Stations of the Cross for the whole family
Stations of the Cross to pray as a family! These meditations are written to invite your child into Christ’s Passion. As you pray through each station and read about Christ’s journey to Calvary, encourage your child to close their eyes and place themself in the scene. Have them ask themself, what do I see, smell, hear, taste, and feel? Together, place yourselves in the moments surrounding each station and open your hearts to whatever it is that God desires to share with you as you pray! For a free PDF with each station’s narrative, prayer, and beautiful image, click here!
Station 1, Jesus is Condemned to Death
I am in the Praetorium; Pontius Pilate stands before us, commanding the attention of an anxious crowd. Around me, I see the leaders of the priests and elders; they nervously chatter among themselves in angry voices.
I see Jesus. He stands tall, wearing a simple tunic. His shoulders are strong and square; a gentleness rests on His face. He gazes upon Pontius Pilate as he bellows the question, "Are You the king of the Jews?"
My eyes cannot look away from Jesus's hands; they are tied together as if He were a criminal. The noise of the crowd fades away as I think about all He has done with the touch of His hands. He restored sight to blind men, brought Jairus's daughter from death to life, cleansed lepers of their illness, and multiplied fish and loaves. His hands wrapped around his mother Mary in tender hugs, carved with wood alongside His foster father, Joseph, and pressed together in prayer to His Heavenly Father.
The jeers of the crowd focus back my attention. Men shouting with their hands in fists and pointed fingers, I hear the words, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" An innocent Jesus has been condemned to death.
Lord, I offer you my hands; use them as an instrument of Your care by helping me to give, hold, help, comfort, and protect those who need it. Help me to remember to always affirm the sanctity of human life and the dignity of each person with reverent gentleness. In Your mercy, help me to never accuse another unjustly and to seek your wisdom in all matters.
Station 2, Jesus Carries His Cross
After Jesus is condemned to death, I see them give Him a large wooden Cross to carry to Mount Calvary, where they will nail Him to its wood and watch Him die. The heavy cross beam is dropped over His shoulder, and the weight of it begins to crush through the skin of His shoulder. Blood begins to flow and pool in the crook of His bent arm. As I get closer, I can see the wood's rough surface rub deep splinters into the raw edges beside His neck. With each step, the Cross presses deeper. Jesus has begun His journey in terrible pain.
I hear the crowd follow behind Him. They are loud; some shout angry and hateful words at Jesus, and others cry with great sadness over what is happening.
Lord, help me be mindful that those I encounter throughout my day may also experience hidden suffering. I pray that my words and actions rooted in Your love always serve as a gentle relief to the unknown suffering of my friends, family, and classmates.
Station 3, Jesus Falls for the First Time
As Jesus walks, the weight of the Cross on His shoulder makes each step difficult to take. His movements are slow, and His breathing is quick. Around me, I look at the crowd; I see Mary, Jesus’s mother, with tears staining her cheeks. My eyes follow her as she slowly moves to the front of the crowd. Her lips gently move as she prays with each breath. I see a cloud of dirt and sand fill the small space around Jesus. The Cross has crashed to the ground; I feel the grit of the earth rise up against my face. Jesus has fallen beneath its weight. I watch as Mary bends towards her Son with outstretched arms; she chokes back a sob. I wonder how many times Mother Mary reached for Jesus in the same way when He was small to gather Him into her arms and comfort Him. As the crowds press in, Mary pulls her arms to her chest. Watching her Son suffer such pain and humiliation feels like a sword piercing her heart.
Lord, as Your disciple, you have instructed me to “pick up my cross daily” and follow You. You know the weight of the cross and the many humiliations I may experience along the way. Help me to have the courage to put one foot in front of the other and the grace to stand back up after I fall. In a special way, help me to carry the precious cross of affirming the dignity of every person I encounter, especially the most vulnerable among us. Remind me always that every person is the work of Your Love.
Station 4, Jesus Meets His Mother
Slowly placing both feet underneath Him and the Cross back on His shoulder, Jesus rises from His fall. Standing at almost His full height, with labored breathing, He looks into the crowd for His mother; her prayers have been heard, and they have strengthened Him. I watch Mary and Jesus as they look at one another; they share trust in God's will and the courage to go on. Mary's fiat echoes within her soul. Her "yes" to the angel Gabriel so many years ago has been repeated every day of Jesus's life. Today, she reminds herself that even when it is very hard, God's plan is perfect.
