Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross is a way of praying with Jesus as we remember all he suffered for us. It is used by many Christians during Lent, Holy Week and especially on Good Friday.
This version follows the Bible readings which describe Jesus’ final hours. For each station there is an image by Ally Barrett, a Bible reading and a question.
The questions are inspired by the American spiritual song “Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?” The question is an invitation to imagine yourself in the story. What would you see, hear, smell? How would you feel? What would you be thinking?
The final line is a suggested focus for prayer.
You may want to use the spaces in the booklet to doodle or write your own prayers.
Artworks kindly shared by Rev Dr Ally Barrett (https://reverendally.org/clipart/) The Bible readings are taken from the New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. The questions and prayer prompts were written by Susan West. The Opening and Closing Prayers are from Common Worship Times and Seasons © The Archbishops Council 2000
Opening Prayer
Almighty and everlasting God,
who in your tender love towards the human race
sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ
to take upon him our flesh
and to suffer death upon the cross:
grant that we may follow the example of his patience and humility,
and also be made partakers of his resurrection;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.All Amen.
6 The scourging and crowning with thorns – John 19: 1-3
Then Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip. 2 The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him. 3 “Hail! King of the Jews!” they mocked, as they slapped him across the face.
Were you there when the soldiers held the whip?
Remember all who suffer cruelty.
7 Jesus bears his cross – John 19: 6, 15-17
6 When they saw him, the leading priests and Temple guards began shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
“Take him yourselves and crucify him,” Pilate said. “I find him not guilty.”
15 “Away with him,” they yelled. “Away with him! Crucify him!”
“What? Crucify your king?” Pilate asked.
“We have no king but Caesar,” the leading priests shouted back.
16 Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified.
So they took Jesus away. 17 Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha).
Were you there when they laid the cross on him?
Remember all who carry heavy burdens in life.
8 Simon helps Jesus – Mark 15: 21
21 A passer-by named Simon, who was from Cyrene, was coming in from the countryside just then, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. (Simon was the father of Alexander and Rufus.)
Were you there when Simon helped the Lord?
Remember all who come to the aid of others.
9 Jesus meets the women – Luke 23: 27-31
27 A large crowd trailed behind, including many grief-stricken women. 28 But Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the days are coming when they will say, ‘Fortunate indeed are the women who are childless, the wombs that have not borne a child and the breasts that have never nursed.’ 30 People will beg the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and plead with the hills, ‘Bury us.’ 31 For if these things are done when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?[”
Were you there when the women wept for him?
Remember all who grieve for loved ones.
Sermons at St Paul's 