Stations of the Cross for Educators By: Sister Kathleen McAvoy

Station 1 1. Jesus is condemned to die We adore you, Oh Christ, and we praise You Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. Reflection Oh, Lord, we fight an uphill battle each day. We see children condemned to die. At times it is physical death, other times it is the violence, which surrounds them within their family and neighborhood. It can choke in upon them and even make them want to despair. But Lord, you have given us the task to liberate them, to give them hope and a chance to use their education to make their world a better place where no one is ever condemned and victimized. Help us to work tirelessly to help form children who never let anyone or anything condemn them to die. Which of our children come to mind?

Station 2 2. Jesus accepts His Cross We adore you, Oh Christ, and we praise You Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. Reflection Oh Lord, our crosses come in so many different forms and shapes as we follow our calling to serve our children. Some times the crosses are simple…like not enough resources. Other times they are much more complicated…like children who need something different to learn or children who struggle just to be at school. And yet other times the cross we bear is within our own selves: tiredness, frustration, family struggles, illness, etc. Help each of us to know our cross well and to carry it boldly. Never giving into despair or burn out. And when it is time for us to put down our cross and accept another, let us trust that you are with us and the good of the children we serve is what is most important. What are your crosses as a teacher? As a person?

Station 3 3.Jesus falls the first time We adore You, Oh Christ, and we praise You Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. Reflection Tender Jesus, as the children we serve are quick to fall when playing hard, help us to realize that we, too, fall, as we give our all to be the best educators that we can be. Help us to remember that the fall is not what is important. It is the act of getting back up that spurns us on to be really great educators. When was the last time you fell as an educator? Did you celebrate the fact that you got back up?

Station 4 4. Jesus meets His Mother We adore you, Oh Christ, and we praise You Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. Reflection Jesus, teacher of all teachers, you must have been filled with sadness as you met your Mother. She, too, must have been beside herself. Teach us to be filled with compassion and love as we reach out to the mothers and fathers of our children that we meet with daily. Give us comforting words and an understanding heart, especially when we have to say the difficult things they need to hear. Help us to realize that they, too, might have great sorrow within themselves and hearing their child is struggling might be very difficult for them. When hard words are said in a loving manner, they are much easier to absorb. Blame only makes things worse. How do you approach parents, when you are upset with their children?

Station 5 5.Simon of Cyrene helps carry the cross We adore you, Oh Christ, and we praise You Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. Reflection Lord, help us to realize that we are Simon for our children. We spend our energy to help each one carry his or her cross, whatever it may be. Give us the wisdom each day to know when we need to help carry that cross for our children loosely and when we need to hold on tightly. We need to remember often that there is no cross that is too heavy for us to help carry, for You are right through it all. Giving up on a child is never an option. When was the last time you were Simon for one of the students?

Station 6 6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus. We adore you, Oh Christ, and we praise You Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. Reflection Lord, as we reflect on Veronica as she wipes your face, we think of those vulnerable little ones who constantly need us to wipe away whatever is hurting them. Sometimes it is tears or misunderstandings, other times it’s a broken heart. Whatever it is, dear Lord, give us the conviction and love to be there for our children. Sometimes we are the only ones they have. When have you been Veronica for one of our children?

Station 7 7.Jesus falls the second time We adore you, Oh Christ, and we praise You Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. Reflection Falling is never a good thing, but is a part of life! Oh, how easy to fall into pride and “know it all ness” As educators, we don’t like to make mistakes. And to admit it more than once is even harder. Lord, teach us to accept our humanness and be willing to fall and fall again. Remind us often that what we do when we get back up is what we need to model for our children. They, too, will fall more than once in life. We need to show them that it is ok to fall again and again, as long as you learn from each fall. Which children have fallen more than once in your presence? How did you help them learn from each fall?