Lord, I thank you for the gift of family. Every day, mothers and fathers are given the chance to say "yes" to Your plan; give them the courage to trust in Your will and help them understand what a gift they are to their children. I pray for my mom, dad, and grandparents to always be close to Your heart. I thank you for the trusted adults in my life who pray for me and encourage me when I need it most. Help me to have the courage to give my fiat, or "yes," to Your will for my life in all things.
Station 5, Simon Helps Carry His Cross
Jesus continues forward, the Cross dragging along the ground behind him. I see a man named Simon step forward to lift the back of the Cross from Jesus but thinks twice and quickly steps back into the crowd. He does not want to attract the attention of the guards who follow so close beside Jesus. He is not fast enough, the guards have spotted Him and yell for him to pick up the the Cross. I feel concern for Simon, I can see he is scared to have the attention of the guards. He steps forward once more, this time embracing the dirty and bloodied wood of the Cross, pulling it off the ground. Simon is strong, but he looks fearful. After a few steps, Jesus says something to him, I can’t hear His words. Simon’s face looks deep in thought.
Lord, You have entrusted us to care for one another; help me to do this well. Give me the eyes to see those who need help carrying their Cross and the courage to do so with strength and confidence, especially when we are mocked for loving You.
Station 6, Veronica Wipes the Face of Jesus
Jesus continues forward, moving a bit quicker now that Simon has helped Him. The thorns from the makeshift crown dig deeper into His skin. Blood drips down His face mixing with the sweat and sand that already cover Him. I see Jesus try to wipe the grit from His eyes with the hem of His bloodied tunic, but it does not seem to offer Him relief. Seemingly out of nowhere, a woman named Veronica steps into Jesus’s path. I hear the guards begin to yell at her but she pays no attention to them. A tear rolls down her cheek as she unfolds a linen veil and begins to gently wipe the blood and dirt from Jesus’s face. He lifts His hand over hers and holds it close with thanks. Everything seems to standstill at that moment.
Lord, help me to have compassion throughout my day for those who are suffering. Like Veronica, use my hands, feet, and heart to serve those who need Your gentle touch and care so that they may feel seen, known, and loved by You.
Station 7, Jesus Falls for the Second Time
As Veronica steps back into the crowd, Jesus continues toward Calvary. I watch Jesus’s feet painfully step one after another, they are barely able to support the weight of all He carries with Him - not only the Cross but the sins of the world. Not far from here, Jesus healed the paralytic in Bethesda. Unable to walk for 30 years, the man was seen as a burden. He lay alone, fraught with shame and despair when Jesus came upon Him and said “Pick up your mat and walk,” for the first time in thirty years the man stood. Now, just a short distance away, Jesus’s own feet fail beneath Him and He falls for the second time; I feel myself gasp in sadness. I see Jesus’s eyes close, He knows that it is only through the strength of His Father that He will be able to rise again.
Just like Jesus, I will fall under the weight of my cross. Help me to always remember that, the power to rise again is found in Your love for me. You are my strength, the peace within my heart, and the light that leads my path forward. I pray for my brothers and sisters who do not yet understand Your love for them; help them to encounter your perfect love and purpose for their life this Lent.
Station 8, Jesus Meets the Women of Israel
As Jesus pulls Himself back to His feet, He sees women in the crowd crying over His suffering. Jesus turns to speak to them; they step forward to hear His voice over the chaos of the crowd. His words are hard to hear; I can hardly make them out. He tells the women to not cry for Him, but for themselves. His words are prophetic. Jesus warns of the darkness that will take over our communities and hearts if we are not vigilant, faithful, and courageous in following the light of Christ. The women blink back tears, with shaking fingers they wipe their eyes and try to understand His words.
Lord, help me to not become blinded by my feelings especially when I am feeling scared, anxious, indulgent, angry, or overwhelmed. Help me to always trust and follow Your plan for love and life, especially when it feels hard. Help me to be vigilant, faithful, and courageous as I live my faith with holy boldness.
Station 9, Jesus Falls for the Third Time
Mount Calvary rises before us, blood and sweat drip from the Body of Jesus. He moves with a determination that only love can fuel. His breathing is controlled, His inhale and exhale now match in length. The crowd has gotten louder now that we can see the guards at the top of Golgotha ready with a mallet and nails. Jesus stops just steps before His journey is finished; in prayer, His tortured Body falls to His knees. Jesus’s eyes are closed, and His lips move as He silently speaks with His Father. There, before the crowd, with closed eyes and the Cross still perched on His shoulder, we watch as He looks to the heavens and cries out to the Lord from the depths of His heart, Your will be done. He rises for the last time as a willing victim. He knows the worst suffering is yet to come.
