Stations of the Cross

We're doing Stations of the Cross again? Didn't we just do them last week?

Oh, the joy of teaching middle school. Such enthusiasm...

(Such sarcasm...)

Yes, we did them last week. We do them every week during Lent as a special way to remember Jesus' sacrifice for us as we prepare for Easter.

I mean, is my teaching just that riveting that they don't want to miss one of our regularly scheduled classes to head to the Church for some quiet prayer? (Note, this is sarcasm yet again.)

I bet it's something they don't readily want to do because it requires silence (except for the person reading the Station reflection), and it requires them to remain standing for the whole time (except for the 12th Station when we kneel). In fact, I tell them, "Jesus was on the cross for 3 hours - you can stand without leaning for 15 minutes."

I'm doing my best here - trying to make the Stations relevant by finding reflections for teens (Stations of the Cross for Teens) and from different perspectives (Stations of the Cross from Mary's Perspective). Next week, I'm having 6th grade write their own - well, each person/pair will take a Station and write a short reflection similar to some samples I'll provide for them. We'll see how it goes...

In doing the Stations of the Cross multiple times a day (for my multiple classes) each week, I've been able to think back quite a bit on my experience with Stations of the Cross and special Lenten traditions growing up. I am so grateful for my time in mime ministry, family choir, and other activities that made the season of Lent such a meaningful and special one for me and my family. I remember feelings of hope, and I still hold a special reverence for Good Friday's Veneration of the Cross, which is my favorite service of the whole Church year.

Maybe one day my students will look back with similar fond memories on our times in prayer together too...