Fifth Station – Simon helps carry the Cross

Luke 23:26

I felt badly for Simon of Cyrene.  He had no way of preparing for what happened.  He was a farmhand coming in from the fields when he was made to carry my cross.  I overheard him complain to himself, “Why me?” …

Be careful not to condemn Simon.  You would have been startled, reluctant and bitter, too, if you had been in his shoes!

You must learn, as Simon learned, that life is not just or fair – and not even predictable.  Often life seems downright arbitrary.  You also will be startled by crosses thrust upon you when you least expect them.  When that happens, my Father and I will not hold against you your reflexive cry of “Why me?”  But you must quickly move beyond that to prayerful acceptance.  You must not spend your life looking for “reasons” for your crosses.  You may never know until after your death.

Learn this from Simon’s plight.  My Father uses anything and anyone to accomplish salvation.  He used Simon, so Simon could be said to have done the will of my Father.  But that alone doesn’t make one holy, because holiness is willing what my Father wills, wanting what he wants, accepting it and embracing it and making it one’s own.

Only you in the depths of your freedom can do that.