Station Eight - Simon of Cyrene

Jesus is helped by Simon to carry His cross-Sunday 4/17/11

Luke 23:26 ESV

And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.

Little is known about this fellow named Simon and people even debate about his state of willingness to help Jesus carry the cross.  What we do know is that he DID bear the cross of the tortured Messiah. 

In Luke 14 Jesus turns to a large crowd of followers and says that if we are unwilling to carry our own cross we cannot be His disciples. 

Often times we think of the idea of being crucified, but for this moment I want to reflect on the carrying of the cross.  Imagine the shame of carrying your cross through the crowds of people.  Shouts of condemnation, laughs and ridicule as you are seen as a criminal.  Then the load to bear is heavy and overwhelming.   We see by example, that just because we will have our own crosses, it does not mean we won’t have people along the way to alleviate our burdens.  The believer has a heavy burden as the journey leads to a life as Jesus’ disciple.  Will you bear your cross for that purpose?