Jesus took the twelve aside again and began to tell them what was to happen to him. ~Mark 10:32
We enter the Damascus Gate before dawn, in silence, to walk the Via Dolorosa, the Way of Suffering. Pilgrims take turns leading our group, carrying a 4-foot cross. The stations of the cross, a series of 14 stops along Jesus’ path to Golgotha, are not familiar to me or to the other Protestants in our group. The readings at each stop resonate powerfully, even amid the cacophony of Jerusalem’s crowded streets. A Coptic priest is hurrying by, but pauses to make the sign of the cross over the 4-foot cross we are carrying. His own large pectoral cross swings with his movements, as if keeping time as if in sympathy.
In what way does Jesus’ suffering give us solidarity with other Christians?
Prayer: Holy Spirit, unite me with all who love you.
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