Stations of the Cross

On Friday's in Lent the children and I, because Stephen is at work, try to pray the Stations of the Cross at around 3pm in the afternoon.
Our church does have  7pm Stations but it really is an awkward time for our family, and so we continue with our family tradition of home stations of the Cross.
Each year I think how wonderful it would be to set up an outdoor Stations and for the first week we almost did this but rain stopped us from doing this.

Since then we have just continued with the tradition of placing  the printed and laminated cards around a few rooms of the house and walking and praying them this way. For our Stations prayer we have long since used the form from Domestic Church. Our version which I printed out years ago is slightly different to the new one, which I will share below.

This year it has been Arwen who has mainly used the Stations of the Cross box and sits down with big sister Autumn and gets the things out of the box as we pray. Autumn is very good at explaining to her what each item symbolises and she really seems to be understanding what it is all about.

I have decided that this really is one of my favourite devotions and I really would like to continue this every Friday through out the year.
As I was leading today and really concentrating on the prayers and reflections I could not help but realise that the real story of Jesus and his love for us is so evident in the Stations of the Cross.


Yes I do believe that the Stations of the Cross is a story!
One we can easily understand and I think it is easy for the children to understand too.
Jesus loved us so much that he died for us! Jesus offers us a love that is sacrificial and true and in our love for Him we show sacrificial love to others.
Now of course this is not easy and we all fail but again we see that Jesus loves us anyway, despite our faults.

How can we show that we love Jesus?
I think it is by living our lives for Him, in imitation of His life.
The key to this is SACRIFICE!
Not only when we feel like it but especially when we do not feel like it. When we are tired or doing something else, this is when we model a life lived for Christ.

How blessed we are when we model this for others. WE not only give joy and help to others but satisfaction to our selves and there is the ultimate reward of a 'well done good and faithful servant' from Our Lord Himself.

We have in the past used the colouring pages from The Lent and Easter in the Domestic Church book to help the little ones with praying through this devotion.

Below is the format we use (nearly) for the Stations of the Cross each week ~
These are our changes:
We say Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be after each station instead of Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One, Have mercy upon us.

We also genuflect as we say together not in separate parts as below:

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you:
Because by your holy cross, you have saved the world.

We then move around to each station as we say Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be.

Our closing prayer is also different and is thus:
Lord Jesus, through our meditation on your suffering and death teach us the glad message which you brought to all people that after every Good Friday comes an Easter. That all suffering is a fount of blessing and death itself is the seed of new life for everyone who holds fast to you.

Let this conviction rise to life in me,
when hours of darkness come.
Then will I learn to know
that I can not only endure my suffering,
but also overcome it.
In you , I feel myself equal to the task.
Lord, help me realise
that from every hour of suffering bravely battled through
the soul goes forth the  stronger;
that every stretch of darkness travelled through,
a ray of Easter light shines forth.

We ask that we who live and suffer with you,
will always be granted a share of your peace.
Amen

Opening Prayer

Leader:We will glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ:
All: In whom is our salvation, our life and resurrection.
Leader continues: Let us pray:
All: Lord Jesus Christ, take me along that holy way you once took to your death. Take my mind, my memory, above all my reluctant heart, and let me see what once you did for love of me and all the world. Amen.

First Station: Jesus is Condemned to Death Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: All: Because by your holy cross, you have saved the world. Leader continues: Jesus is brought to stand in front of Pontius Pilate, the judge. He is innocent but Pontius Pilate condemns him anyway and sentences Him to death. Let us pray: Dear Jesus, it is really our bad thoughts, mean words, and angry actions that you are being punished for. We are praying the Stations of the Cross to tell You that we are sorry for all our sins. Amen. All: Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One, Have mercy upon us.

Second Station: Jesus Takes His Cross Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: All: Because by your holy cross, you have saved the world. Leader continues: Jesus has been beaten by the soldiers. He has been laughed at and spat upon. Now he must pick up the heavy cross and carry it while the crowd yells. He is so tired and sad, but no one cares. Let us pray: Dear Jesus, we care that you are tired. We are sorry that you are sad. We would like to help You carry Your cross with our prayers. Amen. All: Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One, Have mercy upon us.

Third Station: Jesus Falls the First Time Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: All: Because by your holy cross, you have saved the world. Leader continues: The cross is too heavy. It is so heavy that Jesus falls down under its weight. The blood from the crown of thorns is running into His eyes and His back aches from being whipped. People are still screaming and throwing things at Him. His heart must be as heavy as the cross He carries. Let us pray: Dear Jesus, it is our sins that make your cross so heavy. We are sorry. We love you and we try to be good for You with our prayers and with our lives. Amen. All: Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One,Have mercy upon us.

Fourth Station: Jesus Meets His Blessed Mother Leader:We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: All: Because by your holy cross, you have saved the world. Leader continues: Suddenly, Jesus sees His Mother. She is standing at the side of the road surrounded by the crowd. Her eyes fill with tears when she sees Jesus. She wants to help Him but she can not. Both their hearts ache at the other's pain. Let us pray: Jesus, our hearts ache with you and your blessed mother with the pain of the Stations of the Cross. We promise to pray to you often, for help in our lives. Amen. All: Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One, Have mercy upon us.

Fifth Station: Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry the Cross Leader:We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: All: Because by your holy cross, you have saved the world. Leader continues: The soldiers are in a hurry. They grab Simon of Cyrene out of the crowd to carry the cross and make Jesus go faster. Jesus was grateful to Simon for his help. Let us pray: Dear Jesus, Simon did not know he was blessed when he was carrying Your cross - he only felt how heavy it was. Praying the Stations of the Cross will help us to remember that carrying our crosses helps You too. Amen. All: Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One, Have mercy upon us.

