Stations of the Cross - Meditations and Prayers

The Stations of the Cross are an artistic depiction of the last moments of Jesus Christ’s life.  They are meant to capture what we would have seen and experienced if we had been there when the actual events occurred.  Often, in Roman Catholic Churches, you will find the Stations of the Cross as sculptures or artwork around the sanctuary.  During Lent, and especially on Good Friday, Catholics, and now Lutherans, Anglicans, and Methodists, and even other denominations will find ways to meditate and pray as they follow the Stations of the Cross.

Some of the Stations come directly from Scripture while others come from tradition. What is important is not whether each is Scriptural, because the Stations do remain faithful to what Scripture teaches us about the Crucifixion of Jesus, but what is important is that the Stations remind us of the human element – they remind us of what others would have experienced.

Let us Pray

Lord God, you reign in Heaven, and so that all creation could know you, you sent your only son, Jesus Christ – God in the Flesh – to dwell among us.  On the day of his crucifixion, humanity said, “no” to You. But, you had bigger plans. We know that you rejected our “no” and said, “yes” to us on Easter Sunday.  Before we get to Easter, help us focus our minds and spirits on the true and painful sacrifice you made for us and our sins through your Son on the Cross who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!

 Hear now the Word of God

Luke 23:32-47

³²Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. ³³When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁴Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots to divide his clothing. ³⁵And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” ³⁶The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, ³⁷and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” ³⁸There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” ³⁹One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” ⁴⁰But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? ⁴¹And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴²Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” ⁴³He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

⁴⁴It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, ⁴⁵while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. ⁴⁶Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last. ⁴⁷When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent.”

These are the Stations of the Cross. Use the Roman Numerals to help you as you follow the meditations and prayers. 

As we enter into the Stations of the Cross, realize that this is a process that is new to some of you.  This is a contemplative worship. Look at the pictures, Listen to the Devotion, Hear the short prayer that goes with each station. Most of all, put yourself into the story that happened about 2000 years ago, but is still relevant today to our identity as Christians.  We will all have different experiences. Some may be emotional. Some may not. Whatever you experience is OK. Let the cares of the world leave your mind as you enter into Christ’s story – which is our story. Think of the magnitude of what happened on Good Friday.  Meditate on how all of this was done for you personally and yet it was done for all of humanity. Let us now begin the Stations of the Cross. 

Station 1: Jesus is Condemned to Death

Jesus stood alone before Pilate. He was tried by what we would call a “kangaroo court.” The cards were stacked against him. Yet he never offered a defense. No one else came to Jesus’ defense. All of his friends abandoned him. No one spoke on his behalf. He never said that he was innocent, though he was. He was condemned on trumped up charges.

As humans, we too feel abandoned. Where are our friends when we need them most? Where is our family when we are struggling? We get criticized for doing good and it seems that those who do evil are rewarded.  But Jesus knows our pain. He died under these circumstances. When no one else is with us, if we let Jesus be with us, he will be. We must never forget that. People will fail us, but Christ will not. The road we travel may be tough – we were never promised an easy trail, but we were promised that God would be with us.

Prayer: As you were condemned to death, you took your sentence willingly. Were you scared? Were you afraid? You showed courage despite knowing that soon they would beat you and pound nails in your flesh.  Help us in our daily walk with you to gain the courage to face the trials of this world with the courage that we can only gain through you. Amen!

Station 2 Jesus Carries his Cross:

            Not only was Jesus sentenced to death, but he had to carry his instrument of death.  In modern times, that would be like a death row inmate carrying his or her own electric chair. Meditate on the psychological torture in forcing someone to carry their instrument of death to the place they will be killed. Imagine how the cross dug into Jesus’ shoulder. Think of the splinters from the wood – the heaviness of the cross – the crowds looking on and laughing and mocking him.  How did this affect Jesus’ spirit and mind?

