Stations of the Cross for Children during the Coronavirus

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Introduction
The Station of the Cross, found in every Catholic Church, help us to think about Jesus’ last journey to the Cross on the hill of Calvary. They give us great hope. They let us know that God is always with us. As we walk with Jesus to the Cross, we know that Jesus our friend and brother, is walking with us at this very difficult time for everyone.

First Station-Jesus is Condemned to Death
What is happening is wrong, all wrong. It’s not fair. It’s not my fault. Have you ever said that? Perhaps you’ve said it to your parents, your family members since you have had to stay at home because of the Coronavirus.
Think for a moment about Jesus. He did nothing wrong, hurt no one, helped so many, loved everyone. He could have said, it’s all wrong, it’s not fair-but he didn’t.
Prayer: God, our Father your Son Jesus said nothing, when blamed for something he did not do. Help me to be more like Jesus, to think about how others are feeling at this time.
Help me now to walk with Jesus on the Way to the Cross, to comfort him and to love him. Amen
Our Father…

Second Station-Jesus Carries his
What do we do when something doesn’t make sense? You have probably been waiting for the longer days to get out and play with your friends, to have more time after homework to play outdoors. And now you can’t? It can be hard to understand why? Why we cannot do all the things we always did. We can feel very unhappy, become very grumpy, even angry.
Think for a moment about Jesus-what did he do? He took up his Cross.
Prayer: God our Father your Son Jesus when faced with something that made no sense, took up his Cross and carried it. Help me to be more like Jesus, to be patient when I feel life is unfair, by not complaining, but by helping those with whom I share my home to get through this difficult time.
Help me now to walk with Jesus on the Way to the Cross, to comfort him and to love him. Amen
Our Father…

Third Station-Jesus Falls the First Time
Have you ever fallen at school in the playground, in the street at home, when playing a sport and even though you are hurt, you get straight back up because you feel you have to be brave, you can’t let others see that you feel like crying, that you are weak.
Think for a moment about Jesus. What did he do, when the Cross became too heavy for him to carry? He fell to the ground, in front of the crowd.

Prayer: God our Father your Son Jesus found his Cross too heavy and he fell in front of everyone. He wasn’t afraid to let people see how hard it was to carry the Cross. Help me to be more like Jesus, to say that I am finding this time hard, when I cannot do all the things I want to, when talk of the virus makes me feel a bit afraid.
Help me now to walk with Jesus on the Way to the Cross, to comfort him and to love him. Amen
Our Father…

Fourth Station-Jesus Meets his Mother
Have you ever been sick and on your own? Have you ever had to go through something that wasn’t easy? It can be very hard for us. It can be even harder when we feel we are on our own and there is no one there to help us through it. We all need the help of someone to love us, our family, our friends, a hug or a smile can make such a difference.
Think for a moment about Jesus. He needed someone to love him too. Who was there for Jesus? Mary his mother reached out in love and held him close.
Prayer: God our Father your son Jesus, like all of us, needed to feel love and peace as he carried his Cross, as he was tired and weak. Help us to know that Mary, Jesus mother, is our mother too. She is here for us now, holding us close, bringing us peace and love.
Help me now to walk with Jesus on the Way to the Cross, to comfort him and to love him. Amen

Hail Mary…

Fifth Station-Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to Carry his
Do you remember your first day at school, learning to ride a bike, trying to swim for the first time? Did you find it hard? Did you need a helping hand to make you feel safer? Now that you are a bit older you might not like to admit it, but there are times when we all need the helping hand of someone.
Think for a moment about Jesus. He was tired, his Cross was heavy, he needed a helping hand, the helping hand of Simon of Cyrene.
Prayer: God our Father, your son Jesus, was glad to be helped by Simon of Cyrene. If someone offers to help me during these days at home, may I accept their help and thank them. Help me also to be like Simon. When I see others who need my help, may I see Jesus in them and give them a helping hand.
Help me now to walk with Jesus on the Way to the Cross, to comfort him and to love him. Amen
Our Father…

