In 1999 we attended a Good Friday ‘Stations of the Cross’ service. We stood before each station represented by one of Chris Senior’s superb drawings. Richard gave some background to the station, we said prayers, sang a verse of a hymn and moved on. Apart from the prayers and our singing we were like onlookers trying to get close yet remote from those events 2000 years ago.
As I walked home I thought of the people who were around during the final hours of Jesus’ life on earth. They were mainly onlookers too, some closer than others, but they were all involved. We know some of the things they said and did; emotions ran very deep. If we could repeat their words and think about their reactions and try to feel their feelings it might be helpful to us.
By the time I got home I decided to write down what I could. Starting with Pontius Pilate I tried to write words only from the Bible. However there are gaps, but prompted by the Gospel text I hesitatingly inserted some words of my own that I thought they might say.
The introduction of a narrator enabled actions and feelings to be described which were beyond the words of participants.
I was conscious that Jesus said very little and decided that we would only hear his words through others; this was an attempt to see things through their eyes. My one exception was Jesus’ final words. Unusual for me it all flowed so quickly, almost effortlessly and was completed that same Friday afternoon. Only minor changes have since been made.
People were asked to read the various parts and try to feel the character they represented.
I hope it brings the experience to life and much closer. Barry Thompson
GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE STATIONS OF THE CROSS
(an impression 2000 years later)
1.PILATE
PILATE I asked him ‘Are you the King of the Jews’ and he replied – ‘the words are yours’
Then I asked ‘Do you not hear all this evidence they bring against you’
but he refused to answer a single word. He will not defend himself
SERVANT A message has arrived from your wife she says ‘Have nothing to do with that innocent man; I was much troubled on his account in my dreams last night’
PILATE ‘This man disturbs me - it is out of malice they have brought him to me
I could use the custom of the festival season to secure his release, particularly if I offer the notorious Jesus Barabbas as an alternative
‘Which of the two would you like me to release
CROWD ‘Barabbas! Barabbas!
PILATE This is the work of the chief priests and elders
‘Then what shall I do with Jesus called Messiah
CROWD ‘Crucify him’
PILATE ‘Bring me a bowl - I wash my hands they are clean of this man’s blood -see to that yourselves’
CROWD ‘His blood be on us and on our children
PILATE Centurion! release Jesus Barabbas and take the King of the Jews to be flogged
CENTURION You, you and those men over there bring the prisoner into the governor’s residence
‘He’s supposed to be a King, take off his clothes and put on this scarlet cloak
SOLDIER 1 I’ve plaited a crown of thorns, put it on his head and this stick in his hand
ALL ‘Hail King of the Jews’ ha ha ha (spitting noise)
SOLDIER 2 Give me that stick - take that, and that;, that brought him to his knees
SOLDIER 1 Don’t weaken him too much he has a cross to carry
CENTURION Remove the cloak and put on his own clothes
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2.CARRYING THE CROSS
ROMAN Come on lets see what you’re made of; you’ve got to carry your own cross
JEW 1 Here he is, after all he said look at him now, some leader, some deliverer
JEW 2 Last week we were all ready to welcome him into Jerusalem, he could have been King,
but instead of riding a horse leading fighting men, he a rode a silly donkey leading a rabble of Galilean fishermen, and a tax collector.
JEW 1 Good riddance I say
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3.JESUS FALLS
NARRATOR The cross bears heavily its rough wood chafes his shoulder, the blood from thorn inflicted wounds trickles down into his eyes blurring his vision;
dizziness from the beatings on his head envelops him
The ground is uneven, he stumbles and unable to save himself he falls heavily to ground with the cross on top of him, physical pain pierces his side and ribs. He is forced to get up and struggle on
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4.LADY IN THE CROWD
LADY Master surely it was not meant to be like this, You have given so much love, understanding healing, sustenance, even life, is it all to be thrown away?.
These people do not realise what they are losing,
if only they had listened to you and not self-interested leaders.
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5.SIMON
SOLDIER 1He’s not going to make it, give him some help.
SOLDIER 2 What me a Roman? Find a Jew
SOLDIER 1 That man over there, hey you what’s your name?
SIMON ‘Simon’
SOLDIER 1 Well come over here Simon and help this fellow carry his cross
SIMON Why me? I’m just a visitor from Cyrene, I don’t know him, why not someone else
SOLDIER 2 No nonsense from you, get hold of the cross here and get moving
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6.LADY WITH CLOTH
LADY He can’t go on like this, it isn’t fair. Can’t someone do something?
Perhaps if I could just mop his brow, I have a cloth here, let me through, let me through
WATCHER Look where you are going missis
LADY I must get to him, let go of me
Your sweat mixes with the blood and gets into your eyes, There I have wiped it with this cloth
its so little, but I don’t know what else I can do
ROMAN Get back, get into the crowd, is she with you, don’t you know how to control your women
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7. HE FALLS AGAIN
NARRATOR His limbs ache, his muscles weaken, the climb is steep, the heat of the sun saps his strength
He crashes to ground a second time
ROMAN He’s still not going to make it,
CENTURION Tribune! pull him to his feet - he’s getting no more help
Keep moving , there are two more behind and you are holding them up
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8.LADIES
ALL Master, Master,
WOMAN 1 Master these men are taking you away from us, what are we to do?