            We often feel we have to carry a load more than we can bear. Our responsibilities sometimes feel like they control us. Being Christians, our goal is to be Christ-like and to help those in need, but that can be frustrating and even burdensome at time. Add onto that the responsibilities of everyday life – work, family, friends, life obligations, and so forth. We carry our own symbolic crosses. But, Jesus does not make us carry these burdens alone. We are told to cast our cares on Him. God’s love and care is greater than we can imagine. We may not see or feel immediate results, but our feelings often deceive us. God is active in our lives when we invite Him in.

            Prayer: Jesus, you carried your cross weighed down by our sins and burdens. We still carry our burdens and lie to ourselves that we can do it alone. Convict of us this sin of self-deception and lack of faith. Lead us to a greater faith in you. Amen!

Station 3 Jesus Falls the First Time:

            The cross was heavy. Jesus was not only carrying the instrument of his death, but he was also previously beat and tortured. He suffered a night with no sleep. In this cross was the weight of the world. It weighed him down. He fell. No one helped. The crowds laughed and shouted. The guards shouted for him to hurry up.

            We fall. We give up. We have good intentions, but when the going gets tough, we fall. We give up.  We sometimes make our trials seem bigger than they are. Christ promised to bear our load. We may not feel His help immediately, but we can be assured that the help is there. We may not know how the help is there, but God’s promises are true.

            Prayer: Jesus, the world abandoned you in your suffering, but you promised not to abandon us if we call out to you. When we suffer, no matter how small or great that suffering is, remind us of your great love and remind us to call out to you. Remind us that you are there. Amen!

Station 4 Jesus Meets His Mother:

            On the road, Jesus meets his mother Mary. Her pain was great. Her son was suffering and she couldn’t do anything about it. She couldn’t take it away. She couldn’t even comfort him.  But to Jesus, that loving face showed him that he was not alone. That loving face showed him that despite the pain, she was with him, if only in spirit.

            Mary is a great example to us all. We can’t stop all of the suffering in this world.  Sometimes, the greatest gift we can give is our presence. Sometimes the greatest gift we have is sitting with someone and showing that we care. Sometimes that person may be a loved one as it was with Mary, and sometimes it may be a stranger. This caring may manifest itself in many ways. We may spend long periods of time with a person, say just the right words to a person, or even just exchange a smile from a distance.

            Prayer: Lord, help us to be a “Mary” to the world. Help us to show your love to the world. Our acts of mercy can be great or they can be small, but they must originate from and bring glory to you. Amen!

Station 5 Simon of Cyrene Helps Carry the Cross:

            The soldiers escorting Jesus are growing impatient. They forget that Jesus is weak because of what they have done in beating Jesus before making him carry the cross.  Because they are in a hurry, they pull Simon of Cyrene from the crowd and force him to help Jesus carry the cross.

            We are often asked to help. We don’t always realize what it means to be asked to help. Is the person taking advantage of us? Does the person really need our help? What if we are busy? What if we are stretched too thin? These are legitimate questions. We are not God. We have limits. God does not expect us to go beyond what He has gifted us to do. God does expect us to love our neighbor, and that does involve helping.

            Prayer: Lord, as we conform ourselves into the image of Christ, help us to discern what our role in helping others means. Though “helping” sounds like such a simple term, in reality, it is a complex task. Guide us in to what you would have us to do to glorify your name and further your Kingdom. Amen!

Station 6 A Woman Wipes Jesus' Face

            A woman named Veronica wipes the face of Jesus and his image is left on her cloth. Though this is not recorded in scripture, it still holds great significance to the power of Christ. Small acts of mercy go long ways. The image on the cloth represents the growth into Christ’s image people receive when they act in ways Christ would have them act.

            The world is full of needs. There are needy people, hungry people, lonely people, people who live in fear, and the list goes on. God doesn’t ask us to do earth shattering acts of kindness, but rather we are asked to be faithful in showing kindness and showing acts of mercy and charity to those in need.

            Prayer: Lord, help us not to be blind to those around us who need us most. Help us not to fear the criticism we will receive for helping the people labeled as “those people.” To be your church, we are called to help the least of these. Guide us in what you would have us do. Amen!

