Walking with HIM: The BHS Walkway
6:58:00 PMHi everyone! :)
So as you all know, this Holy Week, my family and I went to BHS to do our Stations of the Cross, a tradition we have and something we do every year since Church Simplified started this. My first ever entry can be found on my old Tumblr account. READ IT HERE. :)
I just want to share with all the different Stations and how wonderful it is to be able to participate whole-heartedly with something so interactive. I really love how Church Simplified makes the Walkway every year because despite them using similar words, stories and activities, the message ALWAYS CHANGES. Every year. I hope you enjoy my Walk with Jesus.
Doesn't that just make you want to cry?? Jesus saw YOU, YOU, the flawed and far from perfect you, and He stayed. He stayed only to suffer and die. FOR YOU. Already The Walkway makes you feel Jesus' love and strength and you know you will have an amazing experience already. :)
I found this so touching because of the new sign this year- SPEAK FOR ME. When Jesus was betrayed, He did not contest nor did He start a fight. He simply went with the accusing guards and He knew what was coming. This makes me so sad because Jesus was innocent of all sin and was betrayed by someone He considered a friend. ISN'T THAT JUST SO RELATABLE? I know I can relate to it. Definitely said a prayer for those who betrayed me.
I think what really hit me in the third station- The Trial, was the line that said JESUS HAD NO ONE. How many times do we feel alone or lonely? The times that no one was "on our side" or there to help us? Well news flash guys, at the most crucial point- Jesus had no one. Everyone abandoned Him out of fear. How sad is that? It really makes you reflect on the times that you've been abandoned and the times that you've abandoned someone when they needed you.
I love how the Walkway really partners up with different organizations and I really hope more and more companies are willing to contribute to this next year and the years to come! Here you can (even for just 5 pesos) help feed and bring a kid to school! How amazing is that?? :)
I always tear up at this station... Just seeing the whips and the wounds that Christ suffered makes me sick to my stomach. I cannot imagine anyone who can get pleasure off of hurting someone, especially someone so innocent. This is a real eye opener because you really see just how much Christ suffered for sins that weren't even His. Just running my fingers over the wounds made me want to cry even more.
I love this because there is a petition sheet to be able to help our environment. Thank you Ayala for partnering with Church Simplified in planting trees! We really need to start being more responsible citizens. After all, nature is ALSO GOD'S CREATION! :)
I will admit- I have yet to try this station. I am still trying to muster up the strength to be able to say YES LORD, let me help you take up your Cross. There's just something about the crosses that intimidates me. They're so big and look extra heavy (which they are) and the heat doesn't help at all. This should actually make me want to pick up a cross more because in some little way, I will be able to feel, even for just a minute, what Christ felt (minus the whips and wounds!) But what I find so amazing is that I get to see people willingly pick up a cross and walk the whole way and back, in the heat, just to experience what Christ went through. Maybe next year I will pick up a cross and be able to offer up to God a few steps (I'm being realistic here, I'm so puny and pathetic afterall!) But to all those that have done this, I SALUTE YOU!
I love this because not only are we asked to write down our own little prayer but we get to pray for someone else by reading their prayer. I got one that I found so striking- I will not share it as I want it to be private but I have been praying for this person. It amazes me how we all are fighting our own battles and we all have our own, unique relationship with God. This is a fantastic station and I hope that whoever got my prayer is still praying for me (I need it!) Haha :)
Another wonderful interactive station- the nailing of the cross. I love this because it is a sign of a "letting go" of our sins and a promise to obey the Lord. We wake up everyday because we were saved. Christ died so that we may live. This cross is a symbol of that and I cannot think of a more appropriate way to try and "relate" to it by holding a hammer and a nail in your own hands.
I love how Church Simplified uses actual pictures of people every year. I plan on sending a picture of my mother for this station next year. Coming from a "broken home" (which I really wouldn't consider "broken" since my family is very close and we love each other despite our fights) my Mom played and continues to play a BIG role in my life. No words can express how much I love my mother and appreciate all her sacrifices for us. It isn't easy to play both the mom and the dad but she did it for us four kids and for that I will forever be grateful. I can only hope to be HALF the woman she is with her strength, faith and love.
