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For centuries, Christians have set out on a holy pilgrimage in 14 movements. From the Garden of Gethsemane to the Garden Tomb, we invite you to walk with Jesus, experiencing the sorrow, suffering, and passion of his self-sacrificial love. This meditation introduces a series of 14 audio meditations that follow 14 Stations of the Cross. We follow in his way, knowing that one offers no greater love than laying down their life for others. As we join Jesus, we are reminded that we are his beloved children, made in his image, and invited to experience the beauty of his presence, even as we walk toward death. These meditations accompany sacred art crafted by the artists of Flourish Contemplative Center. To view the virtual gallery, visit ColumbusAnglicanMission.org. Flourish Artists include Michelle Morris, Michael O'Donnell and Lynn Staggs.

Meditation for Station 1: Passion. Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane * Music provided by Les Petits Chanteurs de Montigny: Cantata Domino GO Pitoni and Kai Engel: Take a Look Around You. *Art: Christ on the Mount of Olives by Paul Gaugin (in public domain)

Meditation for Station 2: Betrayal. Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested. *Music: Les Petits Chanteurs de Montigny: O Bone Jesus; Violin by Neil Leonard * Art by Michael O'Donnell

Meditation for Station 3: Condemnation. Jesus is condemned by the Sanhedrin. *Music: Couperin's Prelude la Tromba, Air de Diable performed by Advent Chamber Orchestra; Perdue No. 1 performed by Barryvan *Art by Lynn Staggs

Meditation for Station of the Cross 4: Denial. Peter Denies Jesus. Music: Cappella Romana's Byzantine Chant: Prokeimenon; Kai Engel: Mist and Clouds Art by Michael O'Donnell

Meditation for Station of the Cross 6: Scourge. Jesus is scourged and wears a crown of thorns. *Music: Victim Paschali Laudes performed by Tudor Consort; Bach's Andante from Italian Concerto performed on harp by Catrin Finch. *Art by Michelle Morris

Meditation for Station 7: Burden. The King takes up his cross. *Music: Russian Liturgical Chant: The Cross Exalted Invites All Creation; Kai Engel: Cloudburst. *Art by Michael O'Donnell

Meditation for Station 8: Fall. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his cross. *Music: Russian Liturgical Chant: Turn Not Thy Face Away from Thy Servant; Kai Engel: Aspirato. *Art by Lynn Staggs

Meditation for Station 9: Lament. Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem. *Music: Kai Engel: Morbid Imaginations; Couperin's Air de Diablo performed by Advent Chamber Orchestra * Art: The Outcry of the Women by Adolfo Perez Esquivel (creative commons)

Meditation for Station 10: Wounds. Jesus is stripped and crucified. To view the "White Crucifixion" by Marc Chagall, please visit this link to the Art Institute of Chicago: www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/59426 The song Via Dolorosa provided with courtesy by Young Noah.

Meditation for Station 11: Thirst. Jesus thirsts. *Music: Byzantine Chant Kontakion Unshakeable Foundation by Cappella Romana; Kai Engel: Soli. *Art: As Seen from the Cross by James Tissot (Brooklyn Art Museum, public domain)

Meditation for Station 12: Grief. Jesus speaks to his mother from the cross. *Music: Cujus Animam Gementem performed by Tudor Consort; Evermore by Kai Engel. *Art by Michael O'Donnell

Meditation for Station 13: Death. Jesus dies and the veil of the Temple is torn. *Music: Agnus Dei performed Tudor Consort; Curtains are Always Drawn by Kai Engel. * Art by Michelle Morris

Meditation for Station 14: Tomb. Jesus is buried in the tomb. *Music: Vivaldi's Credo Crucifixius performed by Advent Chamber Orchestra; Denouement by Kai Engel. * Icon by Emmanuel Lambardos the Younger , 1640 (after the prototype in Crete)

Spiritual Director Kelsie Meyers offers this beautiful prayer of Examen for the year end. In the presence of God and through the eyes of Jesus, you are invited to look back, noticing the movements of God in your life and to look ahead, cultivating hope for what is yet to come. Music courtesy of Borrtex: Bright Morning Star (Creative Commons) Photo by Simon Matzinger from Pexels

These advent reflections and prayers accompany the Weary World Rejoices Advent guide which is posted on the www.betwixtpodcast.com and Flourish Contemplative Center website. You are welcome to download the guide and join us in this journey of illumination toward Christmas! During Advent, we light candles to remind ourselves to watch for the light. Each week, we illuminate a theme that will grow our expectancy for the Advent - the coming of Jesus. You are invited to return to this prayer of examen each evening this week as a way of looking for God by examining your life in the last 24 hours. This week, the theme is Joy! Artwork by Cody Wood. Music courtesy of Lee Rosevere (Under suspicion) and Borrtex (Love Generosity; Falling Into Presence: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Borrtex, Creative Commons so go give some love!

To view the image of Mary and Eve, visit https://www.monasterycandy.com/Detail?prod=99 To download the Advent Pantoum Exercise, visit https://docs.google.com/document/d/1np5jrZh56khbftckpXIKm6DkCPnwchilHsAS0SSqCRQ/edit?usp=sharing

These advent reflections and prayers accompany the Weary World Rejoices Advent guide which is posted on the www.betwixtpodcast.com and Flourish Contemplative Center website. You are welcome to download the guide and join us in this journey of illumination toward Christmas! During Advent, we light candles to remind ourselves to watch for the light. Each week, we illuminate a theme that will grow our expectancy for the Advent - the coming of Jesus. You are invited to return to this prayer of examen each evening this week as a way of looking for God by examining your life in the last 24 hours. This week, the theme is Prepare the Way. Artwork by Cody Wood. Benedictus Dominus courtesy of Ensemble Morales, Creative Commons

These advent reflections and prayers accompany the Weary World Rejoices Advent guide which is posted on the www.betwixtpodcast.com and Flourish Contemplative Center website. You are welcome to download the guide and join us in this journey of illumination toward Christmas! During Advent, we light candles to remind ourselves to watch for the light. Each week, we illuminate a theme that will grow our expectancy for the Advent - the coming of Jesus. You are invited to return to this prayer of examen each evening this week as a way of looking for God by examining your life in the last 24 hours. This week, the theme is hope. Jesus called himself the Light of the World who brought hope to people lost in darkness.

“Let’s forget nation-state politics until we can engage practically the injustices going on in our towns and villages in which we live.” David Fitch is the B. R. Lindner Chair of Evangelical Theology at Northern Seminary in Chicago. He is also the founding pastor of Life on the Vine Christian Community- a missional church in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago. Many of you may know Fitch as a leading voice in conversations about culture and missiology. You can find more about him on his website reclaimingthemission.com and this podcast Theology on Mission. We find ourselves in a precarious and liminal time. And many of us grieve our angry culture that seems obsessed with antagonism. In his book the Church of Us vs Them, Fitch contends that the Church has been swept up in this Us-vs-them mentality that has turned us into an ‘enemy-making machine. This episode expolores how we got here and how we can free ourselves from a faith that feeds on division. And because this episode is about handling antagonisms, I take the opportunity to throw Fitch a few hand grenade questions! So stay tuned and see how he handles them! “When we extract belief out of practicing it in our everyday lives, it turns into a banner, an ideological cause that we rally people around. And we lose sight that God actually wants to work into our lives - transforming our lives into a way of life that witnesses the kingdom before the world.”