Stations of the Cross

In a little while, I will be going to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Church in Point Lookout, NY for the Stations of the Cross.

I have many memories connected to the Stations of the Cross from my childhood and teaching years at St. Philip Neri Parish in the Bronx.

First of all, when I was a child, Sr. Catherine Marie Jordan, osu held a midday service in the school for children while parents attended a service in the church. I remember being in school, coloring pictures of the stations, acting them out with various skits, using all different materials to create the scenes and praying as a group.

Some of the great memories include:

• carrying lots of textbooks up three flights of stairs to simulate Jesus' Carrying of the Cross,
• taking a towel and acting like Veronica wiping the face of Jesus,
• making a tomb out of paper bags and desks, and
• jumping out proclaiming Jesus is Risen.

When I went back to St. Philip Neri as a teacher, I remember working with the fourth graders and Ms. Maureen Harten on lessons related to Lent. We set up a mini art gallery in the hallway on the second floor outside our classrooms. The "art gallery" contained Mass card pictures of the various stations of the Cross and asking to children to walk around, examine the pictures, meditate on the images and then either draw a similar picture or write poem/paragraph on the experience.

Also when I taught fourth grade, I would bring in matzo and grape juice to reenact the Last Supper with my students. At times, I would wash students' foot just as Jesus washed the feet of his apostles.

All these experiences were very powerful to me and remind me of my faith and how it has been nourished throughout the years. I am so grateful for this and hope I am providing some faith nourishment for others.

Lent is a very holy sacred time for Catholics around the world. It is a time when I find myself feeling very connected to Jesus. I am overwhelmed by sadness at the suffering he underwent for my fellow human beings and me. But I am also energized and hopeful because I know the Resurrection of Jesus is to come soon.

Prayers and blessing to all this Good Friday.

Sr. Jeannie Humphries, osu