THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS A REFLECTION FOR HOME WORSHIP ON
GOOD FRIDAY APRIL 10, 2020
- Jesus is condemned to death.Jesus was accused of many crimes he didn’t commit. He didn’t defend himself. He was willing to die for our sins.
Pray for those who are in prison..whether they are falsely accused or not.
- Jesus accepts the cross.The cross was big and heavy. It was hard for Jesus to carry it. Jesus carried the heavy cross without complaining once.
Pray for those who are carrying heavy burdens; pray about the burdens you carry.
- Jesus falls the first time.Jesus was already badly wounded when he fell the first time. It must have hurt very much. Jesus got up and kept on going.
Pray for those who have fallen ill because of the Corona Virus
- Jesus meets his mother.Jesus knew that his mother was sad to see him suffering so much. But he was so happy she came to him. Mary loved Jesus very much.
Pray for those who are particularly lonely as they stay at home for their health.
- Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus.Simon didn’t come to help Jesus but to see what was going on. Then he was ordered by the soldiers to carry the cross, because Jesus was having such a hard time.
Pray for those who are risking their own lives to take care of others now.
- Veronica wipes Jesus’ face.Veronica loved Jesus very much. When she stepped out to wipe his face, she risked getting in big trouble from the soldiers. Her love and kindness overcame her fear.
Pray for those “good neighbors” who are checking on others every day.
- Jesus falls a second time.Jesus fell again because he was so weak and tired from all his wounds. He still didn’t give up. He got back up and continued on.
Pray for those who dragged down by sadness and sorrow.
- Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem.A lot of people were against Jesus, but a lot of people followed him. They were his faithful friends.
Pray for all of those who have been faithful friends to you in times of need.
- Jesus falls a third time.It’s unbelievable that Jesus fell again and the soldiers didn’t help him. They only yelled louder for him to get up and continue on. Jesus didn’t get mad at them; he forgave them.
Pray for those who have thought only of themselves and their needs in this crisis.
- Jesus is stripped of his clothes.To be without clothes in front of everyone is a humiliating thing. Jesus wasn’t ashamed because he knew his Father in heaven loved him and everyone who was there.
Pray for those whose resistance is low, who are not clothed in bodily strength.
- Jesus is crucified.The soldiers drove nails through Jesus’ hands and feet. They lifted up the cross and put it in place. Jesus was in a lot of pain.
Pray for those who inflict pain on others (the prayer that Jesus prayed for those who killed him).
- Jesus dies on the cross.When Jesus died, the sky got dark and the ground started to shake. This made some people very scared. They saw that Jesus was innocent and that they had made a big mistake.
Pray for those who have died because of the Corona Virus; pray for their families.
- Jesus’ body is taken down from the cross.Joseph of Arimathea gave Jesus his own burial cave because Jesus didn’t have a place to be buried. Joseph was another one of Jesus’ friends who took a risk to help him.
Pray for Funeral Directors, who have been working harder during this epidemic..
- Jesus is laid in the tomb.Even when things look very difficult and sad, there is always hope that God can bring new life.
Pray a prayer of thankgiving that you can have new life because Jesus gave of himself so fully and freely.
This “Stations of the Cross” was written by Theresa Difato;
it was adapted by Pastor Kathy for Good Friday of 2020.