What Jesus did

Christine Carrillo

They’re trying to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, his disciples and

the many men and women who played a significant role in the last days

of his life. As they practice for a performance that the school has

been doing for more than 20 years, the students get to live their

lesson in religion

In celebration of Holy Week, eighth-graders at Christ Lutheran

School in Costa Mesa practiced their annual Stations of the Cross

presentation on Monday for a Thursday performance for younger

students, community members and church parishioners. The school

presents the 14 stations, or depictions of Christ’s final sufferings

and death and burial, with other scenes from his life.

The audience will travel from one station to another across the

campus to watch the students perform their religious adaptations.

“We’re preparing for the way of the life of Christ, which is

depicting his life, particularly the last week of his life,” said

Jenny Jordan, eighth-grade teacher and director of the performance.

“It’s our way just to bring it alive, not just for the kids that are

doing it, but for the whole school.”

Eighth-graders adopt the roles of the religious characters they’ve

been learning about for years to enact the events from Jesus’ being

condemned to death to his being laid in the tomb.

“I like it; it’s fun,” said 14-year-old Briahna Smith, who played

a servant in the depiction of Peter’s denial. “It actually brings out

what the people really felt and how they really were.”

Fulfilling the requirements of their religious studies, the

students, dressed in garb of Jesus’ day, play out significant and

pivotal events in his life, in particular those from Palm Sunday and

through his resurrection.

“It’s a lot of fun,” said 15-year-old Pierce Rubin, who played

Judas. “You’re learning about the life of Christ and you’re able to

express the love of God to the kids.”

Reenacting Jesus’ interaction with his disciples during the Last

Supper and Jesus’ anger with the merchants and money-changers in the

temple were just two of the many stories from life of Christ that the

students depicted.

They were just part of the lesson.

“[It helps you learn] in a way because you learn what they said

and you learn how they felt, but you don’t know what you would’ve

done,” Briahna said. “It’s a step in that direction.”

* IN THE CLASSROOM is a weekly feature in which Daily Pilot

education writer Christine Carrillo visits a campus in the

Newport-Mesa area and writes about her experience.