In the book of Matthew chapter 16 verse 24, Jesus told His disciples "if any of you want to come with me you must forget yourself, carry your Cross and Follow Me".
Simon of Cyrene was the man compelled by the Romans to carry the cross of Jesus of Nazareth as Jesus was taken to his crucifixion. According to all three Synoptic Gospels, "as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, him they compelled to bear the cross of Jesus".
The lessons of the Fifth Station of the Cross in the Passion Week is that often times people bear Crosses that are not theirs. These crosses could be by way of medals, laurels or the crucifixion. Passion week can be likened to a political transition in Nigeria. Remember the case of barabas and Jesus.
Last month, I found myself wandering around the Chapel of the Immaculate Coneption Seminary — that historic building that mould boys into men. I had a flashback. The old church there features small oil paintings for the Stations of the Cross, the step-by-step retelling of the crucifixion narrative. All fourteen stations are painted to tell the “Passion” in a semi-circle around the perimeter of the sanctuary. As with most of my visits to old Catholic buildings, the sensory religious experience of my childhood came flooding back to me: waking up at odd times, regular functions, ringing the school bell, countless masses, liturgies, and plays throughout the many Lenten seasons all filled my mind in the first station, the second station, and so on… until my attention was drawn on the FIFTH STATION — the one that always captivated my attention as a child, “Simon helps Jesus carry the cross.”
This idea, that a bystander named Simon would be called over to help Jesus carry the cross, and that he would do it, always arrested my soul.
Later, upon embracing my Bible-reading Protestantism, I actually read the passages of Scripture upon which the fifth station was based. Three out of the four gospels reported the story of Simon of Cyrene, and mention by name the man who helped carry the cross.
"As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. — Matthew 27:32. And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. — Mark 15:21
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. — Luke 23:26"
Each of these Scriptural reports tell us something different about this man, Simon of Cyrene, and in turn, tell us something important about our life with Jesus, and our life with others.
First, it is not to be overlooked that Simon carried Jesus’ cross. Matthew and Mark clearly state the object Simon carried: “His [Jesus’] cross.” This might sound obvious, but it is profound that this man, Jesus, who all the gospel writers clearly understand to be God incarnate, needs assistance at his moment of suffering. Is God not the one who bears the suffering for us? Why, then, does he need the assistance of what seems to be a random man? Simon carrying Jesus’ cross is our reminder of the humility of God. This is an attribute God does not need, nor is it an attribute ever expected of him. We probably more cleanly align with those who would shout at Jesus to come off the cross, or tell him to send a legion of angels to rescue himself, and mockingly place signs above him as to shame him towards a power we want him to display. To us, it would make sense for God to flex his omnipotent muscles during his moments of agony.
And yet he does not. This withholding is the very nature of Jesus, who, “though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:6–7). Shockingly, Jesus allowed a man he created to help him carry the cross. The strange, discomforting, beautiful, mysterious, and scandalous thing about God is that he often chooses not to act like it. What kind of God accepts the help of his own creation?
The second remarkable thing about Simon of Cyrene, is that he is named. It is significant that Simon carried the cross “behind Jesus,” as Luke mentions in his account. Simon of Cyrene became, in some metaphorical and perhaps very real way, the first Christian.
Before his arrest and betrayal, Jesus said to his would-be followers, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). To be a Christian is to live a “cruciform life,” a kind of existence that is shaped by and through the cross. We bear the cross Jesus provides for us. This is precisely what Simon did and precisely what we must do too. As St. Paul wrote, we do this so that we may know Jesus “and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10).
Simon of Cyrene, following behind Jesus with the cross, is the picture of discipleship. Christ has gone first. He has gone and is going to where we cannot. Still, we follow in his steps, bearing the cross behind him. This is why Christians today join in the song based off of the words of the martyr Sadhu Sundar Singh:
“The cross before me,
the world behind me.
No turning back,
No turning back."
LESSONS ARE:
1. When we are called upon to bear our cross, we should do so without complain. It does not matter if the cross we are called to bear belong to us or to someone else.
2. Bearing the cross is not a sin, but remains the only way to our salvation.
3. As commonly said "no cross, no crown, and no crown, no cross".
4. When called upon to carry your own cross, bear it with utmost happiness and hope for the salvation. Who knows who would be nailed on it. Certainly, it was not Simon of Cyrene.
Happy Sunday folks!
Beautiful. Brilliance. God's grace and peace, I wish all of us!
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