A brief history of the devotion, The Way of the Light (Via Lucis)
In the 1990s, Father Sabino Palumbieri, a Salesian priest in Rome, developed the idea for the Stations of the Resurrection, or the Way of the Light, as a complimentary devotion to the Stations of the Cross, or the Way of the Cross. The latter can find its origins as early as the 4th century, when pilgrims from all over the world came to Jerusalem to visit the scenes of Christ’s passion, and today nearly all Catholic churches display images of the devotion.
Since 1883, the Church of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, just down the road from Heritage, has held its own display of the Stations of the Cross.
While the Way of the Cross follows Christ’s passion, death, and burial and illustrates events of great sorrow, the Stations of the Resurrection takes the faithful through the most joyful and glorious of the mysteries of Christ, which the Catholic Church celebrates for fifty days out of the liturgical calendar. It offers prayerful reflections on each appearance of the Risen Lord and different scenes leading up to the descent of the Holy Spirit to bring about faithful hope, peaceful consolation, and joyful celebration in the hearts of all Christians.
The stations in Resurrection Meadow
Constructed on about five acres of the Heritage property, Resurrection Meadow is its newest stations prayer space, similar to Grace Garden and the Seven Sorrows Walk, with a circular walking trail that takes guests through each moment of significance for the disciples during the time of the Resurrected Christ.
At the entrance of Resurrection Meadow, guests pass by a striking natural rock formation which can remind them of Christ’s empty tomb discovered by the disciples after the Resurrection (2nd station). A large, circular space sits at the start and end of the walking trail and features on the ground a stone Celtic Knot design, which originated in Ireland. Its three points represent the Holy Trinity, and the second one directs the eye straight ahead to a life-sized, stained glass art display of the Risen Lord, which can be seen from every station.
Each station displays the scenes in stained glass, from the resurrection itself (1st station) to the descent of the Holy Spirit (14th station), all designed by the same artist. Along with the images, the stations feature engravings of scripture passages in their entirety, while Grace Garden only features scripture references for each joyful mystery of the rosary.
The art of the stations utilizes a consistent color palette of red, yellow, and orange for some and blue, green, and yellow for the others. The careful and intentional use of coloring draws the viewer’s attention toward different figures in a remarkable way.
A part of the design worth noting: the stations are fashioned in groups of two or three, excepting Christ’s interaction with St. Thomas (8th station) and Pentecost (14th station).
The small pavilions included in the meadow, each accompanied by a seating and table arrangement (chairs, benches, coffee tables, dining tables, etc.), provide shade and relief from the heat during the warmer months. These gathering spaces make a perfect small-group setting for retreatants and rest stop for groups or individuals of every kind. As guests gather together in these spaces, they may place themselves in the shoes of the disciples who, with Mary, gathered together in anticipation of the coming of the Holy Spirit (13th station).
Situated at its lower end, the sloping meadow prominently features an outdoor amphitheater with an eastward-facing altar. It is accessible for guests from the grass pathway between the 7th and 8th stations. The venue has a variety of uses, and it is the perfect location for a sunrise Mass during the Easter season, when the faithful are encouraged to intentionally and prayerfully enter into the mystery of the Resurrection.
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First Station: Jesus Rises from the Dead
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has risen as He said.” (Matthew 28:5-6a)
The scene of the first station illustrates something that the women to whom the angel was speaking did not directly witness: the Risen Lord Jesus, body and soul, in the fulfillment of the many promises of God and a most triumphant victory over sin and death, leaving behind the tomb made by human hands.
Second Station: The Disciples Find the Empty Tomb
Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves. (Luke 24:12)
The scene of the second station shows Peter alone in the tomb picking up and examining the burial cloths of Jesus. The empty tomb is a silent witness to the most glorious and joyful event of the Christian faith. Here, we may mediate on the empty tombs of our own lives; the coldest and loneliness places are precisely where Jesus seeks to encounter His disciples.
Third Station: Jesus Appears to Mary Magdelene
She turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?” (John 20:14-15a)
The scene of the third station pictures Mary Magdelene in the act of turning toward Jesus, even though at that moment she had not yet realized it was Him. Jesus calls us to turn toward Him especially when His presence cannot fully be appreciated or understood. Here, Mary Magdlene is already being sent on mission to share this good news with the other disciples, but there is also an invitation to pause and meditate on who Jesus is to us.
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Fourth Station: Jesus Walks with the Disciples to Emmaus
While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. (Luke 24:15-16)
The scene of the fourth station pictures Jesus standing between the two disciples and teaching them as they travel together. As we see these disciples leave Jerusalem in a moment of despair and desolation, their walk to Emmaus can be for us the story of the Christian life. However, even when we are moving in the wrong direction, Jesus meets us in our humanity and brokenness and accompanies us on that road. Walking on the grass paths of Resurrection Meadow, we can put ourselves in the shoes of the disciples and know that our Risen Lord is with us.
Fifth Station: Jesus Reveals Himself in the Breaking of the Bread
When He was at table with them, He took the bread and blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished out of their sight. (Luke 24:30-31)
The scene of the fifth station shows Jesus sitting at a table as He blessed the bread. One of the disciples is pictured next to Jesus, reaching out a hand toward Him. This gesture highlighted by the artist can signal to the participation of the faithful in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and the fact that the Risen Lord is linked to the Eucharist, the source and summit of the Catholic faith.
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Sixth Station: Jesus Appears to the Disciples
“Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself.” (Luke 24:38-39a)
The scene of the sixth station pictures only Jesus—a reminder that we are not simply observers of His interactions with the disciples but direct participants in these mysteries. He is holding up one hand and pointing with the other to the wounds of the crucifixion. Jesus speaks straight to us here about the doubts and difficulties we may be harboring in our own hearts. This scene also illustrates how all of our wounds will one day be glorified and how we can lead others to Christ through the witness of our healing on earth.