Sixth Station-Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
Is there someone you really love who you can’t visit at the minute because to stay safe, during this virus, they have to be on their own-perhaps a grand-parent, a family member, someone who is sick. It is probably hard for you, but it must be very hard for them too. They need to know you are thinking about them, that you love them and miss them.
Think for a moment about Jesus. He needed to be cared for and Veronica stepped forward and gently wiped his face with great love.
Prayer: God our Father, your son Jesus welcomed Veronica gently wiping his tired face. I can be like Veronica-I may not be able to visit the person I love in the way that I usually do, so help me to pray a special prayer for them each day.
Help me now to walk with Jesus on the Way to the Cross, to comfort him and to love him. Amen
Our Father…

Seventh Station-Jesus Falls the Second Time
This is Lent. Do you remember some weeks ago you received your ashes, the Sign of the Cross on your forehead, to mark the start of Lent? What did you promise to do for Lent-give up sweets, spend less time on your Play Station, tidy your bedroom? Now Lent is even harder. There are so many things you have had to give up. Are you finding Lent even harder this year?
Think for a moment about Jesus. He found carrying his Cross very hard. He fell a second time.
Prayer: God our Father your son Jesus found carrying his Cross so hard that he fell a second time. I am finding this Lent very hard. Help me to know that it is okay to feel this way, to understand that Jesus found it hard, but that I am not on my own. You are always with me.
Help me now to walk with Jesus on the Way to the Cross, to comfort him and to love him. Amen
Our Father…

Eighth Station-Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem
Have you a friend, a family member who always seems to know when you are not yourself and they try to make you feel better, even when they are not feeling so good themselves. You mean so much to them that they would do anything for you.
Think for a moment about Jesus. He was having such a difficult time carrying his Cross and yet when he met some women from Jerusalem, he could see they were very sad, he tried to help them feel better.
Prayer: God our Father your son Jesus forgot about how hard carrying his Cross was so he could help others feel better. There are lots of people helping us through this virus-people like doctors, nurses, cleaners, teachers, priests, shop workers and so many others. May I always remember to say a special prayer for them each day.
Help me now to walk with Jesus on the Way to the Cross, to comfort him and to love him. Amen
Our Father…

Ninth Station-Jesus Falls a Third Time
Have you ever watched the leaves on a tree change from Summer to Autumn? From being a lovely fresh green colour, they change to red and yellow, orange and brown and fall to the ground. Whilst they are beautiful, you know it means Winter is coming, colder nights and darker days and that can be hard for you. Sometimes you will see one leaf that hangs on to an empty branch longer than the others, but eventually it also falls to the ground.
Think for a moment about Jesus. It just got too hard for him. The Cross was so heavy. He fell a third time.
Prayer: God our Father, your son Jesus carried his heavy Cross because he loved me, loved everyone. Our world is going through a difficult time. It is not over yet. Like Jesus, after his third fall, there is still a bit further to go.
Help me now to walk with Jesus on the Way to the Cross, to comfort him and to love him. Amen
Our Father…

Tenth Station-Jesus is Stripped of His Garments
Are you very independent? Do you like to think you can do everything for yourself? Are you afraid to say you can’t or you don’t know how to do something? Have you ever been made fun of because you couldn’t do something for yourself and no one seems to understand how you are feeling? Have you ever made someone else feel embarrassed or laughed at them when they were struggling?
Think for a moment about Jesus. Tired, weary from his journey to Calvary, his friends all but one had left him, he is now made fun of and his clothes taken off him. What does he do? Nothing-the son of God accepts this embarrassment quietly.
Prayer: God our Father your Son Jesus accepted being made fun of, unable to help himself, as part of his Way to the Cross. He did this for me. Forgive me if I have ever made someone feel embarrassed or refused to help someone who needed my help.
Help me now to walk with Jesus on the Way to the Cross, to comfort him and to love him. Amen
Our Father…

