As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.
Matt 27:32 (NIV)
I'm not teaching this week, but my cohort came up with this idea to do "Stations of the Cross." He's from a more liturgical tradition and most of us in the class don't even know what is going to happen. I've been reading about this a bit. I think it is going to be a good thing.
One event along the crucifixion route is the compelling of Simon of Cyrene to carry the cross-piece on Jesus' behalf. Apparently Jesus was too weak from everything else by this point to continue to carry it himself. Here are a few musings on this dark road.
1. You can't get to Easter Sunday and the Resurrection without going down the dark road of despair first. That Jesus had to do this is sorrowful, but also tremendously helpful to those of us on the road.
2. Where were the volunteers? Simon becomes a hero, but the tragedy is this: was there not one of Jesus' followers around with enough gumption to say, "I'll carry it!" I certainly would have. (Not. I'd probably be leading the pack of disciples as we ran in the opposite direction.)
3. The suffering of the Lord validates our observation that the way is indeed sometimes dark and difficult. We experience pain, illness, loss of loved ones. Yet he is the prime example of perseverence despite the pain and the darkness of the journey.
4. God does some of his best work in the dark.
As I approach Easter, I hope to do so with an awareness of God's presence and purpose, even though the way is sometimes dark.
Randy
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I think you will enjoy the Stations. I went to Cursillo in 2001 and on the first night, you do the Stations of the Cross, outdoors in the camp area. It was my first experience of it. It can be very powerful and moving. I've participated in it several times since then, but none have ever had the impact of that first one. Not sure why exactly, but I think it was because we were outside, it was dark and cold, I could see the Milky Way overhead. At each station there was a person already there and he or she did the reading. Some of them gave me chills and it wasn't from the night air.
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