Guestling Bradshaw CE Primary School

When the soldiers put a big, heavy cross on Jesus' shoulders, Jesus doesn't fight with them or say angry words to them. He knows that he has to carry this cross a long way, and he knows that the way will be very hard for him at times. But Jesus knows that God is with him, and he asks God to help him to carry this cross, even though it is heavy.

Have you ever had something happen that was very hard for you? Sometimes children are very sick, or someone in their family is very sick. Sometimes adults or older children do not treat younger children nicely. Sometimes we just can't have things the way we want them.

Jesus is so tired as he walks along the road with the heavy cross on his shoulders. The cross keeps pushing into his shoulder, and the stones on the road hurt his feet. People yell and push him; the soldiers shout for him to move faster. Then Jesus falls, and the soldiers yell at him more. How tired Jesus is! Jesus prays in his heart, “God, help me remember that you are here.”

Did you ever fall when you were playing, or when you were helping with something? Falling really hurts, doesn't it? When people make mistakes, it is like falling. And when that happens, their heart sometimes feels like it is hurt.

As Jesus walks slowly with the cross on his shoulders, a woman comes up to him. It’s Jesus’ mother, Mary. How sad for them to see each other now. Mary feels so sad because she sees how much he is suffering, and Jesus sees the sadness Mary feels. Even though they both know that God is with them, they can’t even say anything to each other, because they are so sad.

Have you ever been very sad, or do you know someone who has been very sad? Being sad can really hurt someone's heart a lot. Sometimes our hearts are sad because we cannot be with someone we love.

Jesus is so tired that the soldiers know he cannot carry the heavy cross by himself. So they look around and see someone who looks strong enough to help Jesus carry this cross. This person's name is Simon. Jesus just looks at Simon and quietly whispers, “Thank you” to Simon. Then they continue on the long road, carrying the cross together.

Sometimes helping someone can be difficult, for so many different reasons. Maybe you haven't finished something that you like to do, when someone asks you for help. Or maybe you just don't feel like helping that person.

Jesus is hot, tired, and sweating. His hair is all tangled, and he is covered in dust from the long walk. Suddenly, a woman pushes her way out of the crowd and stands in front of Jesus. She takes a clean cloth and gently wipes Jesus’ face. Jesus is so thankful that he leaves a picture of his face on her cloth.

Have you ever helped someone? Have you ever done something that helped someone feel better? Sometimes you may have done something that you thought was very small or unimportant: bringing a glass of water to someone, or even giving someone a helping hand with a chore. Maybe you just smiled at someone who looked sad!

How very tired, weak, and sad Jesus is now. Even though he keeps trying to walk with the heavy cross, he just can’t keep going. The noise from the crowd and from the soldiers makes him feel even worse. Then Jesus falls, because he just can’t take another step.

Have you ever had a hard time with something? Maybe you can’t do something the way you want, or you feel as if you keep messing up on something? How does your heart feel when that happens? Maybe your heart feels the way Jesus’ heart felt when he fell this second time.

After Jesus gets up, he continues on the road carrying his heavy cross. He passes some women who are crying because they are so sad to see Jesus suffer. But instead of thinking only of himself and how bad he feels, Jesus tells the women not to keep crying because of him. He tells them, instead, to take care of others, and especially to take care of their children.

Sometimes it is easy to just think about ourselves -- about what is not going the way we want it, or about problems that we have. It is very hard, then, to think about other people. How does your heart look when you do that, when you think only about yourself?

Jesus is so tired now that he can hardly take another step. It is hard for him to breathe. He has been walking a long time along the dusty road, and he has no energy left. He just can’t go on anymore. Then Jesus falls down in the street for the third time. He is so very tired. Jesus asks God to help him. And Jesus gets up again, even though it is hard for him to do.

When we have really tried to do our best, and have not been able to succeed, it is easy to feel like Jesus did. Sometimes other people just keep yelling about something we do, or sometimes other people make fun of the way we do something.

Finally Jesus reaches the hill that is the end of the road he has to walk. Jesus knows that he will die here. But before he dies, the soldiers will do more to him. They pull off his long robe, and almost all his clothes are taken from him. Jesus stands in front of the crowd with only a small piece of cloth covering part of his body. Jesus asks God to help him remember that he is not alone, that God is with him through all this.

Is it hard for you to share or to give away something that you like? Do you sometimes like to keep everything for yourself? Do you ever let something of yours be the reason for bad feelings or bad words between you and someone else?

How much Jesus hurts as the soldiers nail him to the cross. He hurts all over; he is tired and thirsty; he knows that he is going to die. But he looks at the people who have hurt him and, instead of saying bad things to those people, Jesus asks God to forgive them. He looks at his mother and tells her to take care of others. Even when he is dying, Jesus is thinking of other people.

Can you think of a time when someone hurt you with unkind words or actions? Was it hard for you to forgive that person?

Finally, after the long walk, after falling three times, after having the men beat him, after being nailed to the cross and suffering on the cross, Jesus bows his head and dies. Now this part of his life is over. There is nothing left for Jesus to give or to do. Jesus has given his life for all of us.

Did you ever feel that you wanted to make something better, or that if you only tried harder, something would change that you want to change? Or maybe you felt that you did not try hard enough at something, and something bad happened.

Now Jesus’ lifeless body is taken down from the cross. No more pain or suffering for Jesus; all the pain is over. Mary, Jesus’ mother, holds him tenderly in her arms. How sad she is. And how sad Jesus’ friends are. They are crying as they hold his body.

Is there someone you love who has died? When you remember that person, how does your heart look?

Jesus' friends wash his body and wrap it in a clean sheet. They touch his body gently, and then they put his body into a tomb. When they are finished, they push a very large stone over the entrance, so that no one can go inside. Now there is darkness in the tomb where Jesus’ body lies, and all of his friends go home because they are very sad and tired.

Can you remember a time when you were very sad to say good-bye to someone? Maybe you were leaving the person for only a short time, or maybe it was for a long time. Maybe you said good-bye to someone you loved when that person died.

Although it is not a traditional part of the Stations, the resurrection of Jesus is sometimes included as a fifteenth station.

What a wonderful surprise for his friends when they see that he is alive. His body is like a new kind of body - full of light! And he is no longer tired, sad, or suffering. He has no more pain. Yes, he is alive in a new and special way. Jesus will live forever, now, in this new and special way.

Have you ever taken time to thank God for your life, for some of the good things you have been able to do, for some of the people in your life, or for some of the good things that people have done for you? When you get up in the morning, do you say thanks to God for your life and for the wonderful things you can see, hear, feel, taste, or smell?