Station 5: Simon of Cyrene is Made to Bear the Cross

Jesus never asked Simon to carry the cross.

Roman soldiers did.

Nor was Simon asked all that politely.

He was compelled, a verb Matthew uses at 5:41: and if anyone compels you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

This was the law. A roman soldier could make you carry something if he wanted, and you didn't really have a choice.

Discipleship, shall we say, is not always a walk in the park.

But it might be a walk to Golgotha.

The call to serve our Lord may not seem to come from him, or the kindly rector, or your best friend. The call might seem so distorted as to apparently come from an armed oppressor, in an unfamiliar accent, in the form of an order rather than a request.

You will know the call to be true not because of whom the call comes from, or the manner in which the call is solicited.

You will know the call to be true because you will see the striped, bleeding body of our Lord just behind the one standing in your face, demanding your service.

And you will be compelled to relieve his burden, if only for a while.

Click ahead to station 6, Christ's face is wiped by Veronica: Renee, Mike, Argent, Best & Worst, Shawn, Joseph, Kat, Rick, Stephanie, Trepanatus, Karen, Crossroad Dispatches.

Or, click back to station 4, He meets His Blessed Mother: Renee, Mike, Argent, Best & Worst, Shawn, Joseph, Kat, Rick, Stephanie, Trepanatus, Karen, Jean, U2Sermons, Maggie, Elena, Jennifer.

Via Crucis 2006.