Lord, when things feel too hard, help me to fall to my knees in prayer. In a special way, I lift up all those who have fallen over and over again, especially those who are very sick or facing serious difficulties in their life. I pray that You ease their suffering and fill them with the peace of knowing they are never alone, they are deeply loved, and that with Your grace, all things are possible.
Station 10, Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments
The guards waste little time preparing Jesus to be nailed to the Cross and begin to strip the clothes from His Body. As the linen pulls away from the raw and bleeding wounds on His shoulder and back I see Jesus grimace in pain. My eyes fall on the hem of His tunic—the hem that with one faith-filled touch healed the hemorrhaging woman is now lost in the hands of the unbelieving guard. Jesus stands naked before the crowd; I hear them as they mock and ridicule Him. Stripping Him of His clothes was their last attempt to deny Him of His dignity.
Lord, to embarrass and shame You, the guards treated you as an object that they could hit, strip, and mock. Help me remember that I am wonderfully made, my Body is a temple of Your Spirit, and my God-given dignity can never be taken away. I pray for those who have been humiliated and treated poorly that through Your grace, they may know they are worthy of Your love simply because You say they are.
Station 11, Jesus is Nailed to the Cros
I see Jesus lower Himself to the Cross, His arms willingly stretch over the beam of the wood. The guard perched above Him pushes a wide nail into the flesh of His hands; He pounds the mallet only a few times before the nail has penetrated His palm and the wood beneath it. Almost as soon as one hand is done, a guard on the other side begins to do the same. I hear each sharp hit of the mallet echo within me. A willing victim, Jesus shakes in pain but never withdraws His arms from being completely outstretched. Jesus walked here to give His life, motionless He offers Himself completely.
Lord, as the guards drive nails into the hands and feet of Jesus, I know my sin is the force behind His mallet. I am sorry for the times I have sinned against You by failing to love my family, friends, and neighbors well. I am sorry for the times I have caused pain by failing to respect and protect the dignity of others. I pray that through Your grace, my words and actions will always honor the sanctity of human life, remembering that every human person, from conception to death, is a creation of Your love made in Your image and likeness.
Station 12, Jesus Dies on the Cross
After nailing Him to the wood, they stand the Cross upright. I hear Jesus gasp for air. I can see that it is hard for Him to breathe as the weight of His body hangs. Every breath is a struggle. After we stand below the Cross for hours while His naked, bruised, battered, and beaten body hangs for the world to see, He speaks His last words: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” We watch as He breathes the last breath of His earthly life. Beneath us, I feel the earth shake, and the sky groans in sorrow, turning to darkness. Nothing will ever be the same again.
Lord, Your life saved mine. Help me to live a life worthy of Your sacrifice by loving with Your heart, forgiving with Your mercy, and walking by Your light. I thank you for the gift of the Most Holy Eucharist. As I receive Your Body and Blood, help me to remember every scourge, Your crown of thorns, each time You fell with the weight of the Cross and my sin, the mocking crowd, each nail that pierced Your flesh, and the moment You took Your last breath. I also pray that as I keep Your sorrowful Passion in my heart, I also hold close the hope of the resurrection and the joy of knowing my home is with You in heaven forever.
Station 13, Jesus is Taken Down from the Cross
Beneath the Cross, Mary’s small but strong arms reach upward as Jesus’s Body is taken down. She wraps herself around His Body, Her arms holding Him with the same love and awe she did in Bethlehem. With the point of her finger, I watch as she traces the space from His brow, over His nose, and down to His chin as she did so many times when He was young. Today is different; today, her Son and Savior lay dead in her arms; her heart is shattered. I feel tears rolling down my cheeks as I watch the sorrowful passion of Our Lady.
Lord, thank you for the gift of Your mother. From the moment of Your conception, she was Your first and greatest disciple. Through her intercession, I pray that I become the disciple you desire me to be, pointing each person I encounter to Your Sacred Heart. Like Mary, I pray that I may always have the courage to stand at the foot of the cross as a witness to Your love and mercy.
Station 14, Jesus is Laid in the Tomb
After cleaning His wounds and anointing Him, Mary and a small group leave Jesus’s Body in the tomb. As the large stone is pushed into place by several strong soldiers, the finality of it all feels almost too much. I watch as Mary slowly turns toward the road that leads home. The first step feels like another sword piercing her heart. She will never encounter her Son again on this side of heaven. She is overcome with deep sadness but, in her great faith, she knows that all that is broken will be made new.
Lord, many days are like Holy Saturday spent waiting to understand Your plan. Help me to always find dignity in my suffering remembering that there cannot be the joy of Easter Sunday without the sorrow of Good Friday.
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