Saturday, April 11, 2009

Pinpointing My Little Piece of the Passion

Ashamedly, with the frenzied speed of life---both personal and professional---last Sunday I screeched and skidded into Holy Week. The whiplash was welcome.

This Holy Saturday, as the kids are quiet (well, the TV volume is low...) the image of Simon the Cyrene, the onlooker drawn into history by a call to help Jesus haul his cross is in the fore of my mind. Sunday School embellished romanticism aside (does it matter the color of his--or Jesus'--skin, or who directed him to tote Christ's load?), imagine that moment.

Somehow I doubt Simon was fully aware of the world-altering impact of this cross-carrying "criminal." How did Simon feel with his assigned task? He was in the wrong place at the wrong time? It was a mistake to make eye contact with that centurion ensuring the processional's passage? Or conversely, was he aching to assist? Whether this weakened, thorny crown wearing man was God's son or simply a sinner off to his demise, was Simon seeking to ease the last moments of a fellow human?

Placing myself in the sandals of that minimally described bystander on the Via Dolorosa is going to be my year-long call to action. The history and life details of those we encounter each day may be unknown. Looking at the parade going by, staring at the sensationalism and acknowledging the spectacle is not enough. No matter our faith or practice, we know to help, to pick up the yoke of the suffering as best we can...even if just for a short part of their walk.
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PS - To lighten the tone a smidge, when I went to tag this post with "Simon the Cyrene," "Simon Cowell" came up as a past tag. Guess I have many miles to go before I can fully disassociate with my enthusiastic observation of the "spectacle"....

7 comments:

Nicole O'Dell said...

Great post about a fascinating Bible character. I sort of posted about him today, too. Have you ever heard the song, Watch the Lamb by Ray Boltz? It's about Simon and his boys who had gone with him to Jerusalem to sacrifice their lamb. Beautiful song! I put the you tube video of it on my blog.

And, your observation about your tags is funny!

Xazmin said...

Beautiful post.

Thanks for your thoughtful words.

Xazmin

noble pig said...

Happy Easter to you Cheryl!

mommytoalot said...

Wonderful post.
Happy Easter!

debi9kids said...

This spoke VOLUMES to me Cheryl!
I just watched The Passion on Thursday night and as I was watching I was thinking, "Wow, imagine the impact this had on Simon's life". Russ and I actually talked about it after the movie was over...

I look forward to be along for your journey.

Dianna@KennedyAdventures said...

Thanks for posting your Holy Week thoughts ... I felt like I crashed into it as well. I didn't get nearly close to accomplishing what I wanted ... SIGH! Good thing is, Jesus loves me just the same!

I really liked/empathized with the character of Simon in The Passion .... I can feel him thinking .. "but wait, I didn't ask to help, to be here, to go through this."

Love your blog .. both the serious, and the funny!

Happy Easter!

Amy said...

I'm a little late, but great post Cheryl!!! I too wonder what Simon's life was like after he helped Jesus with the cross.