Seventh Station: Jesus Confers on His Disciples the Power to Forgive Sins
He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:22b-23)
The scene of the seventh station pictures Jesus conversing with multiple disciples at a significant point of them being sent on mission by God. They are sent after receiving from Jesus the gift of deep inner peace and purpose. In the writing of his gospel, John points out the fact that when Jesus appeared to the disciples, the doors of the Upper Room were shut and locked, much like our hearts can be from deeply rooted fears, yet God pierces through them to them to depths.
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Eighth Station: Jesus Confirms Thomas in Faith
Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing.” Thomas answered Him, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:27-28)
The scene of eighth station pictures St. Thomas touching the wounds of the glorified body of Christ. We can all see ourselves in St. Thomas and realize that doubt or difficulty can be a part of faith; Jesus transforms Thomas’s doubt into a lively faith. This scene is not only a call to patience with others and ourselves in times of difficulty in our faith but also a call to action in our faith.
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Ninth Station: Jesus Appears to His Disciples on the Shore of the Sea of Galilee
Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any fish?” They answered Him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” (John 21:5-6a)
The scene of the ninth station pictures two of the disciples in their boat looking over the side of it to their nets, and it can be compared to the original call of the first disciples on the shore. After the crucifixion, the disciples essentially went back to their old way of life before they met Jesus; again, here Jesus calls them to be fishers of men, once more sending them on mission.
Tenth Station: Jesus Confers Primacy on Peter
Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” (John 21:15)
The scene of the tenth station pictures Jesus with St. Peter and is a reminder of the limitless mercy of God. He forgives Peter and calls him to lead the Church after he had denied him three times. This is a forgiveness than brings consolation and motivation to the faithful of today.
Eleventh Station: Jesus Entrusts His Disciples with a Universal Mission
Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:18-19)
The scene of the eleventh station is another one which pictures only Jesus. Not pictured are the disciples to whom Jesus delivers his great commission. This is the most important and deeply rooted mission that all Christians share, who must allow the Risen Lord to change their whole way of living.
Twelfth Station: Jesus Ascends into Heaven
The Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. (Mark 16:19)
The scene of the twelfth station pictures the disciples looking up toward simply a bright light that consumes almost half of the image presented. This mystery is not one of sorrow or despair but one of glory and consolation; Jesus is all the more present in our hearts and seeks to move within us even after powerful encounters we may have with Him.
Thirteenth Station: Mary and His Disciples Await the Coming of the Holy Spirit
All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brethren. (Acts 1:14)
The scene of the thirteenth station pictures Jesus’s disciples, men and women alike, gathered together in prayer. The story of Jesus does not end after the gospel accounts, and in fact, we can turn to the examples and teachings of Mary and the apostles for encouragement and equipment on our own missions. Along with an emphasis on the importance of community, the call to action here is to stay close to Jesus in consistency in prayer, even when he feels far away.
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Fourteenth Station: Jesus Sends the Spirit Promised by The Father to His Disciples
Suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:2-4a)
The scene of the fourteenth station depicts the disciples receiving the Holy Spirit with flames appearing before their heads. The gift of the Holy Spirit is conferred on all Catholics through the sacraments of baptism and confirmation. Following this powerful scene and deep mystery, the disciples are driven out of the Upper Room and into the streets, demonstrating the call to evangelization for all Christians; everywhere we go, the Spirit goes before us.
Why the Stations of the Resurrection at Heritage?
Founder and CEO of Heritage, Betsy Orr, first thought of the idea for a unique prayer space two years before the center opened for retreats. She recalls reading about the Stations of the Resurrection devotion in the April edition of the Magnificat magazine.
From the Magnificat, April 2022 edition:
This particular form of the Via Lucis finds its inspiration in Saint Augustine (d. 430), whose “Sermons to the People” are quoted in each meditation. As we make this spiritual journey, we do so with the risen Lord and are assisted by one of the most beloved preachers of all time.
While outdoor Stations of the Cross displays are common at Catholic retreat centers, Orr had never seen a Stations of the Resurrection prayer space at one. In collaboration with the Sacred Spaces design committee, Heritage began the initial phase of the expansive addition to the retreat center campus a few months later. With Grace Garden depicting significant events in the early life of Jesus and the Seven Sorrows Walk illustrating scenes of His adult life and Passion, all agreed that a space facilitating meditation on the appearances of the Risen Lord flowed exceptionally well on the property. Including the stations in all three devotional spaces on the Heritage property and the Stations of the Cross in the Church of the Purification, there is a total sum of 40 biblical reflections in Sharon.
There are two components to the art itself. The artist, William Frank, who designed and drew the figures and scenes, and Glasmalerei Peters, a glass workshop studio in Germany, where the designs were sent. Frank is the co-founder of Studio Totus, a design and consulting firm, and has designed multiple commissioned projects for Heritage. Founded over a hundred years ago, the Peters studio has also been restoring the stained glass windows at the Chartes Cathedral in Paris, France.
The presence of a devotional prayer space with Jesus as the fore figure allows and encourages peaceful meditation of mysteries that call the faithful into a deeper relationship with their Creator, send them on a mission with inflamed hearts, and bring them consolation amidst the storms of life. The devotion itself fills those of all walks of life with hope, joy, and appreciation for the encounters with Jesus, however small, that they may experience.
With Resurrection Meadow, Heritage invites guests to enter into the Holy Land and, having experienced “the things that have happened there… Concerning Jesus of Nazareth…” (Lk. 24:18-19), embark on their own walk to Emmaus.
Learn more about visiting the Retreat at Heritage by going to the Visit tab above.
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