Dedicated to the Culture of Life - Holy Ghost Catholic Church

Meditation: Who among us wants to carry a cross? As for
Simon of Cyrene it is something generally forced upon us.
Simon was a foreigner in Jerusalem on that Good Friday who
just happened to be standing in the wrong place when a detail of
Roman soldiers grabbed him roughly. They ordered him to assist
a convicted man to haul the heavy cross to that man’s place of
execution. What do imagine went through Simon’s mind as he
was pressed into such an unpleasant duty? “Why me? Why not
someone else? What if somebody I know or work with sees me
helping a condemned man? What will they think of me?” How
mortifying this experience must have been for Simon. He
undoubtedly felt that he did not deserve such treatment; after all,
he was only minding his own business. He hadn’t done anything
wrong. The weight of life’s sufferings and burdens can be crushing,
but such times may be moments of grace to share in the cross
of Christ by bearing all things with patience and joy. Like Christ,
the suffering of the world wait upon someone, anyone, who will
bow themselves low enough to be under the cross with them and
to be a companion on the way of life.
All: (kneel) Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who
shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure
heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false, and does not
swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the LORD, and
vindication from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation
of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.
(Psalm 24: 3-6)
(stand)
Christ she saw, for our
salvation, Scourged with
cruel acclamation, Bruised
and beaten by the rod.
Quis non posset contristári,
Christi Matrem contemplári
Doléntem cum Filio?
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