Stations of the Cross
What are the Stations of the Cross
The Stations of the Cross are about the suffering and death of Jesus.
Times where they are in pain
Times when they cry
Times when they are sad
Times when they worry
Times when life is difficult for them
The Stations of the Cross for a child at a Primary School
1. Jesus is condemned to death
Teacher:
Jesus I praise you and thank you.
Children:
Because by dying on the cross you showed how much you loved me.
Child:
Jesus, thank you that when I am frightened,
I can turn to you for help.
Thank you for being with me when I am afraid.
Thank you that when I pray to you
you help me to be happy and full of joy.
When I have something difficult to do,
may I not worry too much about it.
Please help me and guide me every day.
2. Jesus starts to carry his cross
Teacher:
Jesus I praise you and thank you.
Children:
Because by dying on the cross you showed how much you loved me.
Child:
Jesus help me to take things calmly.
Help me not to get into a panic when things go wrong.
Help me not to worry,
but to take things as they come, one day at a time.
Help me not to be too nervous
when I have something important to do.
Help me not to lose my temper,
no matter how annoying things or people may be.
Thank you, that even though I am not perfect
and have my failures,
nothing and no one can change the fact
that you love me just as I am.
3. Jesus falls the first time
Teacher:
Jesus I praise you and thank you.
Children:
Because by dying on the cross you showed how much you loved me.
Child:
Jesus, please help me with my work at school.
Sometimes I don’t get good marks,
but I try to do my best.
Help me to listen and understand so that I may learn.
Thank you for my school
and for everyone who works there.
Thank you for the teachers who help me to learn,
and for all the other people who help in our school,
for the people who give me food,
for the cleaners who clear up after me,
and for the caretaker who watches over the school
and keeps it safe.
Thank you for helping me when I am at school.
4. Jesus meets his mother
Teacher:
Jesus I praise you and thank you.
Children:
Because by dying on the cross you showed how much you loved me.
Child:
Jesus, thank you for making me part of your family.
It is good to know that I belong to you,
Please help me to love everyone,
even when it’s very difficult.
Help me to care for those who live in countries
where they have nowhere to live
and very little to eat and drink.
Help me to try to share with them
as I would with my own family.
5. Simon helps Jesus to carry his cross
Teacher:
Jesus I praise you and thank you.
Children:
Because by dying on the cross you showed how much you loved me.
Child:
Jesus, thank you for doctors and nurses.
Thank you that I can go to them for help.
Thank you also, for land, sea, and air rescue teams
who can help me if I am lost or in danger.
Thank you for all the people
who every day help me in some way.
Thank you for those who work in jobs
which involve caring for others.
Thank you for those who are just loving people
who help out when and where they can.
May I show my thanks by trying to help others.
6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
Teacher:
Jesus I praise you and thank you.
Children:
Because by dying on the cross you showed how much you loved me.
Child:
Jesus, I hate fighting with my friends,
but sometimes I get so angry that I could hurt them,
like when they spoil my game, or call me names,
or won’t let me play with them.
Help me to remember that you love them,
and help me to love them too,
even if they are mean to me.
Thank you for my friends, for their love and laughter,
and all the fun we have together.
May I always care for them as you care for all of us.
7. Jesus falls the second time
Teacher:
Jesus I praise you and thank you.
Children:
Because by dying on the cross you showed how much you loved me.
Child:
Jesus, sometimes I think about food too much.
I dream of all the delicious things there are to eat,
when I really should be doing other things.
Please help me not to make food too important,
and help me not to be greedy at meal times.
I pray for those people
in countries where they are starving.
Some children have never known what it is like
to eat proper meals as I do.
Their lives will not get better
unless those who have money and food help them.
Please help me to be more loving and giving.
Help me to think about what I can do for the hungry,
and then help me do it.
8. Jesus speaks to the women of Jerusalem
Teacher:
Jesus I praise you and thank you.
Children:
Because by dying on the cross you showed how much you loved me.
Child:
Sometimes I care about myself
more than I care about others.
I have worries and problems which fill up my mind.
Help me to remember
those who may need my love and help,
my family and friends, and people I meet each day.
Teach me to be more giving,
and to care for everyone as you do.