Station 7 Jesus Falls a Second Time

            The weight of the cross is becoming more overbearing. The wood was digging into his shoulder. The crowds are laughing and jeering. Jesus stumbled and fell a second time. The guards are angry. As though he were on a mission, He reaches for more strength and struggles to get back up and go on – Go on to the point of his death.

            Life is difficult. We are compared to others – either by others or by ourselves.We are driven in a “success oriented” culture where our worth is determined by how much we accomplish. When we “fail,” we “fall.” Worldly success is not how God determines our worth. For God, our worth is set by being His creation. We are of ultimate worth. When we forget that, we need to only turn to God in prayer and in Scripture to remember that we are loved in a way no human can ever love us.

            Prayer: Lord, we thank you for accepting us and loving us for just being your creation. Guide us to love You and Neighbor the way we should. Help us not to be deceived by worldly success but rather help us to notice that which you value. Amen!

Station 8 Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem

             As Jesus passed the Women of Jerusalem, he saw compassion in their eyes. He had been abandoned by his friends, but these strangers were there, suffering in their own way at what they were seeing. He saw that they believed that this isn’t the way things should be. He saw love.  At the same time, Jesus, in his suffering reached out to offer them peace of heart, mind, and spirit. 

            Like Jesus’ Friends, it’s easy to get so self-absorbed that we forget our closest friends in their times of need, much less strangers in their times of need.  We get consumed with busyness, frustration, the self-deception of being effective rather than being faithful, and the lie that small outreaches don’t make a difference.

            Prayer: Lord, help us to reach out to those in need. Help us to reach out to our friends and strangers alike. Guide this church and all churches to do your will in this community and in the world to bring your Kingdom to the hearts of all people. Amen!

Station 9 Jesus Falls a Third Time

            Jesus’ struggle was coming to an end. He was sweating, the pain of the cross on his shoulder was unbearable. He was thirsty. The wounds he received from the beating before this journey were hurting. Jesus stumbled and fell a third time. He got up and kept going.

            In our lives, we will fail. Failure is not a sign of weakness. Failure is not a sign of unfaithfulness. Failure is a statistical reality. Failure can be a sign that we tried. Failure can be a sign that we listen to God’s call, and we just didn’t get it right. Maybe failure isn’t the right word. Maybe a better way to say it is that we need to reevaluate and try again.

            Prayer:  Lord, despite the obstacles in our way, help us to get back on our feet each time we fail at our mission in life. Guide us to use these opportunities to turn back to you and to aim for a more intimate relationship with you. Amen!

Station 10 Jesus Clothes are Taken Away

            The soldiers took away Jesus clothes. They did this to humiliate him. They drew lots to see who got to keep them. The crowd made fun of Jesus. They shouted for this “miracle worker” to perform another miracle. He stayed silent. Little did they know what was in store 3 days later.

            Sometimes, being a Christian can be humiliating. The world wants to shame us. The world has a narrow definition of what it means to be Christian. Most often they base their definition off of a bad experience they had with someone who didn’t live the Christian life the way God would have us live it – or maybe that Christian was having a bad day and left a bad impression. Christians are always under the microscope. As people who are supposed to bring Good News to the world, every slip up we make is brought to attention.

            Prayer: Lord, help us to endure the humiliation that goes along with being a Christian, but more than that help us to mirror you. Guide us to give the world a positive example of what it means to be a Christian so that others may join our ranks. Amen!

Station 11 Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

The cross that Jesus has carried, is now the cross he is nailed to. The nails are pounded into his hands and into his feet. The pain is unbearable, but it is only a hint of what is to come. The people he loved have gone crazy and have done this to him. He hurts – physically and in his spirit.

We hurt others. We hurt those who are different from us. We hurt those we don’t understand. We hurt those with whom we disagree. But Jesus told us to love our enemies. Loving and hurting just cannot go together. We need to be trained to do this. It starts small. We start with those around us. We then grow into loving those distant from us.

