Jesus is helped by Simon to carry His cross

"As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.” Luke 23:26

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In some ways this station is shrouded in myth and legend as much as anything factual. Did the soldiers pull Simon from the crowd and he really had no choice to help Jesus bear his cross, or as others have mused, was he chosen because he had shown sympathy with Jesus?

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Whatever is happening here, one thing is clear. Jesus needed help, and it’s Simon who is available. Several commentators and scholars conclude that this was a moment of transformative power for this pilgrim from Northern Africa. In shouldering the cross of Christ in this moment, he becomes the model for all of us in taking up our own cross as we follow in Jesus steps on the road of humility, pain and even death.

Just as Jesus walked this path and carried His cross, we to must do the same. We do have a cross to bear. But, there are moments on the way to our individual Golgotha’s - when the load is simply to great and we must have others to shoulder the load with us. For us.

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“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ … Each one should test their own actions … for each one should carry their own load.” Galatians 6:2-5

In this Galatians text, “Burden” was used of a crushing weight put on a domestic pack animal (cf. Matt. 23:4) … it is a different term than “burden” in verse 5, which is a soldier’s backpack. This captures beautifully the dynamic at play in this Station. And as we engage in these rhythms of “burden bearing” it is in those moments that we “fulfill the law of Christ.” The law of love. When Jesus speaks to us in Matthew 11 about leaning into His yoke and HIs burden, He describes it as being “light.” The Message translation unpacks it this way, we “learn the unforced rhythms of grace” when we learn of Jesus. When we learn His Way.

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"Let us try to see the pain of our human and spiritual journey "from above." The great art is to gradually trust that life's interruptions are the places where God is molding you into the person you are called to be. Interruptions are not disruptions of your way to holiness, but rather are places where you are being formed into the unique person God calls you to be. You know you are living a grateful life when whatever happens is received as an invitation to deepen your heart, to strengthen your love, and to broaden your hope. You are living a grateful life when something is taken away from you that you thought was so important and you find yourself willing to say, "Maybe I'm being invited to a deeper way of living.” Henry Nouwen

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J.R.W. Stott, English Anglican presbyter and theologian, draws attention to Martin Luther’s musings on the Galatians text: "Christians must have strong shoulders and mighty bones." Stott continues, "sturdy enough, that is, to carry heavy burdens” as he refers to both the load to weighty for one and the yoke and burden each is called to bear.

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We walk this path. we journey this “way”. Step by step. moment by moment. Though responsible for our own load, the law of Christ, the law of love, compels us to be aware of each other along the way. To remove any stigma from the stumbling, and even the falling. To be present. To lean in, and under - to carry together. To lend strength in silence. To learn the art of giving and receiving. A shouldering grace as we all, daily, take up our cross and follow. Jesus.

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Art by Scott Erickson