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The Soul’s
Journey –
a Mystical Approach to the
Stations of the Cross
By Kathrin
Burleson |
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Station VII
Jesus Helped by Simon of Cyrene |
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The Way of the Cross
is the way of each of us, for it is indeed the journey
of the soul. While the life of Jesus is extraordinary,
and he was hardly “any man”, the remarkable thing is that he lived life as one of us. He
shows the way for each of us because in him and his
story, we see ourselves, and the challenges and
suffering that are the stuff of life. And in that
inevitable stuff, we discover the possibilities of
redemption and the transforming power of love.
One of the most challenging aspects of walking the Way
of the Cross is that we know from the outset that it is
not going to be easy. However, we are also fortunate to
know the end of the story, that love triumphs and the
world is changed forever. As we practice and enter this
Way, we grow in the certainty that we are never forsaken
and never alone, regardless of how dark the night.
There is no right or wrong way to practice this
devotion. The only advice or guidance I would offer is
to follow your heart. I find that different Stations
speak to me at different points in my life and even the
same Station may hold a new and unexpected meaning. With
time, they continue to add new understanding to my
journey – it may be the loneliness of Jesus in the
Garden of Gethsemane that speaks to me, or at other
times the pain of betrayal by his closest friends. To my
shame, I may also discover myself among his friends who
betray or deny him. Then, there is the overwhelming and
incomprehensible injustice of it all.
Yet, as I pass through these events, I wonder at the
love that shows through all of this – the love that
dominates this terrible story and transforms it into
triumph. Why did God choose to manifest in this way? How
did this man continue to love and forgive? How am I to
love when I am hurt and angry? In addition, and possibly
most difficult, how can I accept his love when I feel so
unworthy? It is heady stuff and the core of my faith.
For as we all know, Jesus’ one commandment to us was to
love – to love God, and love our neighbors as ourselves.
That was also the life he lived and his perfect love
changed the world. May his love, which resides in you,
change your life and those you touch. |
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To view the slideshow
The Soul's Journey
please click
here.
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Kathrin Burleson has been making art all of her
life and writing since she could hold a pencil. She
holds a bachelor's degree in French, and advanced
degrees in art and psychology. The common thread in her
background and current work is communication – the
connections between realms and the bridges between
realities. Whether writing words, icons, or painting
watercolors, her work explores the sacred and the
interconnectedness of all of creation.
Kathrin is an Associate of the Community of the
Transfiguration and a founding member of Sts. Martha and
Mary Episcopal Mission in Trinidad, California. In
addition to painting and writing, she teaches and leads
workshops on spirituality and creativity. She and her
husband Michael
live in
Trinidad, where they share their home with Wyckham, an
African grey parrot; Raleigh, a tri-color Corgi; Zoe, a very lazy calico cat; and
two pygmy goats.
Email:
artist@kathrinburleson.com
Web site:
www.kathrinburleson.com
Parish: Sts. Martha and Mary Mission, Trinidad,
California
Kathrin Burleson was featured in the February 2007 issue
of Episcopal Life magazine. The article can be viewed
online at
http://www.episcopal
life.org/26728_82376_ENG_HTM.htm. A previous
article on Kathrin can be found online at ECUSA,
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/episcopal_artists_17638_ENG_HTM.htm. |
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