Prayer: Lord, you were hurt for our sake. Guide us so we do not hurt others because hurting makes no gain in your Kingdom. Help us to love and be charitable – even to our enemies. Amen!

Station 12 Jesus Dies on the Cross

            Jesus died willingly on the cross. He forgave those who killed him. He did this so we could live eternally if we choose to follow Him. On Easter, he will defeat death, making death just a “crossing over,” rather than an end.

            Contemplate the magnitude of what happened. Jesus died. Jesus forgave those who killed him. He did this willingly. As we grow as disciples, can we learn to forgive more deeply? Can we forgive those who harm us? Can we live sacrificially so that others can have basic necessities?

            Prayer: Lord, We don’t understand the fullness of your death on the cross. We know that it brings the possibility of salvation. We don’t understand the fullness of salvation, but we know that it involves union with God in this life and the next. Guide us to be closer to you and to draw others to that same relationship. Amen!

Station 13 Jesus Body is Taken from the Cross

            When Jesus was taken from the cross, his suffering had ended. His soul, however descended to the dead and freed the captives to death and gave them the chance to be reconciled to God. His body was cleaned and prepared for burial.

            When people die, we often show more compassion than when they were alive. Help us to see the needs and goodness in people when they are alive. Help us see their potential and that they were created in your image.

            Prayer: Lord, guide us in the ways of living in your name that we see all people as created in your image. Help us to minister to all people in your name. Amen!

Station 14 Jesus Body is Laid in the Tomb

            Joseph of Arimathea donated his tomb to bury Jesus.  They laid Jesus’ body in it and a large stone was placed in front of it – a large stone too large to be moved by less than several people.

            Reflect on the generosity of Joseph of Arimathea. He risked his life in donating his tomb. Reflect on the stone. These stones were so large that it was impossible to move them without attracting attention and without several people. Reflect on the tomb. Jesus is dead.

            Prayer: Lord, we remember your death. We remember this is not the end of the story. But tonight, we stop here. We live in the tension of life and death. Amen!

Hymn: "Were You There"

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?  

Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?

Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree?

Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.

Were you there when they nailed Him to the tree? 

Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?

Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?

Oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.

Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?

Maundy Thursday Service 2013 In Outline Form

Welcome:         Good Evening, We gather tonight to remember 2 Stories. Not only do we remember, but I invite you to live into these stories – if only in your imaginations.

·      Israel was held as slaves in Egypt (Exodus)

o  God rose up Moses and Aaron

o  Ordinary People

o  Confronted Pharaoh – Said NO!

o  God gave Moses power of 10 Plagues

§  1^st 9 Hardened Pharaoh’s Heart

·      Last plague was most drastic

o  Death of First Born

o  Preserved in Scripture and Ritual – Passover Supper

o  Tonight we reenact and hear about this in both ways

§  Don’t let it be an empty ritual

·      When Jesus had his Last supper on this night – It was the Ritual of the 1^st Jewish Passover Meal

·      Also the beginning of a new Ritual

o  The Actual Lamb of God would be slain the next day

·      Very First Passover

o  Way God chose to free the Chosen People – Israel

o  Our Jewish Brothers and Sisters still celebrate this today with Passover meals called Seders

·      Modern Seder:

o  Roasted Lamb – The sacrifice to God

§  In Christian times, this was fulfilled in Jesus

o  Wine or Grape Juice

o  Unleavened Bread – symbol of having no time to let bread rise

o  Roasted Egg – symbol of new birth

o  Bitter Herb (usually horseradish) – bitterness of slavery in Egypt

o  Green Vegetable (often parsley) dipped in Salt Water – symbol of growth and renewal coming through tears and pain

o  Apple/Nut/Honey Mixture – symbol of clay/mortar mix Israelites used in Egypt AND sweetness of freedom

·      Seder not just a meal – It is a family worship service

o  When Jesus celebrated, probably not as many foods, but still same sense of tradition

o  Would have had lamb and bread and wine

·      Seder begins when one of the youngest children asks this question:

o  “Why is this night different from every other night?”

