II. HOW TO PREPARE THESE STATIONS

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1 I. INTRODUCTION Crosses are like problems and we have many. Jesus carried his cross and we have to carry ours. Jesus had a much harder cross than I do, but he knows mine are important. Jesus, you carried your cross now please help me to carry mine. (written by second graders) Children know something about what it means to carry a cross. They do it every day. Their crosses may be heavy or light. Some are carried for a short time, some for a lifetime. They know the pain and sorrow that comes with a cross. They know the Way of the Cross. Walking with Jesus is their introduction to the great story that leads to Easter. But it is also their story. This booklet provides a way to invite children to reflect on their own journey in light of the cross of Jesus. The Way of the Cross is a path from death to life. With the help of the classroom teacher and classmates, it offers each child a way to discover how the example of Jesus becomes a companion for their own journey. Like you, Jesus, all people carry a cross not always a cross that is heavy and big, and sometimes the cross doesn t even show. We all need help (written by fourth graders) The sample reflections in this book are a compilation of the writings of children in grades one through eight. They are the result of an activity created for the entire school just prior to Lent and used as a prayer for the students during Lent. The activity has a three-fold purpose. Finally, by creating a reflection that is based in the child s experience, children can see Jesus as a role model in the little crosses and deaths they deal with every day. The completed set of stations offers a prayerful way to reflect in the classroom. It can also serve as a meaningful communal Lenten experience when transferred to the church setting. The children in a particular classroom can benefit from this experience whether they reflect on one station or all of them. Refection on these moments in the life of Jesus encourages and affirms the children in their efforts to carry their own cross. Each station presents a different challenge to be met and overcome. Jesus is their model and companion in each circumstance. If the children reflect and write about each station, the experience of praying the Stations of the Cross adds a personal dimension that, hopefully, is carried with them long after the prayer is completed. What happened to Jesus is like what happens to me, mused a third grader. In what way? she was asked. When Jesus fell in front of everyone he was probably embarrassed and scared. But he got up and kept on going. When I fail at something I feel embarrassed and I might want to quit. Then I think of Jesus and how he kept going. It helps me keep going, too. What happens when children hear their own words in the context of praying the stations? A fifth grader had this to say. When we said the prayers at the fourth station, where Jesus meets his mother, I heard the words that I had written about my own mother. It made me think about my mother in a different way. My mother is like Mary. She loves me like Mary loves Jesus. She feels sad for me and helps me when I am in trouble. I felt really important when I heard my words talking about Jesus and Mary. I hope it helped the other children think about their mothers, too. Children can help children pray. They speak in a language that other children understand. Their words help open the hearts and ears of others in a beautiful way that is new and personal yet universal. First, this activity invites teachers and children to focus on a particular station in order to discover its meaning in their own lives. Praying the Stations of the Cross helps us to think about the suffering of Jesus. It also reveals our own sufferings and helps us connect them with those of Jesus. Second, inviting many students to reflect on and write about a particular station results in multiple perspectives illuminating different parts of the same story. It expands everyone s understanding. The adult who reads and listens to different children s reflections gains new insight into the meaning of being burdened with a cross or the necessity of struggling to rise from a fall, whatever that fall may be. 4 5

2 How Do I Begin? II. HOW TO PREPARE THESE STATIONS If this activity seems to offer you a Lenten challenge, you might be asking yourself, How do I begin? Before you can begin this activity with the children it is important to take some time to reflect on the stations. Walk the stations yourself. Stand in front of each station and just contemplate the image. What comes to mind? Are there instances in your life that seem connected to what is happening in the station? Does one station have more meaning for you than another? After you have visited each station, choose one or two that seemed to touch you in a special way. Take some time to write about why. Is there something in your life right now that draws you to this station? Is there a person in your life who draws significance from one of the people found in the stations? After you have written the reflection, pause for a moment and see if a prayer rises in you. If not, just sit quietly for a moment and let the experience fill you. Trying this activity yourself will give you an insight into how the process might work with the children. It can point to the challenges and also the benefits of the process upon which you are about to embark. Use the lines below for this activity. Experiencing this way of walking the stations yourself should give you a foundation for offering this opportunity to the children. The following section will help you begin. This activity was originally created as an all-school project, so the process has to be adapted if used only in one classroom or with multiple classrooms at one grade level. Feel free to add to, adapt, and change the process to fit your own group and circumstances. How Should I Introduce This to the Students? Just as in reading or math, the students in your classroom are at different levels in their spiritual life. Don t take for granted that they know exactly what you are talking about when you use words and descriptions about these important events. Their responses might range from I once had to carry a heavy box and it was hard for me to My mom has a very serious illness and it is hard for our family to deal with it and everything in between. Be ready to accept them where they are in life. The blessing of this approach is that the children lead one another to a new and deeper insight with words and examples they are able to understand and identify with. When beginning this project, directions for the student should be minimal. It is best not to lead the students in a particular direction with their reflections. The goal of this activity is to let the children reflect in their own way. It is amazing what insights and new perspectives come from this process. Children live in a world that is not always immediately apparent to us. This gives us as adults an opportunity to visit, observe, and become part of their lives in a more meaningful way. The project might begin with a simple invitation. Today we are going to look at the second station of the cross. It tells us about how Jesus accepted the cross he was given. What do you think the word cross means? Can it mean something other than the wooden shape Jesus was given? Do you ever feel that you carry a cross? Take some time to tell about it. The exact wording will be different for each grade level. Using simple words and examples for primary children is important. More complex and sophisticated questions, trying to elicit the same meaning, can be used when working with junior high students. Children can also be invited to draw pictures that either represent the station, or an experience from their own lives that it brings to mind for them. Some children are not as skillful with words as others, and this way of engaging them may help bring forth some thoughtful reflections. When creating the final version of your reflection it might be best to read through all those submitted by the children. You can then choose and combine those that move the children closer to a deeper understanding of its meaning for them. 6 7

