With Lent right around the corner, I wanted to share with you The Stations of the Cross for Children as well as some coloring pages.
Very much like The Rosary in Art for Children, the Stations of the Cross for Children uses art masterpieces to depict the each of the stations of the cross. We included Bible verses, very short meditations written by my daughter, and parts of the Stabat Mater, which are usually sung at the end of each station.
Here is the artwork included in the book:
1st Station: Jesus is condemned to death
2nd Station: Jesus takes up His cross
3rd Station: Jesus falls for the first time
4th Station: Jesus meets His Mother, Mary
5th Station: Simon helps Jesus carry the cross
I strongly believe that beautiful artwork and music can draw children into prayer and contemplation, and that is why I go through the effort of making such little books for my kids. Looking at the details in the pictures and observing the facial expressions of the people in the paintings can help our children realize how much Our Lord suffered from them and how much He loves them.
For example, regarding the picture above, we could ask our children the following: Look at Simon watching Our Lord very closely. Let’s imitate him and really look at Our Lord. Do you notice how red Our Lord’s eyes are? Do you see the tears falling from his eyes? Not only is He a strong, grown man. He is God, King of the Universe. And yet He weeps! Why do you think He is crying? Do you see how sharp are the thorns in his head? Do you see how heavy his cross is? Jesus is looking right at you. Gaze into His eyes. What do you suppose He is thinking?
Here are the rest of the Stations:
6th Station: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
7th Station: Jesus falls a second time
8th Station: Jesus meets the weeping women
9th Station: Jesus falls a third time
10th Station: Jesus is stripped of His clothes
11th Station: Jesus is nailed to the cross
Twelfth Station: Jesus dies on the cross
13th Station: Jesus is taken down from the cross
14th Station: Jesus is placed in the tomb
15th Station: Jesus rises from the dead
By looking carefully at and discussing these art masterpieces with our children, we can help them meditate on Our Lord’s Passion. With really young children, even looking at two stations a day could be enough. In a week you could get through all fourteen stations, and then you could start all over again the following week.
An alternative to getting the book would be to display each station on your iPad/laptop and look at them one at a time. If you do this, be sure to begin each station with:
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.
You could then use St. Josemaria’s meditations of the Stations of the Cross to accompany each station. These meditations are suitable for older children, and they are very moving.
During Lent, in addition to meditating on the Stations of the Cross, I encourage my younger kids to color one station each day. By coloring these pictures, they begin to notice details of Our Lord’s Passion.
Here are some simple coloring pages for the younger kids from Catholic Playground.
Your older children may enjoy these beautiful stations from FamilyFeastandFeria.
May you and your family have a most holy and blessed Lent!