·      In Jesus’ Last Supper, the youngest disciple would have asked that same question

o  The ritual then begins as people reenact the story and the story of the first Passover is read

Exodus 12:1-14

12:1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt:

12:2 This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you.

12:3 Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household.

12:4 If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbor in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it.

12:5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats.

12:6 You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight.

12:7 They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.

12:8 They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

12:9 Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted over the fire, with its head, legs, and inner organs.

12:10 You shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn.

12:11 This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the Passover of the LORD.

12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD.

12:13 The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

12:14 This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD; throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance.

God gave freedom to His people Israel in the First Passover

But God is the God of All people, not just the God of Israel. 

·      Wanted to be known by all – Jews and Gentiles

·      Sent Jesus – God in the Flesh

On Passover, Jesus ate his Last Supper before giving his life and defeating the powers of this world and the powers of death so that we may have eternal live and all have the chance to live into creation as God first intended it.

Luke 22:1-27

Now the festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was near. ²The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they were afraid of the people. ³Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve; ⁴he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray him to them. ⁵They were greatly pleased and agreed to give him money. ⁶So he consented and began to look for an opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present.

⁷Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. ⁸So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it.” ⁹They asked him, “Where do you want us to make preparations for it?” ¹⁰“Listen,” he said to them, “when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters ¹¹and say to the owner of the house, ‘The teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ ¹²He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.” ¹³So they went and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal. ¹⁴When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. ¹⁵He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; ¹⁶for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” ¹⁷Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; ¹⁸for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” ¹⁹Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁰And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

²¹But see, the one who betrays me is with me, and his hand is on the table. ²²For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined, but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed!” ²³Then they began to ask one another, which one of them it could be who would do this. ²⁴A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. ²⁵But he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. ²⁶But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. ²⁷For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.

Jesus came to save all people from bondage and slavery

·      Not in the way they expected it

·      Not with force

·      Not in the sense of Kingdom they expected

What is Christ’s Kingdom?

o  Most say Heaven – They are right, but that’s not all

o  Service – The King serves the followers, the followers serve the lost in the King’s name

o  Peace – not freedom from conflict but assurance that God is with you

o  Love – ability to grow in love of God and neighbor and even love of enemy

o  Joy – not giddiness, but knowing God loves you

o  Fellowship with God’s people and with God

o  Fruit – Seeing the Kingdom grow in miraculous ways

§  We discount miracles in modern times

§  We can all name people who belong to Christ who have no business being there if it weren’t for a miracle

§  What God does through us – not what we do

We reenact this Last Supper in the form of Holy Communion

The Congo, a War Criminal, Rwanda, and Moving On

Within the past week, Bosco Ntaganda, a former head of the M23 militia fled to the US Embassy in Rwanda and asked to be handed over to the International Criminal Court where he is wanted for war-crimes charges.

To the average person in the West, this may not seem like a big deal.  But, there are many reasons the world should care about this issue.

I will not attempt to give an in depth report of the events leading up to this situation. You can find that very easily in a simple "google search."  I will simply point out reasons why those of us without direct ties to Rwanda or the Democratic Republic of the Congo should care, and what we should do about situations like this.

First of all, despite their rhetoric, M23 is not a "movement." They are a militia that attacked and killed both soldiers and civilians.  Movements seek reform. Militias kill and seek destruction.  When the top leaders of M23 could not get along with each other, M23 literally split into 2 factions and began battling each other.  This battle did not happen with words, it happened with weapons.  Civilians were caught in the crossfire.  The very people that M23 said they were "trying to liberate" were the ones that had to flee their homes just to survive.  I don't have the statistics, but I would wonder how many were killed by this in-fighting?  Had M23 really been about Governmental Reform in the DRC (which is drastically needed), why didn't they use political pressure? Why didn't they form their own political party? Why didn't they raise popular support? Instead, they acted as an invading army.  That, my friends, is called power taking.  I'm no predictor of the future, but had they succeeded, I envision more of the same oppression and bad leadership.  But, that is a rabbit trail that we need not travel.

