He said to his disciples, “Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the person through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.
Reflection by 40 Days for Life: Every person is precious. People are more important than things. Jesus tells us, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” calling us to respect the human person. Jesus calls us to respect life in all its expressions: babies, and the hungry, the homeless, the mentally ill, even felons and murderers; to love our enemies, avoid war, prevent conflicts and seek peace. Respect Life! Celebrate Life!
Prayer: We thank you for the gift of our life and the lives of our dear ones.
WE THANK YOU, LORD
Petitions: Let us pray that we may build a culture of life which welcomes the born and unborn, the handicapped and the frail, the stranger and neighbor, and the saint and sinner.
O GOD, HEAR OUR PRAYER
Let us pray for all civic leaders and lawmakers that they will seek the good of all people, especially the unborn and the frail. O GOD, HEAR OUR PRAYER
We commit ourselves to act with kindness towards whomever we encounter, honoring the life in them. O LORD, WE WANT TO WALK IN YOUR WAYS
LET THE MISSION OF ATONEMENT CATHOLIC AND LUTHERAN COMMUNITY TAKE UP THE CROSS
Song: “Jesus Remember Me” (repeat as needed)
Palm Cross – Photo copyright 2012 John M. Kingery
Station 8: Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem (NW Balance)
Theme: We are sent to heal the sick and proclaim the kingdom of God
Tema: Estamos enviado a sanar a los enfermos y anuncia el reino de Dios
Scripture: Luke 10: 1, 9
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’
Reflection by John Kingery of St. Juan Diego Catholic Church:
A year ago this month, I received a phone call from my sister-in-law Patty in Florida. She and my only brother Billy (William Jr.) had moved there from Canada during the last decade. Billy, a Vietnam veteran, had gone into the hospital. He was independent, honest and hardworking. Still, he did not make enough money to afford health care through his employers.
Preliminary tests by the doctors revealed an aggressive form of cancer. My brother was weak, yet determined. The decision was made to undergo radiation and chemotherapy to stop the advance of the cancer. Billy’s stay in the hospital stretched into May. Patty was overwhelmed by the bills, something she never received in Canada. Thankfully, her son Cory was able to help with the necessary paper work for VA benefits.
Billy was weak, but still had a sense of hope and humor. He had been planning on retiring in November and this was just a bump in the road. Upon receiving his notice of full VA benefits, he remarked, “I wanted to increase my income but not this way”. He was never able to enjoy those benefits. ‘I want to go home, no more grits and no more hospitals.’ – Billy went home on July 4th, 2012.
My big brother believed that no one should be homeless in our country, especially the veterans. His little brother believes that everyone should have access to comprehensive healthcare regardless of the ability to pay.
Last November, Pope Benedict XVI wrote, “Health is first and foremost a universal good to be guaranteed and defended from becoming a mere “product” subjected to the laws of the market, hence accessible to few.” We have been appointed!
Prayer: We pray for doctors, nurses, staff and all health care providers who provide compassionate care. WE THANK YOU, LORD
Petitions: We pray for the many veterans in our nation who don’t know how to seek adequate health care. O GOD, HEAR OUR PRAYER
We pray for those who go bankrupt each year due to the high cost of health care in our country. O GOD, HEAR OUR PRAYER
We will work and cry out to our leaders to ensure that health care is truly available to all in our nation. O LORD, WE WANT TO WALK IN YOUR WAYS
LET THE COMMUNITIES OF LIFE TAKE UP THE CROSS
Song: Vengan a la Cruz, Adoremos (repeat as often as desired)
Cross – photo John Kingery (c) 2013
Station 7: Jesus Falls the Second time (Key Bank)
Theme: Jesus suffers with victims of hunger and loneliness
Tema: Jesús sufre con las víctimas del hambre y la soledad
Scripture: Isaiah 53:4-6
It was our weaknesses that he carried, our sufferings that he endured, while we thought of him as stricken, as one struck by God and afflicted. But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sins; upon him was the punishment that makes us whole, by his stripes we were healed. We had all gone astray like sheep, each following his own way; but the Lord laid upon him the guilt of us all.
Reflection by Dr. Larry Snow of the Murray Hills Christian Community:
Every day, almost 16,000 children worldwide die from hunger-related causes. That’s one child every five seconds who is laid in the tomb. More than one in five children lives in households that struggle to put food on the table. That’s 16.2 million children.
In the United States, hunger is not caused by a scarcity of food. There is more than enough food to feed everyone. But this does not matter if customers have no money in their pockets. Poverty spoils every meal. We live in the world’s wealthiest nation. Yet 15.1 percent of people living in the United States live in poverty.