Sixth Station: Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus Leader:We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: All: Because by your holy cross, you have saved the world. Leader continues: Jesus' face is covered with sweat, blood and dust. It is itchy and uncomfortable. In pity, Veronica runs out to the road to wipe the dirt from Jesus' face. This small act of kindness is all she can do to help Him. Let us pray: Jesus, we want to see and touch Your face, shining in glory in Heaven. We know that our small acts of kindness and our prayers help us grow closer to You and Your Father in Heaven. Amen. All: Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One, Have mercy upon us.

Seventh Station: Jesus Falls the Second Time Leader:We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: All: Because by your holy cross, you have saved the world. Leader continues: The road is so long and the cross is so heavy. Exhausted, Jesus falls down again. The soldiers yell at Him and whip Him to make him get up. Don't they know that they are hurting Him more? Jesus knows that He is suffering for the sins of the world. He gets up and keeps walking. Let us pray: Jesus, sometimes we get tired, discouraged and impatient with the world. When we fail and fall into sin, it hurts You more. We are sorry and we ask You to help us be as patient and brave as You. Amen. All: Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One, Have mercy upon us.

Eighth Station: Jesus Speaks to the Women of Jerusalem Leader:We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: All: Because by your holy cross, you have saved the world. Leader continues: Next, Jesus meets some of the women he taught. They are crying. They are crying for Jesus, and for their own loss - what will they do without Jesus? Jesus tells them not to weep for Him, but for all the sinners of the world. Let us pray: Jesus, you told the women of Jerusalem to weep for us children. Even in your pain, You remembered us. Thank you. We will pray for sinners too. Amen. All: Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One, Have mercy upon us.

Ninth Station: Jesus Falls the Third Time Leader:We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: All: Because by your holy cross, you have saved the world. Leader continues: Jesus reaches the last hill before Calvary. He looks up to see how far he has to go. When he sees the hill where He knows he is going to die, His strength leaves Him and He falls to the ground. There is still more pain, still more sorrow to endure. But Jesus loves us, so He keeps going. Let us pray: Jesus, You kept going even though you were tired, scared and sad. You loved us then, and You love us now. We offer our prayers to tell you that we love you, and want to comfort you in Your great sacrifice. Amen. All: Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One, Have mercy upon us.

Tenth Station: Jesus is Stripped of His Garments Leader:We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: All: Because by your holy cross, you have saved the world. Leader continues: The crowd followed Jesus and the soldiers to the top of Calvary hill. Now they laugh as the guards pull off his clothes - His robe has stuck to the blood on His back. The guards push and shove Jesus. They do not care who He is, they only see that He is an object of scorn. Let us pray: Jesus, even wounded, bleeding, roughly treated by the guards and mocked by the crowds, You were and are still our King. We ask you to remember us in Your Kingdom. Amen. All: Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One, Have mercy upon us.

Eleventh Station: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross Leader:We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: All: Because by your holy cross, you have saved the world. Leader continues: Is this the worst? The feet that carried the message of God's Love and the hands that healed are pierced with nails as Jesus is nailed to the cross. More wounds, more pain and more humiliation for Jesus. Let us pray: Jesus, they tried to stop your hands and feet from doing Your Father's work by nailing you to a cross. You endured the pain of it for us, as you gave your whole life for us. We thank you and we love you. Amen. All: Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One, Have mercy upon us.

Twelfth Station: Jesus Dies upon the Cross Leader:We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: All: Because by your holy cross, you have saved the world. Leader continues: The sword that Simeon prophesied has pierced Mary's heart. The hopes of the Apostles are crushed. The veil of the Temple, symbol of the old covenant of God's Love, is torn in two as Jesus' death opens a New Covenant with God. Let us pray: Jesus, you spoke lovingly to everyone gathered at the foot of Your cross. You knew the new life that Your death made possible. Speak lovingly to us when we come before You and make us worthy of that new life in You. Amen. All: Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One, Have mercy upon us.

Thirteenth Station: Jesus is Taken from the Cross Leader:We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: All: Because by your holy cross, you have saved the world. Leader continues: Now, all that is left is to take Jesus' body down from the cross. All the gentleness,reverence and love denied through this terrible day is possible now. Mary and the Apostles wonder, Is it too late? Is it over? Let us pray: Jesus, with our prayers, we join in taking your body down from the cross. We touch You; take the nails out, wash your wounds, take off the crown of thorns, with love and sorrow. We grieve with Mary, and want to comfort her. Amen. All: Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One, Have mercy upon us.

Fourteenth Station: Jesus is Laid in the Tomb Leader:We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you: All: Because by your holy cross, you have saved the world. Leader continues: Even in this time of sorrow, there is help. Joseph of Arimathea arranges for Jesus to be buried in a nearby tomb. His body is wrapped in clothes and sealed away. Everyone walks away, weeping. Finally, all is quiet. Let us pray: Jesus, we sometimes think that You are gone, that it is all over, that we will never be happy or good again. Your death and resurrection shows us that You will never leave us. We should always try to follow You with our lives and our prayers. Amen. All: Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One, Have mercy upon us.

Closing prayers:

Leader: As Jesus taught us, we now pray:
All say the Lord's Prayer:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Leader: Dear God. Thank you for sending Your Son to die for our sins. Help us to follow Jesus in all ways, all of our days. In Jesus' name. Amen.
The following song may be sung:

Were You There When They Crucified My Lord

African-American Spiritual

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
O - o - oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
O - o - oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree?
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
O - o - oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they pierced him in the side?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?
O - o - oh! Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?

Blessings to you and your homes,