Ntaganda was a former Rwandan Patriotic Front member (the same army and now political regime of President Paul Kagame of Rwanda).  Ntaganda was part of Kagame's forces that took over Rwanda after the Genocide of 1994.  (Read previous articles on this blog about the misinformation that passes as the official story of the 94 Genocide).  Ntaganda then went into the DRC and became involved in Militias.  In other words, he got power hungry. He wanted his share of DRC's minerals.  Although he was wanted for war-crimes, the DRC Government refused to hand him over.  Although he terrorized the people of the DRC, nothing was done by the DRC Government to stop him.  Talk about a Government that lives in an Ivory Tower!

President Joseph Kabila of the DRC is nothing short of a weak leader at best and a corrupt puppet at worst.  Though his nation could be one of the richest nations in the world because of its mineral wealth, the people live in abject poverty.  Kabila does nothing.

Ntaganda, when he was leading M23 was supported by the Rwandan Government.  The Rwandan Government vehemently denies this, but the Group of Experts report from the United Nations has given proof that only the Rwandan Government and Tony Blair will try to whitewash.  (Remember, Tony Blair was the first to jump on President George W. Bush's war in Iraq because of their non-existent weapons of mass destruction...To this day, Blair still defends that war as a "good thing.).

As of today, March 20, 2013, Ntaganda is still in the US Embassy in Rwanda awaiting transfer to the International Criminal Court.  He was no idiot in making this move. Had he stayed in the DRC, he faced the possibility of death since M23 had split and he was now a marked man.  By fleeing to Rwanda, Ntaganda was fleeing to a country that did not sign the treaty for the International Criminal Court.  The ICC has no jurisdiction in Rwanda.  By entering the US Embassy, he entered an embassy whose nation has not signed that same treaty, because, after all, neither Americans nor Rwandans commit war-crimes (yes, that was sarcasm).

If Ntaganda is turned over, it will only be a symbolic offering of justice to the people of the DRC, but it will be important.  The people of the DRC, especially in the Eastern DRC live in abject Hell.  Not only are they terrorized by attacking militias, foreign backed rebel groups, but they are also terrorized by their own military.  When the military came to "liberate" them from M23 recently, the DRC military went on to rape a large number of their own women.

So, what is the answer?  First of all, the answer needs to come from the Congolese people.  They need to say that enough is enough.  They need to speak in one voice and rather than seek power, they need to seek unity.  They have a God-Given right to live their lives - a right that has been broken since Colonial times.  These exploited people need to say that their days of being exploited are over, but in the process they need to say that they will not exploit others.  If they can make that move, they will win.


As a final and personal note, it will be interesting to see how this blog post is taken. Members of the Rwandan Government follow all of my writing.  They practice intimidation techniques.  As I have asked before - If you are right and I am wrong, give me evidence, and I will retract anything that I have said. I will apologize for the mistake I made. And, I will acknowledge that you are correct.  But, if the past repeats itself, watch for racist remarks, insults on my intelligence, and personal slander.

When a Tragedy Happens...Where is God?

When Tragedies Happen – Where was God? 

Whenever there are tragedies, people always ask, "Where was God?"  Believers ask either out of doubt or anger or fear; non-believers "ask" in order to "prove" that there is no God.  

This article will attempt to look at tragedies from a Christian view and attempt to answer the question, "Where was God when they occurred?"  Of course, our ways are not God's ways, so any human attempt to answer this question is essentially an exercise at making best guesses from the information we do know.  Could everything in here be wrong? - yes!  Can you disagree? - yes!  Am I right about anything? - I would hope so, and this was approached through prayer and is my best understanding of God as revealed in Scripture, but there is no guarantee that what I say is right.  Only God knows the full truth.  All I can promise is that I have tried to remain faithful in composing this article.

