by Veronica Szczygiel 

Gym class in the 90’s was a mix of adrenaline-pumping bliss and heart-stopping drama. Games like dodgeball tested your physical prowess and eagle-eye attention. Be agile enough, and you can clonk your class rival in the head with the ball to get him out. Be woefully inattentive, and your face gets slammed with the ball. 

Every Lent, my class begrudgingly gave up gym periods on Fridays to attend our Catholic elementary school’s Stations of the Cross at our church, St. Anthony-St. Alphonsus in Greenpoint. At first, the sacrifice seemed like a chore and the service a bore. Our teachers behooved us to be silent, listen to the priest at each station, and kneel on cue — over and over again. 

But as the weeks went on, something stirred within my childhood self. It must have been the Holy Spirit softening my heart to welcome Jesus. I began looking forward to the services, the rhythm, and the stunning display of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice for us sinners. 

I might not have known how to articulate it then, but now in adulthood, I know that Jesus’ journey to Calvary resembled so much of life’s struggles. The heavy burden of Christ’s cross mirrors the problems we carry, whether it be chronic pain, the loss of a loved one, or dysfunction in the family. Simon the Cyrene taking up the cross for Jesus shows us that sometimes, our heavy burdens can be lightened, even when we least expect it. Jesus was spat on, laughed at, and falsely accused. We Christians get enough of that from the media. Jesus fell under the weight of his cross three times. This reminds me of the many, many times I have failed at something. 

One of the stations I connected with most was the sixth, when St. Veronica wipes Jesus’ grimy, sweaty, tear- and blood-stained face. I was captivated by my namesake’s courage. In one simple action, she comforted her Savior in a crowd that called for his execution. We do the same whenever we enact our faith, even though the world tempts us to forsake it. 

As I participated in the Stations of the Cross, I felt like I was truly there with Jesus. Hearing about his journey made me feel like I was walking alongside him. I was moved to experience deeply the suffering and sorrows he endured. 

I encourage us all to attend Stations of the Cross services when we can during Lent, as they are vivid reminders of Jesus’ love for us. Alternatively, we can also reflect on the stations as part of our prayer life. 

Ultimately, my younger self realized that sacrificing gym was nothing compared to Jesus’ sacrifice. Plus, come Easter, we returned to dodgeball games with renewed vigor.