One of the most touching moments to me in the movie The Passion of the Christ 
If you’re reading this right before Lent, I invite you to join our community of women as we journey through Lent together. You can read more about our Lent Devotional for Women here.
Being a Simon of Cyrene for Today
First, what is our cross? It’s our life. There are moments of intense joy in this life…there are also moments of what may seem to be excruciatingly lows. Our crosses in this life consist of times of suffering (physical, mental, emotional or spiritual), times of waiting, times of pouring ourselves out for others, times of acceptance, and times where no real feeling seems to present itself–times of desolation.
And how often do we struggle under the weight of these crosses alone? How often do we push through whether out of fear, sense of duty, pride, stubbornness or a false sense of humility? Let me ask this. How often do we look to our Lord for the example in this life? Remember the whole “WWJD” movement? What would Jesus do? What did Jesus do when presented with the cross? He accepted help. Today, let’s put our fear, pride, duty and stubbornness aside and figure, “If it’s good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me.” Today, let’s either offer to help someone carry their cross or…and maybe even harder for some…accept someone’s help in carrying our own cross.
Now to look at this from the point of being a Simon of Cyrene for today. Each one of us knows someone hurting today. Each one of us knows someone struggling today. Today is the day to step in and lock arms with that someone. Jesus didn’t ask for the help and Simon didn’t volunteer. We most likely know someone struggling to carry a cross but they will not ask for help. The guards pushed Simon into helping our Lord for fear of Jesus dying before they could inflict their final cruelty. I am telling you to step in today before the enemy tries to inflict his final cruelty. Your friend, family member, coworker, neighbor, husband or child may not ask you for help…step in. Be someone’s Simon of Cyrene today.
If you are running to pick up a pizza on your way home from work tonight, ask yourself, is there someone I can bless with a pizza? Yes, I am not even kidding! I am not asking you to lock arms with a bloody, beaten, almost to the point of death Man…I am asking you to buy one extra $6 pizza to bless someone with…a new mom, a homebound neighbor, a single mom, a family hanging on by their very last thread…
When you grocery shop this weekend, who can you lock arms with and help them carry their cross, if only for a short time? Could your teen use a little sweet treat to say “I love who you are and I appreciate you.” Would your husband appreciate a package of mushrooms to put on top of his burger this weekend, even though you hate mushrooms? Would your elderly neighbor enjoy a small bouquet of flowers sitting next to their favorite chair? How about a coloring book for your toddler? And more importantly, time spent at the table coloring in the book with your toddler.
Now, how about some prayer support? Who do you know could use some prayers? Other than EVERYONE. Who do you know could use some prayers and benefit from knowing you were praying for them? How about a text, phone call, message left on voice mail, email, Facebook message or handwritten note saying, “I’m praying for you today.” How about a hand on the shoulder or that look of compassion for your fellow soccer mom, baseball mom, gymnastics mom, co-worker, neighbor, husband, priest, frazzled mom at church or grocery store checker? Let them know, I am locking arms with you today to help you carry this cross.
Being a Simon of Cyrene for today may be easier than you think.
I love this post! There is always someone who needs a bit of a hand or a bit of tender loving care! I find when I reach out to someone in this way – I too am blessed in the doing…
Thank you for this post. It is an answer to prayer. I have an 84-year old neighbor who needs someone to lock arms with her to help her carry her cross. My neighbor’s cross is being 84 years old with little family left to help her make decisions, understand forms, or take her to the doctor and talk with him for her. Her cross might be — within the next six years — not having enough money to take care of herself. I’ve been reluctant to step in completely because being a total caregiver for my husband for the past 2-3 years has drained me of everything and I didn’t want to be caregiver to another. In other words, I was being selfish.
Your post is like an answer from Jesus — I need to get busy and stop being selfish. So I am going to try to offer to help my neighbor more — take her to the doctor, etc. And I will begin praying for the willingness, if it should come to that, to share my home with her. (I am reminded that this is what I wanted to do for my beloved grandmother anyway and didn’t get the chance to.)
Thank you for letting the Holy Spirit speak through you, Jenny!!
Oh Carmel, your charity is amazing!
Thank you for this post! It is a beautiful idea to think about and something I really needed to hear today. Something I need to think about and do more, from both perspectives.
I’m happy this post resonated with you Megan. I needed to read this too. Not only did I feel called to be a Simon for someone the other day, I also needed to take the time to thank a couple people who have helped me carry a cross recently.