Walking with Christ

Published: 25 April 2004

(From left) Seven year-old Joshua Thorley from Chelmer helps Paul Plant from Mansfield and Josh Graham from Indooroopilly carry the cross through Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens

YOUNG people were able to personally feel the burden of carrying a cross when they took part in a stations of the cross through the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens in Brisbane on Good Friday, April 9.

More than 70 people joined Emmanuel Youth Outreach for the event.

It was the fourth year the stations of the cross had been staged in the botanic gardens and the largest attendance yet.

Participants came from parishes including Pine Rivers, Darra-Jindalee, Albany Creek and Clayfield. There were also students from the University of Queensland and members of Emmanuel Community.

Young people took turns to carry a two-metre tall cross through some of the winding and steep paths in the botanic gardens.

The cross became the focus of the morning for each of the participants as well as many passers-by.

Each of the 14 stations was prepared by a different group of young people and included Scripture readings, personal reflections, songs and drama. Stations of the cross organiser Luke Plant said one of the significant aspects of the event was that it was held in a public place.

'That is where it all happened for Jesus - in public,' Luke said.

'So much of Jesus' ministry throughout the Gospels is done in public places, and that is where we need to live out our faith today,' he said.

'But even though we were outside, the whole walk was still done with great reverence.'

He said each of the reflections was meaningful and the followers all walked in silence between stations.

Many of the people who had recently seen Mel Gibson's film, The Passion of the Christ, said the walk had particular meaning for them.