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Serving God in the heart of our community since 1881

St Andrew's Church, Taunton

 www.standrewstaunton.org.uk
 

 

Book review: 'The Way of the Cross - Meditations on the death of Jesus' by Katharine Smith with illustrations by George Boxley

 

Reviewed by Jean Hole

of St Andrew's Church

 

 

Katharine has a special gift for articulating imaginative thoughts.  This book brings to life the events leading up to Jesus’ death.   We are there with him and the crowds in Jerusalem re-living the pain and torment of those days.

The scene moves from the Garden of Gethsemane by way of a traitor’s kiss, to the Sanhedrin’s condemnation.  Peter’s denial, later forgiven by Jesus, brings him guilt and anguish.  Katharine describes Pilate’s involvement as ‘political cynicism’. He finds Jesus innocent but avoids his task by asking the crowd whom he should release.  The angry crowd chooses Barabbas. The familiar story, at this point told by a Roman soldier, describes the scourging of Jesus, ‘I have orders to follow’. 

As the cross is carried at first by Jesus and later by a surprised Simon of Cyrene the normal life of Jerusalem goes on around them.  The women in Jesus’ life mourn his loss as the reality of the crucifixion, the nails, flesh and blood, is enacted.   Jesus forgives the penitent thief as his mother and friends at the foot of the cross console each other.  The human Jesus dies on the cross and is laid in the tomb.  He rises from the darkness of death to bring truth and light to the world.  Nothing will ever be the same again.

 

Katharine’s skill lies in her ability to bring the familiar themes of betrayal, denial, indifference, guilt, forgiveness and love into the present day.  Individuals and communities still struggle to deal with them.  She contrasts the darkness of human life with the light of the risen Christ.  As Katharine says ‘we can learn from watching and listening to Jesus as he shows what true light looks like in some of the darkest places in this world’.

 

George Boxley, Katharine’s brother, has illustrated the passages with equally imaginative, abstract pictures that in themselves are focuses for meditation.

 

This well produced book of meditations is a valuable contribution for use by Lent groups or individuals who want ‘to explore the mystery of the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus’.

 

Congratulations, Katharine, on producing such an inspiring piece of work.  We are thankful for your ministry here at St. Andrew’s.

 

Jean Hole

 

 

Illustrations and book cover © 2007 Redemptorist Publications

 

Buy the book

 

In Taunton, the book is available from Good News Christian Bookshop, Brendon Books and St. Mary Magdalene Bookshop.

In Bristol, it may be purchased from SPCK

To buy online please click here

 

 

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Page updated 30/09/2007