Station 1

Station 1: Jesus is Condemned to Death

Scripture Passage

Again, the high priest began to ask him, and said to him, ”Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” And Jesus said to him, “I am. And you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.” But the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further need have we of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” And they all condemned him as liable to death. (Mark 14: 61-64)

Meditation from Fr. Jason Smith, LC

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

All images of Jesus inevitably fall short, particularly those capturing his Passion. Yet, as we contemplate each imperfect rendering of Christ, the Holy Spirit is at work, subtly guiding our hearts. What thoughts surface? What fresh nuance does the image contribute to our Scripture passage?

As we look at the face of Christ, we can remember that a picture conveys a thousand words; when we stop and offer a contemplative gaze for a few minutes, we may discern even more. Still, the only word this image needs to say is one: Jesus. If we whisper his name as we look upon the First Station, I wonder what words he will say to you.