WOMAN 2 Listen he speaks,
WOMAN 3 He speaks in a whisper, what does he say?
WOMAN 2 Quiet - he says ‘do not weep for me daughters of Jerusalem
weep for your children. For days are coming when people will say,
Happy are the barren, the wombs that never bore a child, the breasts that never fed one
‘Then they will begin to say to the mountains ‘fall on us’ and to the hills ‘cover us’
WOMAN 4 What can it mean? Is there anything else?
WOMAN 2 Yes! ‘ if these things are done when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry
WOMAN 4 I still don’t understand
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9.THIRD FALL
NARRATOR The physical pain was still great, but somehow that was less important
He had offered so much; they had not listened; they had not just rejected him, they had rejected the father; they had embraced death
his heart hung heavy, its weight drained his strength and he crashed to the ground
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10.STRIPPED
CENTURION At last this is Golgatha - for you ignorant solders that means ‘the place of the skull’
if you look carefully you will understand why
Strip him! - Apart from the tunic, there are four garments -one for each solder. The tunic is in one piece and seamless, we must not tear it so we will decide who is to have it by casting lots
NARRATOR The crowd looked upon him and saw a naked, beaten, broken physical body
They did not see the turmoil within, a love that was rejected, the humiliation, sinless but the sin of others baring down on him, the expectation of more physical pain to come, the apprehension of what was to follow, a time of complete separation from all he loved, perhaps even the beloved father,
but above all was an infinite faith and trust in the one true god
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11.NAILED TO THE CROSS
CENTURION Lay the cross on the ground, lay him on it, stretch out his arms on the crosspieces
You hold the right arm, you take a nail and hold it over his hand, I’ll take the hammer
NARRATOR A fist rose high, it clasped the hammer, with barely a hesitation it swung downward
There was a clink of metal on metal; the pain tore through his body
Further blows drove the nail firmly into the wood
CENTURION Now for the left one, you can use the hammer this time
NARRATOR The process was repeated and then for the feet
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12.THE CROSS
NARRATOR The cross was now upright, with two criminals one on either side
The pain was intense; the weight on the nailed hands pulled on his chest making breathing difficult
The charge against him was inscribed above his head ‘King of The Jews’
WATCHER 1 ‘Save yourself and come down from the cross.
WATCHER 2 He saved others but he cannot save himself
WATCHER 3 Let the Messiah, the King of Israel come down from the cross.
WATCHER 4 If we see that we shall believe
CRIMINAL 1 Are you not the Messiah, Save yourself and the two of us
CRIMINAL 2 Have you no fear of God. You are under the same sentence as he is
In our case it is plain justice; we are paying the price for our misdeeds.
But this man has done no wrong
Jesus remember me when you come to your throne.
CRIMINAL 1 Well what did he say!
CRIMINAL 2 He said - Truly I tell you: today you will be with me in Paradise
ROMAN The darkness which fell over the whole land at midday is still with us - its now three in the afternoon
WATCHER 1 He’s calling to The Father to forgive them; forgive who?
WATCHER 2 He’s calling for Elijah
WATCHER 3 He said ‘My God, My God why have you forsaken me’
WATCHER 4 I soaked this sponge in sour wine and fastened it to a stick - hold it to his lips
NARRATOR Jesus cried aloud
JESUS Father into your hands I commit my spirit
NARRATOR With these words he died
CENTURION Praise be to God. Beyond all doubt this man was innocent
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13.TAKEN FROM THE CROSS
FOLLOWER 1 He is dead let us take him down as it will soon be the Sabbath
FOLLOWER 2 Joseph of Arimathaea has been to Pilate to obtain permission to take possession to the body
Pilate was surprised that Jesus had died so soon; he sent this centurion to make sure
ROMAN He is dead, no need to break his legs – one moment pass me a lance – now you can take him down
FOLLOWER 3 Look, blood and water flow from his side
NARRATOR Mary of Magdala, Mary mother James and of Joses, Salome and other women watch from a distance
FOLLOWER 1 The women-folk are watching over there – their distress is great – quickly let us get him down
FOLLOWER 2 We must wrap and anoint him according to custom
FOLLOWER 3 Joseph has brought a linen cloth and Nicodemus over ½ cwt of myrrh & aloes
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14.THE TOMB
FOLLOWER 1 The Sabbath is at hand what are we to do?
FOLLOWER 2 There is a tomb cut of the rock in a nearby garden.
FOLLOWER 3 It is unused and we have permission to put him there
FOLLOWER 1 We can roll this stone against the entrance
FOLLOWER 2 The women have seen where we have laid him and can return after the Sabbath
FOLLOWER 3 What is left for us now, it all seems so final
FOLLOWER 1 It’s as if he wanted it to happen
FOLLOWER 2 Remember he did predict it - and didn’t he say something about rising again
FOLLOWER 3 Yes, he said destroy this temple and I will rebuild it in three days
FOLLOWER 1 But everyone thought he meant the temple rebuilt by Herod
FOLLOWER 2 Could it be, they got it wrong?