Encountering the Pain of the Cross—Being Present on the Way

We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.

Each year on Good Friday, my parish walks the Via Crucis together through the streets of our neighborhood. We begin on the front steps of the church, with its tall marble columns, which are transformed to resemble a Roman court. Members of our Latino community dress in costume and reenact Jesus’ arrest and trial.

The Passion narrative is retold entirely in Spanish, and our pastor provides an abundance of encouragement to the English-speaking community to join this annual tradition. “It’s okay if you don’t understand all the words. You already know the story! Your presence is what matters!”

And then we walk. We process down the city streets and stop at regular intervals: Jesus Falls the First Time, Simon Helps Carry the Cross, Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus, Jesus Falls a Second Time—and on and on.

At each station, the accompanying reflections tell the stories of migrants and refugees, some of whom made harrowing journeys to escape violence in other countries. Their stories mirror Jesus’ road to Calvary, full of pain, fear, and occasional moments of grace.

Admittedly, my Spanish is halting at best. By the fourth or fifth station, my mind begins to wander. My knees ache from standing outside on the hard concrete. Early spring in Chicago is often wet and cold. I question my decision to stand outside for three hours on a day like today. Inevitably, I say to myself, “This doesn’t feel like prayer,” but I stay with it.

Every year, I have to remind myself that “feeling good” is not the point. Prayer is a response to our relationship with God, and this parish community has been instrumental in forming my faith. In this moment, presence matters more than words.

It can be hard to know how to respond when confronted with suffering and injustice. Being with others who are experiencing pain and grief is not easy. Sometimes the needs of the world are so complex and overwhelming that we might wonder what one person can do.

When I grow weary or uncertain, I often go back to my experience of walking the Via Crucis with my fellow parishioners. I remember my pastor’s encouragement: “You don’t have to understand everything; your presence makes a difference!”

A friend of mine who lives in Minneapolis recently helped organize a solidarity prayer vigil to show support for her immigrant neighbors. Hundreds of people joined in walking, singing, and praying the rosary through the streets. I’m inspired by her witness and desire for public action.

How can my presence be the prayer that someone else needs to hear? Our presence makes a bold statement, whether we are attending a funeral, sitting with a friend, or participating in a march. It says to the person struggling, “You are not alone, and your life has dignity.” Our presence conveys that there is more to life than the difficult moments in which we find ourselves.

It’s so important to have hope in times of unrest and uncertainty. The cross gives us that hope. The cross teaches us that illness, death, and destruction are not the end. Jesus promises us eternal life and shows us the transformative power of selfless love. We can be that source of hope and love by spending time with people, being a witness to their struggles, and offering generous acts of service. Love means showing up, even when it doesn’t feel “good,” but when we know it is right.

Jesus’ crucifixion and death are the greatest act of love. God loves the world so much that God did not withhold anything, even to the point of experiencing humiliation and rejection. Recalling the way of the cross can be a powerful expression of solidarity with people who are experiencing illness, grief, poverty, or affronts to human dignity. Walking the way of the cross is also a very intimate encounter with Jesus. There with Jesus, we are reminded that death, and the evils that perpetrate injustice, will not have the final word. It is in him that we place our trust and offer our presence to others. Love always prevails.

Going Deeper

• Whose cross are you helping to carry this Lent? With whom are you walking— in person or in solidarity from afar?

• Pray with Catholic Relief Services’ online Stations of the Cross and remember people around the world whose lives are impacted by poverty, hunger, and violence.

• Attend the Stations of the Cross at your parish or find a local retreat center where you can walk the Stations of the Cross outdoors.

• St. Ignatius says that love ought to show itself in deeds more than words. How are your presence and your actions a reflection on God’s love in the world?

Photo by Francesco Alberti on Unsplash

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Beth Knobbe

Beth Knobbe is an author, speaker, and ministry professional based in Chicago, Illinois. She earned a Master of Divinity Degree from Catholic Theological Union and serves as a Senior Trainer with Catholic Relief Services, engaging Catholics in living their faith in solidarity with the poor around the world. Beth is an avid traveler and is passionate about her vocation to the single life. Beth is the author of Party of One: Living Single with Faith, Purpose, and Passion (2011) and Finding My Voice: A Young Woman’s Perspective (2009). Her personal blog can be found at www.bethknobbe.com.