 Tragedies have always been part of human history. Ever since Adam and Eve ate from the forbidden fruit, there has been tragedies happening.  Often, when something terrible happens, we tend to think that "this" or "that" tragedy is the worst ever.  In terms of number, we may be correct at times, but defining "worst," is difficult.  "Worst" implies that statistics, and when a tragedy happens, those who live on rarely care about statistics because they lost loved ones.  The tragedy is horrible to them.

As long as history has been recorded, there have been tragedies. People have always wondered, "Where was God?" When we actually think about it, the number of tragedies is staggering.  In ancient times, there was the volcanic eruption of Pompeii.  Imagine what the people there thought as they faced immanent and panful death.  From ancient to modern times, brutal massacres and wars have happened to large groups of people - The Holocaust, The Rwandan Genocide, The Inquisition, The Congo Wars, Colonialism, Slavery, World Wars, The near eradication of the Native Americans, and these are just a few.  There have been many natural disasters - the Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Tornados, Hurricanes, and such.  Senseless violence has also been happening since ancient times - murders, rapes, arson, gang violence, robberies, and the list goes on.  We are not new to tragedy.

When people ask, "Where was God?" They often have deeper questions in mind that they are afraid to voice.  It is natural to avoid saying certain things about God to others, but we have to realize that God knows our every thought. It is more important to know that God can handle our every thought - even if it is anger directed AT God. Often, "Where was God?" is a masked question meant to mean one or more of the following: "Why didn't God stop this from happening?" "Is God strong enough to stop evil?" "Why did God let this happen to me (or someone I care about)?" Or even, "Is there a God?" Again, God can handle these questions.  As you read the Psalms, you will see these questions asked.  You will see God "under attack" as often as God is praised.  Sometimes, we may need to adjust our thinking that being angry with God is not a sign of lack of faith, but it is a sign of complete faith.  We don't blindly follow - we are comfortable enough to question.  Yes, there are limits, but God will lead you.

Defining what a tragedy is (and what it isn't) is often hard.  When someone we love is very old and dies of natural causes, we will still cry and mourn, but most people will not describe that as a tragedy.  If, however, that same person were the caretaker of a disabled spouse or adult child, that same death may be a tragedy - at least to the person left behind or to the person or people who now have to fill the shoes.  Natural disasters are often considered tragedies, but even that has to be qualified.  If you lose a few shingles on your roof, and I lose my entire house, it is more of a tragedy to me than it is to you.  If you can sympathize with me, however, you can see that it is a tragedy for me.  As humans, we also tend to qualify tragedies by how close they happen to "home."  A murder can happen in our hometown, and that is most definitely a tragedy.  We can hear about the same thing in a foreign country, and hardly give it another thought, even if the murder happened on a greater scale.  So, as you process the word "tragedy," remember that words have different connotations.  Remember that what is a tragedy to you hardly affects someone across the world, and vice versa.  But, at the same time, maybe it should.  This is not to say we should spend all of our lives in grief mode, but rather that we should be more sensitive to the needs and pains of others even if we do not know them.

Luke 13:1-5 says:  At that very time there were some present who told him [Jesus] about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. He asked them, “Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower of Siloam fell on them—do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did.”

Notice what Jesus does say and what he doesn't say.  The people who suffered various tragedies aren't suffering for any sin that they committed.  For some reason, these terrible incidents "just happened."  Instead, Jesus is using these incidents to teach people to turn towards God or they will perish in the same way.  That doesn't mean they will be murdered or have a tower fall on them, but rather that they will be judged and not be with God in the present or for eternity.  Many people look at tragedies and think that God caused them to happen as a punishment.  But here, Jesus refutes that claim. Tragedies happen...period.  Jesus, who could explain, doesn't.  But, we know that there is nothing we can do to prevent them.