3 III. SAMPLE STATIONS Sample reflections are provided for each of the stations, illustrating how various ideas from the children may be combined into a clear and meaningful reflection for all. Use these samples as starting points to craft station prayers. Station One: Jesus Is Condemned to Death Reflection Questions: Station One: Jesus Is Condemned to Death Have you ever been blamed for something you didn t do? What does it feel like to be accused unfairly? Children s Responses: The children s responses might look like this: (Individual responses) I get blamed for a lot of things I didn t do. When I am blamed for something I didn t do I get very angry. Sometimes I m scared when people say I did something I didn t do. I sometimes blame others for things I ve done wrong. Sometimes I don t admit it when I m wrong. Jesus died because of false things people said about him. Sample Finished Reflection: Jesus, I know how it feels to get blamed for something I did not do. I get blamed for a lot of things and it makes me scared and angry. It must have been harder for you you died because of it. When you were blamed you told the truth and let people think what they wanted. Jesus, help me to stay calm and tell the truth when someone accuses me of things I didn t do. Help me never to blame someone for something they didn t do. Help me to forgive those who accuse me of things I didn t do. Amen. Finished Reflection: 10 11

4 Station Four: Jesus Meets His Mother Station Four: Jesus Meets His Mother How do you think Mary felt when she saw Jesus? How do you think Jesus felt when he saw Mary, his mother? The children s responses might look like this: (Individual responses) I feel bad for Mary when she saw you suffering. She must have been very sad. Jesus was suffering physically but Mary was suffering too, emotionally. Jesus probably never wanted Mary to see him so beaten and hurt. When my mom sees me hurt or suffering I know she feels bad. When I see my mom sad and crying it makes me feel sad, too. Mary probably wanted to help Jesus but all she could do was look at him. I wonder if Jesus got strength from seeing Mary in the crowd. Moms love us no matter what is happening to us, even if it is painful. Sample Finished Reflection: Jesus, you were walking with the cross. All the people were shouting and yelling. But then you saw your mother. I feel bad for Mary watching you suffer. Jesus, I feel bad for you too, because you saw your mom, whom you loved the most, at the worst possible time for you. It is hard to see someone you love for the last time when they are suffering. When my mom sees me hurt or sad and can t help, it hurts her. I don t like to see her hurt. When you were weak and tired, Jesus, your mother gave you the strength and hope you needed to go on. Jesus, your mother s love gave you the strength you needed to go on. Bless our mothers. They give us strength so we can carry the crosses in our lives. Help us to respect our mothers through hard and difficult times. They help and care for us every day. Help us to love them in return. Amen. Children s Responses: Finished Reflection: 16 17

5 Station Nine: Jesus Falls the Third Time Station Nine: Jesus Falls the Third Time Can you think of a time when you felt like giving up on yourself? Are there times when you felt that no one cares about you? Did you ever feel that everyone was laughing at you because you failed at something? The children s responses might look like this: (Individual responses) Jesus must have been tired and scared and feeling as though everyone was against him. There were probably people along the way who were laughing at him. When he fell there was no one to pick him up. Sometimes I think people are laughing at me when I can t answer a question or make a good play in sports. Sometimes when things are really hard for me I feel like I just want to give up. When I have many different problems or worries, it feels like I am carrying a cross and it is so heavy it makes me fall. Jesus must have had a lot of courage to pull himself up and keep walking to his death. It takes a lot of courage for me to try again when I fail many times. Sample Finished Reflection: Jesus was carrying a heavy wooden cross and everyone was laughing and shouting at him. He was tired and scared and felt that he just couldn t take it anymore. He collapsed and fell for the third time. He knew he was walking to his death, but he was brave enough to get up and continue. I know that when I fall or fail I have to get back up and try again, even if it s not easy. Jesus, help me whenever I have a difficult problem in my life. Help me overcome all the obstacles in my way. Please give me strength to get up no matter how many times I fall. Help me to carry my cross to the end of my journey. Amen. Children s Responses: Finished Reflection: 26 27