Station 8 8.Jesus speaks to the women of Jerusalem We adore you, Oh Christ, and we praise You Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. Reflection Words are, oh, so powerful! Preachers are, oh, so necessary. Help us to be preachers who spread the Good News to our children. Speak loud and clearly, but never yell. Yelling falls on deaf ears. So does sarcasm and put- downs. Lord, teach us to speak so our children listen and listen well! May they recall our words when they really need our wisdom. Remember well, this may be sometime far in the future. What is most important, is that we keep on preaching! How do you preach to our children? Do they listen? Why? Why not?

Station 9 9.Jesus falls the third time We adore you, Oh Christ, and we praise You Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. Reflection Falls are never planned. They happen when we least expect. Help us, Lord, to be aware of which of our children is about to fall again. Give us the patience and love to be there for them. Patience to reteach, forgive or do whatever it takes for them to have the courage to get up and keep going. Love to support them even if they fall again and again and again! How do you love and support our children when they fall?

Station Jesus is stripped of his garments We adore you, Oh Christ, and we praise You Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. Reflection Jesus, this must have been so humiliating for You. So, too, are children humiliated at times. Help us to rid our classrooms and schools of those who humiliate children directly and indirectly. Teach us to reflect on our comments and body language so that no child will ever feel offended or humiliated on our account. Help us to strip our schools of gossip, insults and bullies! Open our mouths to proclaim only the good things our children need to hear! Let us clothe them with our genuine and faithful love that will protect and shield them always. Do you take time to reflect on your comments and body language each day?

Station Jesus is nailed to the cross We adore you, Oh Christ, and we praise You Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. Reflection Jesus, you hung before all, like a criminal who did something very wrong. It was public for all to see. Teach us, oh Lord, to never put down a child or share publicly about his or her faults or weaknesses. Whether we are in the staff lounge, on the phone or or even in front of a class, help us to never belittle a child, or say what is no one else’s business. Instead, may we share the God -like qualities, and beauty of each child. That is what needs to shine brightly for all to see and celebrate! Just as you hung on that cross for the love of each one of us, let us be beacons of that love for our children. How are you a beacon of love for our children?

Station Jesus dies on the cross We adore you, Oh Christ, and we praise You Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. Reflection Jesus, you died for us because of your unconditional love for each and every one of us. Inspire us to share that same unconditional love with our children. Teach us to die to discouragement, greed, and selfishness so that we can live as hopeful, patient, unselfish, kind, generous, loving educators of our children. With your Holy Spirit as our guide, we can do so much more than we ever thought we could. What do you need to die to in order to live more authentically as an educator?

Station Jesus is taken down from the cross We adore you, Oh Christ, and we praise You Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the World. Reflection Jesus, you were God yet you let others take care of you. We as mighty educators, refuse help sometimes. We want to do it ourselves, our way, and in our time. Inspire us to be team players and let others help us and even carry us when we can’t do it alone. Educators are never islands, but need to carry each other for the good of the children. When was the last time you let someone carry you?

Station Jesus is laid in the tomb. We adore you, Oh Christ, and we praise You Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world. Reflection Jesus, you were gone, all hope seemed lost. Many were wondering if you really made a difference? Oh, how, sometimes we as educators ask the same question. Are we making a difference? Yet, deep down in the depth of our soul we know the answer. Name some ways you make a difference in the lives of our children?

Station Jesus rises from the dead We adore you, Oh Christ, and we praise You Response: Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the World. Reflection It is true, Jesus, on the third day you rose from the dead! And yes, we who educate children have resurrection moments, too. The day of graduation, the grown up student who comes back to visit, the kid who begins to read for the first time, the teenager who texts you to just say hi. Thank you. Lord, for the vocation as an educator. Whether it is in the front office, on the playground, in the cafeteria or in the classroom, we have all been called to serve our children. And Jesus, through his life, death and resurrection has gives us all we need to walk with our children through their own lives, crosses and resurrections. What are some resurrection moments you have had as an educator?

Final Prayer Final Prayer: Lord, thank you for walking this way of the Cross with us. You are the teacher of all teachers. Help us bring this way of the Cross into our daily lives and into the lives of our children. We ask you to hold us and guide us so that we may be reflections of You for our children and beyond. Amen.