I’m sorry for the times when I’m not very helpful:
when I leave my clothes and toys all over the floor;
when I forget to take off my muddy shoes;
when I spill my drinks and paints on the furniture;
when I make noise when people want me to be quiet.
Please help me to be more helpful and caring every day.
9. Jesus falls the third time
Teacher:
Jesus I praise you and thank you.
Children:
Because by dying on the cross you showed how much you loved me.
Child:
Jesus, I know that one of the best ways
that I can show my love for you,
is by loving other people.
Sometimes this is easy when I am with people I like.
Please help me when loving is difficult,
when people are unkind,
and when I just don’t like them.
Teach me to love as you loved everyone.
God bless all those that I love.
God bless all those that love me.
God bless all those that love those that I love.
God bless all those that love those that love me.
10. Jesus is stripped of his clothes
Teacher:
Jesus I praise you and thank you.
Children:
Because by dying on the cross you showed how much you loved me.
Child:
Jesus, please bless all those
who have to face life with some disability.
Those who cannot run and jump
and play the games which others play;
those who are blind
and cannot see the flowers and animals,
those who are deaf
and cannot hear the voices of their friends,
or listen to music and the singing of the birds.
Give courage and strength and help
to all those who are disabled.
May they always be helped
by those who can walk, and see, and hear.
11. Jesus is nailed to the cross.
Teacher:
Jesus I praise you and thank you.
Children:
Because by dying on the cross you showed how much you loved me.
Child:
Jesus, it is so difficult to forgive those
who have hurt me or my friends.
I want to hit back, and sometimes I do.
But you taught me to love our enemies
no matter what they have done.
Forgive me when I do not forgive others.
Help me to understand
why people say and do hurtful things,
and let my heart be filled with love for them.
12. Jesus dies on the cross
Teacher:
Jesus I praise you and thank you.
Children:
Because by dying on the cross you showed how much you loved me.
Child:
Jesus, I know that we all have to die sometime.
Everything dies eventually.
Thank you that when I die I will be with you.
Thank you that when I know you
I can be happy when I die.
But it is not easy to be happy
when someone I love dies.
It takes a long time to stop the aching in my heart,
and to fill up the emptiness left behind.
Please help me with your love
when those I love die.
You cried when your friend Lazarus died,
so you understand how I feel.
Comfort me when I am sad and lonely.
Help me to be glad that my friends are happy with you,
and freed for ever from sadness and pain.
Teach me to love and trust you.
13. Jesus is taken down from the cross.
Teacher:
Jesus I praise you and thank you.
Children:
Because by dying on the cross you showed how much you loved me.
Child:
Jesus, I pray now for those people
who are ill at home or in hospital.
May they all be aware of your love for them.
May they turn to you for strength
to help them cope with their illness.
Help them not to be unhappy because they are ill.
Help them to learn something special about you.
There are many children all over the world
who cannot get up because they are ill.
Some of them have been ill for a long time,
and have forgotten what it is like to run and play
and enjoy games with their friends.
Help me to imagine what it is like
to have stay in bed all the time,
and how lonely it must feel.
Help me to think about what I can do
to help anyone who is ill.
14. Jesus is placed in the tomb
Teacher:
Jesus I praise you and thank you.
Children:
Because by dying on the cross you showed how much you loved me.
Child:
Jesus, I thank you for old people.
They have so much to share with me.
Help me to be ready to listen to them.
They have had so many years
to learn about your world;
help me to be ready to learn from their advice.
They have met and known and loved so many people.
Help me to understand when they feel alone.
Thank you for their gifts to me
of knowledge,
and experience,
of faith, and of love.
15. The Resurrection of Jesus
Teacher:
Jesus I praise you and thank you.
Children:
Because by dying on the cross you showed how much you loved me.
Child:
Jesus, I love holidays.
I can sleep late in the mornings.
I can play games, read books,
and listen to my favourite music.
I can see friends and relatives
that I haven’t seen for a long time.
I can forget the worries of school and work,
and my tired brain and body can take a rest.
Thank you for this time.
Help me to remember all those
who may not be able to rest and play.
Help me not to be selfish at holiday times,
and to think of how I can help at home
