Scripture: Luke 23:26
26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.
Reflection:
Jesus is so weak that the Roman soldiers enlist a bystander, Simon of Cyrene, to bear Jesus’ cross to hurry things up a bit. Jesus – the Son of God, King of All the World – is so weak that he falls along the way and needs to be helped. The One who made others whole is Himself battered, bruised, and broken.
Activity:
Find a quiet (or semi-quiet) place and read Matthew 25:44-46
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
Consider this: In what ways have you been serving the ‘least of these’? Can you think of times in the past week that you have failed to act in service of the least in your life?
Prayer: Lord, Simon’s first reaction might have been, “That’s not my problem.” Oftentimes I react in the same way. Jesus, you said that other people are you when they come into my life. Sometimes, helping them seems like an unfair, thankless job. Help me be thankful for the chance to help. Amen.
