Stations Of The Light Renewing The Ancient Christian Practice Of The Via Lucis As A Spiritual Tool For Today

chapter one THE WAY OF LIGHT A New Journey This book is an invitation to practice a new spiritual journey called the Way of Light, which celebrates fourteen of the most inspiring events in the post-Resurrection life of Christ on earth. These great archetypal moments in the Christian story, which are called the Stations of Light, have been known and cherished since the first century, but as far as we know were never gathered into a precise devotional practice until the present time. Also known as the Via Lucis and Way of Resurrection, this devotion follows the footsteps of the risen Christ and his friends for fifty days, from the dawn of the first Easter Sunday through Pentecost, along a path of transforming joy. Part I of this book describes the rich origin and significance of the new devotion for Christian spiritual life. Praying the Stations offers gifts of grace that awaken the body, illumine the mind, and train the heart for happiness. Among the gifts are love and faith, which are the purpose of all prayer, as well as peace and comfort, reverence for the sacred, and joyful optimism about the future and growing toward elderhood. Part I also contains a chapter on the Way of the Cross to show how its focus on a single tragic day of Jesus' life is like telling only the first part of a story and leaving out the happy ending. The Way of Light takes up the story with the Resurrection and celebrates the awe-inspiring events that occurred from then on. Part II, the devotional section of the book, contains spiritual practices for praying the Stations of the Light. The practices for each station are designed and arranged for maximum soul-building, community-building, and loving intimacy with God. They involve the whole person--body, mind, and spirit. One exercise teaches relaxation and centering; others elicit your insights and new ideas; some release imagination and creativity; while others evoke deep feelings and thoughts; still another invites movement to awaken the body (which has been called body-prayer). Here is the Way of Light: Station 1:Jesus rises from the dead (Matthew 28:56). Station 2:Women find the empty tomb (Matthew 28:16). Station 3:The risen Lord appears to Mary Magdalene (John 20:16). Station 4:Mary Magdalene proclaims the Resurrection to the apostles (John 20:18). Station 5:The risen Lord appears on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:1327). Station 6:The risen Lord is recognized in the breaking of the bread (Luke 24:2832). Station 7:The risen Lord appears to the disciples in Jerusalem (Luke 24:3639). Station 8:The risen Lord gives the disciples the power to forgive (John 20:2223a). Station 9:The risen Lord strengthens the faith of Thomas (John 20:2429). Station 10:The risen Lord says to Peter, "Feed my sheep" (John 21:1517). Station 11:The risen Lord sends the disciples into the whole world (Matthew 28:1620). Station 12:The risen Lord ascends into heaven (Acts 1:911). Station 13:Waiting with Mary in the Upper Room (Acts 1:1214). Station 14:The risen Lord sends the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:24). The Empty Tomb: A Lost Symbol The Way of Light opens at dawn with the dark beauty of an empty tomb. Like a cave where a holy man meditates for years in search of illumination, hewn out of natural rock, this most sacred of all sacred spaces has a natural earthen floor and opens onto a lush garden that is almost invisible in the pale light of dawn, but soon will be radiant. Angels in dazzling white clothing make the astounding announcement that the cave is empty because Jesus, whose body was placed there three days ago, isFord-Grabowsky, Mary is the author of 'Stations Of The Light Renewing The Ancient Christian Practice Of The Via Lucis As A Spiritual Tool For Today', published 2005 under ISBN 9780385511650 and ISBN 0385511655.