Bearing the Cross

 “Now as they came out,  they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear the cross.”
Matthew27:32 (NKJV)

I am sharing the piece below, taken from my unpublished collection of dramatic monologues, because it relates to the story of Jesus’ final days and fits into this special season of remembrance. Here an imaginary eyewitness to Jesus’ suffering on Good Friday tells  what he saw.

With something big like a crucifixion happening, I had to be there. I’d followed the trial, witnssed the beatings—really brutal. I felt sorry for jesus of Nazarath, sorry, too, that I couldn’t help Him. He was a good Man, a teacher of righteousness. I saw some of His powerful miracles, and I believe He was the Son of God. How the scribes and Pharisees couldn’t see that is a mystery to me.

Like the rest of the people in Jerusalem, I was drawn to the whole trial. When I heard the loud shout from the crowd, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”  I knew His time was up. Our leaders handed Him over to the Romans to do the job. I’m going along with the crowd now to see how  things turn out.

The soldiers take Jesus—looking haggard, His hands tied together—and lead Him out of the judgment hall. Then they loose His hands and make Him carry His cross. That’s the way those Romans do things. No sympathy, no help.  Jesus starts out fairly well, walking with the heavy cross, but He has to carry it all the way through Jerusalem to Golgoths, called the Place of the Skull, because of the shape of the spot, I guess.  It’s outside the city walls. Jesus walks for a little while, but I can see He isn’t up to carrying that heavy cross too far. The beating He’s received left Him too weak for that. There! See? He stumbles.  And He stumbles  again, but the Roman soldiers just keep walking and pressing Him to go on.

But it’s beginning to look like He can’t carry the cross any farther. The soldiers stop. They’re looking around. I cringe and  wish I could  make myself invisible,  knowing what could happen next. I’m sure hoping they won’t ask me to help carry the cross. The soldiers look around some more. They see a man who looks strong and fit,  and  one of them shouts to him. “You there, where you from?” The man says his name is Simon and he’s visiting Jerusalem from Cyrene. That’s someplace in North Africa. The soldiers pick him. I breathe a sigh of relief. Maybe  they know that Cyrene is a Roman province and this Simon fellow can’t refuse to do as he’s told.

Simon picks up the cross like it’s his own and puts it on his shoulder. You can see the gratitude in Jesus’ eyes. Simon steps firmly, no sign of anger that he’s being compelled by the soldiers to carry the cross. No complaint comes from his mouth. His face beams like he’s doing something courageous. Strangest thing I’ve ever seen. Usually when the Roman soldiers compel a man to do something like carry their coat or a heavy load, the man resists. But not this man Simon from Cyrene. He acts like it’s an honor to handle Jesus’ cross.

We get to Golgotha, and Simon hands over the cross to one of the soldiers. Jesus looks at Simon with gentle, pitying eyes. Jesus always blessed the people who followed after Him. I’m sure He gave a lasting blessing to Simon of Cyrene today.

The Cross is now a sacred part of our salvation story. Do we today bear the cross, or do we merely wear one?

Always,

Judith

“But God forbid that I should boast
except in the cross of our Lord
Jesus Christ.”
Galatians 6:14  (NKJV)