I plane to pray this prayer every day now. It seems SO FITTING even after Holy Week. Just a simple little prayer we can all say from time to time to help us. Beautifully written yet so simple. :)
I find this to be so appropriate especially during the HEAT of Holy Week. You see, you are asked to enter the dark tent where another message is shown to you. This is the DARKEST part of the journey- the Death of Christ Jesus. I love how it becomes so clear to us in the darkness- how CLEAR God's love truly is. You end up being asked to take a moment to pray (if you aren't already praying the whole time which is what I do) and really, I always get a chill up my spine when I enter the tent. I also tear up a bit. It's an amazing feeling.
This is actually my FAVORITE station out of all. There's just something about emerging from that dark tent into the light of Easter.. Also, I love how they portray Jesus being the Carpenter and the folded cloth as a symbol of His work being done. You see, it's been an old practice that when a carpenter is finished with his work, he folds his work cloth and places it on top of the finished product- this is so that whoever sees it knows, THE WORK IS DONE. This is the same with Jesus. When they entered the tomb and saw that His body was gone, what remained? The cloths that wrapped Him, folded neatly where His body was placed. HOW AMAZING IS THAT? His work was finished. He had died in order to save us. What an amazing God we all have!
This I find very cute in a way and very modern. I love how they end the Walkway with a simple, intimate moment with God. While in prayer you are offered a basket of His blood and body to eat in order to be one with Him. I love how they used a little juice and a cracker (I believe it's egg nog)- I really love how they made it the last station. You feel so WHOLE after. I promise you that.
6 comments
It was my first time to experience Walkway and I swear it was so touching and moving.My friend told me after na "grabeh noh?para kang kinokonsensya!".Which is true!Station 2(The Betrayal) pa lang,I wanted to cry na.I've been betrayed by a friend in the past and it hurts so much esp that we were friends since kids pa.As years passed,we started talking again but not like before na..My tears started to fall when I was on the 10th station (The Mother),coz you know I talked to my mom everyday but I'm finding it hard to say I Love You to her,well I can say it sa text but in person never pa and I feel bad about it.:((...I also tried carrying the cross,and it was kinda heavy.Imagine Jesus carrying that barefoot and wounds on his body?.. I was really happy that I experienced it.My friends naman enjoyed nailing the red cloth,feel na feel nila,parang masisira na nga yung cross..It was really an amazing experience and I'm so glad that I invited my friends to join me.Sad lang coz i can go na next year coz i'll be working in Dubai na but hopefully in the years to come meron pa din!:)
ReplyDeleteHi Brenna! I'm glad your friends went with you. For me there's nothing more special that being in communion with God, surrounded by the people you care most about. I'm so happy for you and how blessed are you to have such willing friends! Aww I'm sure there will be a Walkway every year! Tatampo ako if wala! Hehe :P
DeleteWe also have a tradition every Holy Week to go to churches for the traditional "Bisita Iglesia." I say that it has kept us all close in a way that it connects us to each other. Some people only do this "tradition" for the sake of formality but for us, we really take it seriously and devote ourselves only to Him in this special event. There came a time when we almost are apart from ourselves. We did the stations of the cross back then and I felt that throughout the whole process of praying and devotion, we have bonded. We still do this tradition every year and it helps us to be close. We will definitely try the stations of the cross in BHS next year. God Bless Karla. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Krystyna! I'm glad you and your family see it more as a way to be closer with God and not just an obligation or something you "have" to do. That is wonderful to know and I'm sure God is working His magic in your lives and you will always be blessed! Yes you guys definitely SHOULD try the Walkway next year! :)
DeleteHi Ms. Karla! :) It has always been my family's tradition also to visit The Walkway at BHS. But for some reason, we weren't able to visit this year. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this, feeling ko andun din ako while reading your blog entry. hehe! Stay beautiful inside and out! Hoping to see you again soon (the first time was during the Ateneo-La Salle game last UAAP Season)! God bless! :)
ReplyDeleteHi Danna. Aww it's too bad you guys couldn't go this year, but there's always next year to be excited about! You're very welcome and I'm glad you enjoyed this entry! :)
DeleteThanks for reading my entry! I hope you enjoyed it. :)