24% of the students in the Beaverton School District qualify for free and reduced lunches. That is a lot of poverty right here in our backyard. We see these kids and their families in our food pantries. We know them by name.
Prayers: We thank you for the abundance of love and forgiveness which flows from you to all of us. WE THANK YOU, LORD
Petitions: Let us pray for those who eat and gather at the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry, Elsie Stuhr Center, Faith Cafe, St. Mark’s Lutheran, and through Meals on Wheels, that they also find community and be treated with dignity and respect. O GOD, HEAR OUR PRAYER
Let us pray for world leaders, that they may intensify their commitment to end world hunger. O GOD, HEAR OUR PRAYER
In the coming week we will eat simply and with gratitude, remembering those who do not have enough. O LORD, WE WANT TO WALK IN YOUR WAYS
LET THE SAINT JUAN DIEGO CATHOLIC COMMUNITY TAKE UP THE CROSS
Song: “Jesus Remember Me” (repeat as needed)
Cross – photo John Kingery (c) 2013
Station 6: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus (Farmers’ Market)
Theme: We honor creation when we honor our brothers and sisters
Tema: Honramos la creación cuando honramos a nuestros hermanos y hermanas
Scripture: Matthew 25:37-40
“Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?” And answering the king will say to them, “Amen, I say to you, as long as you did it for one of these, the least of my brethren, you did it for me.”
Reflection by Faith Café: As Veronica reaches out in an act of kindness and shows herself to be a true friend to Jesus, we reach out in kindness and friendship to our brothers’ and sisters’ in Christ who work so hard to provide food for our table.
When we shop at Farmers’ Markets, we care for God’s Creation by reducing the number of food miles our food travels from the time of its production until it reaches the consumer. We show special care for the farmers because when they sell at Farmers’ Markets, farmers keep 80 cents of each dollar spent by the consumer, compared to 14 cents when they sell to wholesalers.
When we shop at Farmers’ Markets we realize that our lives are connected to our brothers and sisters and all of creation.
Prayers: We give thanks to those who we do not see but through the sweat of their brows provide us the food we eat WE THANK YOU, LORD
Petitions: Let us pray that we step out from the crowd to meet the needs of others. O GOD, HEAR OUR PRAYER
Help us to be aware of those around us who need our help.
O LORD, WE WANT TO WALK IN YOUR WAYS
LET THE MURRAY HILLS CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY TAKE UP THE CROSS
Song: Vengan a la Cruz, Adoremos (repeat as often as desired)
Cross – photo John Kingery (c) 2013
Station 5: Jesus meets his mother (Beaverton Fountains)
Theme: We meet Jesus in every person we encounter
Tema: Reconocemos a Jesús en cada persona que encontramos
Scripture: John 19: 25-27
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.
Reflection by Teresa Baden of Rose Haven sponsored by St. Pius Women’s Group:
Rose Haven sees many different faces every day, each with their own unique story, background, and situation. We hear many stories. We understand there exist difficult realities for our guests.
One story is of a woman I will name Tori. Tori lost her job and ran out of unemployment checks. She did not have any family in the area to stay with. The closest family she had was in Arizona, but she could not afford to get there. Tori’s friends were unable to let her stay at their homes for long periods of time because of their lease agreements, and eventually, she found herself having to face the difficult reality of sleeping on a sidewalk. Eventually, Tori got into a shelter where she learned about Rose Haven. Tori never thought she would end up experiencing homelessness. She never thought she would have to ask for help. Before losing her job, she was independent and only relied on herself. She humbled herself to ask for clothing and a meal. She received much more.
At Rose Haven, she finds a different set of friends; women who understand where she’s been, and have advice to help her get to where she is going. She finds a safe and supportive community to help her with her job search, and an outfit for a job interview. We don’t know what happened to Tori, whether she became employed and housed again, or whether she stayed in the shelter system.
We don’t always get to see the endings whatever those may be, but we are present for the story. We see many different faces every day. We see very strong women, women with hope, and women with courage. We see women who are supportive and willing to give to each other the shirt of their back when they sometimes have so little. We see hope.
Prayers: Thank you for reminding us of your faithfulness through your mother Mary.
WE THANK YOU, LORD
Teach us to believe that our faith will bear fruit in service to others. O GOD, HEAR OUR PRAYER
Help us to be ready to share the suffering of our brothers and sisters and offer assistance and love to those in need. O LORD, WE WANT TO WALK IN YOUR WAYS
LET THE FAITH CAFE COMMUNITY TAKE UP THE CROSS
Song: “Jesus Remember Me” (repeat as needed)