6 PART IV: PREPARING AN ORDER OF SERVICE Praying the Stations Together Once you have completed the process you will probably be eager to share this beautiful prayer with others. If you have worked on this as a class you might want to invite other grade levels to share the stations with you. It might also be an opportunity to invite parents to join their students in an afternoon or evening prayer experience one day during Lent. If you are open to involving the broader community, you might offer it as a prayer for your parish. This would include collaborating with the parish priest, liturgist, or any other staff member who could assist you in this Lenten prayer. If you include the entire parish, you would want to give enough advance notice in the bulletin so that others might plan to attend. Who Will Lead the Prayer? The answer to this question depends on who will attend. If it is an all-parish service, one of the priests might like to lead the congregation. If so, there are several ways you could include the children. Of course, their words will be the primary focus. In addition, they can act as cross bearers and candle bearers to accompany the priest as he moves from station to station. You could also divide the speaking parts into reflection and prayer. The priest can lead the prayer sections. One of the children, or several children taking turns, might read the reflections. Hearing the children s words spoken by children gives them additional weight and meaning. If this prayer experience is to be done as a classroom or as a parent/child activity, the children can take each of the roles. You could also invite one or more of the parents to join in leading some of the prayer. Prayer Leaders and Participants Prayer Leader/Presider Cross Bearer Candle Bearers (one on each side of the cross) Reader (if the reflections are spoken by a person other than the presider) Leader of Song Leader of Song Music and singing enhance every worship experience. You might invite the choir director or a member of the choir to assist you during this prayer. If you are planning a classroom experience, you might invite the music teacher to give you suggestions for the music or lead the singing. If you have a student who is capable and comfortable leading the song, it can make the prayer more meaningful. The leader of song usually invites the congregation to join in singing the simple melodies. It is good to demonstrate the songs before the service so everyone feels comfortable when they are asked to join in. Worship Aid Whether you are praying as a small or large group, it is important to have a printed order of service for the participants to follow. You can decide if you want to give just the main points or if you want to include all reflections and prayers. Including all the texts might be distracting, inviting the participants to read ahead instead of concentrating on the station being prayed. On the other hand, following along with the reflection might help some focus better. Another alternative would be to have a general prayer sheet with the common prayers and songs and then distribute copies of the reflections as participants leave the service. You can invite them to use the prayers individually or as families at another time during Lent. The following could serve as a model for a simple worship aid. Stations of the Cross Written by the children of Date Time [Some graphic or child s drawing can be included on the prayer sheet.] Opening Song Opening Prayer (What is given here is a sample; an individual or group may wish to compose the opening prayer.) Jesus, we come today to walk the stations with you, to pray together and to think about how much you love us. You suffered and died for us. Your example shows us how to keep on, believing that no hurt or suffering is greater than the life God has given us

7 Prayer before Each Station: Leader: We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you, ALL: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. Closing Prayer (What is given here is a sample; an individual or group may wish to compose the closing prayer.) Loving Jesus, we have walked together on your holy path. I have joined my sorrows and sufferings to yours. I have walked in your footsteps and they have given me courage and comfort. I am sorry that you had to suffer, but your suffering has taught me how to face mine. I know your path did not end with your death. Your death led to new life. I believe that new life will be mine, too. Give me the courage each day to take up my cross and follow you to the resurrection. Amen. Closing Song Walking with Jesus: Music suggestions Consult the music index of your regular worship resource for music appropriate for the Stations of the Cross. The following items are found in a variety of publications. General hymns and songs: Crux Fidelis (Steven Warner) Near the Cross (traditional gospel-style) O Sacred Head (traditional hymn) Tree of Life (Aaron Thompson) Were You There (African-American spiritual) What Wondrous Love (traditional American hymn) For singing station-by-station At the Cross Her Station Keeping (traditional text/tune: stabat mater) Jesus, Remember Me (Taizé community) Stations of the Cross (text: Alan Hommerding/tune: stabat mater or tetelestai [Kevin Keil]) 40