Luke 23:26-31
What of Simon of Cyrene? A bystander to the drama unfolding in Jerusalem, he is compelled by the soldiers to carry the cross of Jesus. This is no small task. I suppose he complies because he has no real choice in the matter.
As faithful people of any religion, what are we compelled to do? What are we compelled to do as citizens of the world? We certainly are not forced to do anything, except for dying and paying taxes.
There are things we should be doing and while not forced to like Simon, we should embrace. Things like charity, love, compassion, giving, helping and all other sorts of saintly living. What Simon was asked to do was harsh, how harsh are the things we are called to do? I use Simon as a guide here because anyone can point out, well Jesus died on the cross for you, you should you be willing to do X or Y or Z? The answer of course is yes we should. Still, using the image of an innocent bystander which is what most of us are, may help us realize that we have a role to play in the dramas that are playing out in and around our lives.
If you pay attention to what is going on around you, maybe even in your own household or family, you'll see that there are many things you could or should be doing to help.
As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus. A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are surely coming when they will say, “Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.” Then they will begin to say to the mountains, “Fall on us”; and to the hills, “Cover us.” For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?’
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