Book Reviews and More: The Way of the Cross According to Luke

Tuesday, 1 August 2023

The Way of the Cross According to Luke - Father Eugene LaVerdiere, S.S.S.

The Way of the Cross According to Luke

Father Eugene LaVerdiere, S.S.S.

Emmanuel Publishing

During Lent in 2022 our parish did On the Way of the Cross with Saint Paul by Eugene LaVerdiere, S.S.S. and it was excellent. During research I found that Father LaVerdiere also wrote this Station and also ones according to each of the other Gospels. I was able to order 1 copy of each from Emmanuel Publishing. This was the third I have done and they are excellent. I try and pray a Stations each Friday of the year, and I strive to pray a Stations each day during Lent. The stations written by Father Eugene LaVerdiere, S.S.S., are:

On the Way of the Cross with Saint Paul

The Way of the Cross According to Matthew

The Way of the Cross According to Mark

The Way of the Cross According to Luke

The Way of the Cross According to John

I do not recount encountering the works of Father Eugene prior to that first Stations. But having look at the list of volumes he published I have added several to my wish list. I discovered that Father Eugene LaVerdiere, SSS, was a distinguished lecturer at Fordham University in New York and an adjunct professor at the Catholic Theological Union. He published numerous books and articles, he published works on Scripture on Luke from the New Testament Message series, The Eucharist in the New Testament and the Early Church, and The Beginning of the Gospel: Introducing the Gospel According to Mark Volumes 1 and 2. He was also the senior editor of Emmanuel magazine. The publishing company that produces this and the other Stations composed by him. The description of this volume is:

“Lukes’ Gospel tells the story “of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us” (1:1-2). As the early Christians met resistance and internal difficulties, the image of Jesus, ever loving and forgiving, became blurred. We too, will be strengthened in faith and love through Luke’s Way of the Cross as we follow Jesus to Jerusalem and the place of crucifixion.”

A sample station is:

“Third Station

Leader: Third Station: Jesus Falls the First Time

Cross bearer: We adore you, 0 Christ, and we praise you.

All: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

You may be seated.

Leader:

Jesus fell. The Son of the Most High, God's chosen one

for the throne of David (1:32) fell. Our Savior ( 2: 11)

fell in the person of his followers, too weak to stand

when faced with rejection. When they asked if fire

might be called down from heaven on those who

opposed them, Jesus rebuked them (9:54~55). Rising,

they continued with him on the journey to God (9:57).

Simeon:

It was such a short time ago I took him in my arms and

blessed God. I had waited so long, certain I would not

die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord. Little did I

realize what would be asked of God's Messiah and his

followers. "Master, you may let your servan t go in peace,

according to your word" ( 2 : 26~ 29).

Anna:

I still hear the echo of Simeon's canticle, strong and

vibrant. I hear too his message to Mary: "This child is

destined for the fall and rise of many in Israe l, and to be

a sign that will be contradicted ... so that the thoughts

of many hearts may be revealed" (2:34-35). All those

years of prayer and fasting (2:37). They prepared me for

this moment.

Leader: My eyes have seen your salvation,

All: which you prepared in sight of all the peoples.

Luke 2:30-31

(Please stand.)

Leader: Let us pray.

All:

Lord Jesus,

you fell every time your disciples fell.

And they fell over and over again,

as we fall today.

But you never abandoned them,

and you never abandon us.

Help us to rise

when we stumble and fall through impatience.

For this we pray to you, our Lord and Savior,

living and reigning for ever and ever.

Amen.”

I hope that sample station gives you a feel for this version of this devotion. This is another excellent stations of the cross. I loved praying in on my own and would greatly enjoy doing it at church with a few different people playing the different roles. It was a great tool to pray and reflect upon it on my own. I look forward to reading the other stations by Father Eugene and some of his other books. I know I will return to these stations often. I just wish this, and other volumes were available electronically, with my dual form of dyslexia I prefer eBooks so I can change the font, font and page colour to make books more accessible and easier to read.

This is another great resource for personal, family, or parish use. It is an excellent version of this devotion; I can easily recommend this volume.