In a previous blog post I wrote about an art exhibition by Iain McKillop that’s currently on show at Guildford Cathedral. I wrote about a picture of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, about him being alone. Today I had some time to look at the pictures again. I was reminded of a part of the Good Friday story that can be glossed over.
After Jesus is sentenced to be crucified, he is paraded through the streets carrying his cross. He has been whipped and beaten and had a crown of thorns put in his head. He is tired and weak. On the journey to Golgotha, the hill where he is to be killed, it is thought (although not reported in any of the gospels) that Jesus falls more than once. Whether he does or not, three of the gospels report that a man was enlisted to help carry the cross behind Jesus.
This man was not family, nor was he a friend. In fact, he was a stranger who was plucked out if the crowd by the Romans. His name was Simon from Cyrene. He was forced to share the burden that Jesus carried. He shouldered the cross and had to endure the taunts of the crowd, just like Jesus. We never hear of Simon again. He is a support act here. But he is there. The disciples aren’t. Jesus’ family aren’t. Jesus’ supporters have either fled or turned on him. As I wrote last time, Jesus is so very alone at this point. Then Simon if Cyrene enters the frame.
I wonder how often we have felt so alone, so misunderstood, so isolated that we feel like we are carrying everything alone. I wonder how often we have been so tired and weak that we have stumbled and fallen to the point where we might not be able to get back up again and continue. I wonder if you have ever experienced a ‘Simon of Cyrene’ in your life, someone you have never met before and will never meet again but who does something to just help lighten the load for a short while, help you find the strength to keep going.
I would encourage you to remember, when you are down and not sure you can carry on, that Jesus got to that point too, and Jesus allowed a stranger to help him. Jesus didn’t have to carry his cross all on his own and neither do you.
The Reason for my Hope Blog 
Thank you so much because that’s been on my mind all day today, rough day health issues getting everything that can go wrong is going wrong blah blah blah etc etc God what are you trying to teach me show me and my lesson and I the teacher am I the student am I the side post you know all those things that people ask themselves when you don’t understand what God’s doing because it just seems so backwards from what thought he was doing it’s more steps backwards than forwards but the bottom line is I’m in chronic pain and he didn’t spare his own son pain and I should be grateful that the pain I feel isn’t as much as Jesus felt and I trust them that everything going on and going wrong in my life right now will turn out to be right in the kingdom of God toil and tears reap and joy. Thank you for writing what you wrote today and thank you that it was right out of the Bible because it felt like God was talking straight to me through you and you positively impacted my attitude which helps me to allow my faith to take over in my fears to fade period I am not alone and I can ask for help Thank you thank you thank you thank you praise God and God bless you
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