Eleventh Station-Jesus is Nailed to the Cross
Have you read the book or watched the film Wonder? The main character Auggie has had a lot to cope with in life. He does not look like other children. He has had lots of time in hospital for operations. His face is very different and children at school are not kind to him. At one point in the story, just when he thinks he has a best friend, his friend too makes fun of him. Auggie is hurt. He is sad. It seems that this is the end of his friendship- that life will never be any different for him. Auggie loses hope.
Think for a moment about Jesus. He came to tell us God loves everyone, that everyone is very precious to God and we must never lose hope. And yet Jesus was nailed to a Cross on Calvary.
Prayer: God our Father, your Son Jesus came to show us how special each of is to you. People didn’t understand him, and they put him on a Cross. That seems very unfair. This Coronavirus seems very unfair. Everyone is wondering if things will ever be okay again. Help me never to give up hope.
Help me now to walk with Jesus on the Way to the Cross, to comfort him and to love him. Amen
Our Father…

Twelfth Station-Jesus Dies on the Cross
In November in our Churches, in our schools, in our families, we take time to think in a special way of our loved ones who have died. Perhaps you wrote their name on a leaf and placed it on a special remembrance tree in the chapel or placed their photograph on a Sacred Space in school. Maybe you wrote down your memories of them or drew their picture. You did this because you love them and because you believe they are with God in heaven.
Think for a moment about Jesus. His long hard journey to Calvary was over. His Mother and his friend John stood at the foot of the Cross. And Jesus bowed his head and died. But this was not the end.

Prayer: God our Father, your son Jesus died on the Cross. But I know this is not the end. Help me now to think about people who I love who have died, who are very close to you. As I name them I to ask for their help during this time for my family, our city, our country, our world.
Help me now to be with Jesus at the foot of the Cross, to comfort him and to love him. Amen
Our Father…
Thirteenth Station-Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross
At Christmas we celebrate the Birth of Jesus. Perhaps you told the story in a Nativity Play or your family received a Christmas card showing the baby Jesus being held close by Mary his mother. Mary was very gentle, very loving. Perhaps there is a new baby in your house, in your family, where you live-you just know they just love to be held- to feel safe. We all do.
Think for a moment about Jesus. Now a man, he is taken down from the Cross and placed in Mary’s arms, he is loved.

Prayer: God our Father, when you son Jesus was taken down from the Cross he was placed in Mary’s loving arms. Help me now to really feel that I am being held in Mary’s arms. May I also find ways to be like Mary, by being gentle and loving to those I am at home with.
Help me now to hold Jesus with Mary, to comfort him and to love him. Amen
Our Father…
Fourteenth Station-Jesus is Laid in the Tomb
At this moment, when you are being asked to stay at home, you might not feel much joy. It’s easy to keep thinking that this time will never end. When someone you love dies, you are very sad. You miss them, their smile, their voice, the way they made you feel. You wonder if you will ever feel really happy again. At this time, this is how you might feel.
Think for a moment about Jesus. The Tomb that Jesus was laid in was not the end. Jesus is our hope. Jesus is our joy.
Prayer: God our Father, your son Jesus, by his Way of the Cross, teaches us to be joyful, to never give up hope, even when it is very hard. Help me to remain joyful, knowing that you God, live in me and I live in you forever.
Help me now to wait, in prayer, with Jesus at the tomb, to comfort and to love him
Our Father…

Fifteenth Station -The Resurrection-Jesus Rises from the Dead
Will I ever be allowed back outside to play with my friends, to visit my grandparents, to hug people I haven’t been able to hug, to have birthday parties, to do all things I always did? Is this how you are thinking at the minute? The leaf that dies helps new leaves grow. Auggie, the little boy in Wonder, found hope again and discovered how beautiful and loved he was. Eventually, sometime after a person you love has died, you find yourself remembering their beautiful smile, their funny stories, the good times you spent with them. You can feel them very close. They are with God and always with you, because God is always with you.
Think for a moment about Jesus. He rose from the dead. He is alive. He is our hope.
Prayer: God our Father, your son Jesus carried his Cross for me, died for me and rose again at Easter, so I might live forever. Help me to keep that hope alive now in my heart, in my home, to know that Jesus, my friend, walks with me every step of the way.
Help me to rejoice with Jesus, to be his comfort, his joy, his hope, his love, wherever I am.
Our Father…

Final Prayer
God our Father, we have journeyed with Jesus on the Way to the Cross, knowing that those who walk with Jesus and carry their daily cross, share also in his rising form the dead. We thank you for the Jesus, the gift of your great love for us. Amen