All too often after a tragedy, we hear "Big Names" blaming the tragedy on one thing or another.  Fred Phelps of Westboro Baptist Church will blame almost anything on gay people. Pat Robertson will come up with something surprising each time something happens, most often talking about how America has angered God and God is punishing us.  There will be others who say that tragedies are the sign of the End Times.  The sad part is that too many people believe this hogwash.  People want answers, but sometimes, God just doesn't provide answers.  Just because a preacher has media time, that does not make him or her correct.  Each time a tragedy happens and you hear things like this, go back to God's word and ask, "Is what I just heard in line with God's character?" "Does it match up with scripture?"

In Ezekiel 18:20, God speaks through Ezekiel saying, "The person who sins shall die. A child shall not suffer for the iniquity of a parent, nor a parent suffer for the iniquity of a child; the righteousness of the righteous shall be his own, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be his own."  It is true that God once punished entire nations or communities for the sins of some, but at this point, God said that people would be punished for their own sins.  This makes a huge difference.  Why would a child in one part of the nation be punished for the sin of a person in another part of the nation?  And, as we read above, God doesn't punish sins through tragedies.  God judges our sins, and weighs them through Christ's Cross.

An equally disturbing answer to the question, "Where was God?" is to answer the person who was affected with, "Everything happens for a reason."  Does everything happen for a reason?  Or sometimes do things just happen?  When God gave humans free will, doesn't that involved the chance that things could just happen for no reason at all other than someone decided to act in a sinful manner (or if something good happens, it happened because someone acted in a godly manner)?  This is hard to understand, and I won't pretend to have all of the answers.  But I do know that if I were the victim of a tragedy, the last thing I would want to hear is that "it happened for a reason."  I cannot claim to know God's divine planning.  Maybe God did have a divine plan - I will not discount that some things happen for a reason. Maybe through what I call a tragedy, God had something better planned for me, but still, while I am grieving, I do not want to hear that there was a reason for my tragedy.  Here is an example:  Several years ago, I lost one of the best jobs I ever had due to budget cuts.  It hurt, and it hurt bad!  Not only did I lose my job, but my wife lost hers as well.  We had just had our son that same year.  There was no way to see this coming.  We ended up losing not only our jobs, but our entire savings account in trying to keep our house, and then we ended up losing our house.  We were forced to move to a different state to find jobs. Everything worked out fine, and within 2 years, I felt the call to ministry.  Life now is much better than I could have dreamed even when I was working at the job I loved.  Did God plan it that way?  I can't answer that. But during the process, and even now, I still don't want to hear that my pain had a reason.  I would rather hear that God was with me during the whole process.  I KNOW that is true.  

While God may or may not cause some things to happen, it is safe to say that God does intervene to prevent or at least lessen the damage of tragedies.  Why God does this in some cases and not in others is a mystery.  Almost everyone who has been driving for some time has almost been in a wreck "except for the grace of God."  I take that to mean that there is no human explanation for why the wreck didn't happen.  Somehow God intervened.  Some people who were once homeless have gone on to become success stories.  God had to give them the motivation, but yet God also had to make their story and applications look impressive to the powers that be.  And yet, this same God doesn't always intervene.  There are just as many cases of tragedies taking the lives of children and innocent adults.  I can't explain why God intervenes sometimes and not in others.  The times God does intervene is not always for the most faithful people, and it is not always for the most thankful or deserving people.  Sometimes, it is plain just not fair!  Again, one thing we can know for certain, whether or not God works in the way we want, we can know that God is with us whether we know it or not.  God never leaves our side.

Stanley Hauerwas, Christian Ethicist, says that the Church is the Alternative to the World.  By being The Church and living peacefully amidst the violence of the world, we expose the world for what it is.  We also expose Christ as the answer to all of life’s problems.  By being the Church, the world will be more violent before it becomes more peaceful.  We don’t act on the world’s terms, we make the world act on ours.  Jesus did the same - He didn't act on Rome's terms, he made them act on his!

We can't know the answer to every question we ask about God.  We want to know the answers! That is normal.  We can know that God is with us no matter what we go through.