Here’s the Bible verse I discussed on EWTN Radio’s The Son Rise Morning Show today:
And as they led Him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. (Luke 23:26)
Suffering can be a great source of anxiety. An even greater source of anxiety can be the fear of suffering. This generally happens because we don’t think that we’ll be able to handle the pain involved. As we can see in the above Bible verse, God will provide a way for us to get through any situation that we can ever face.
Jesus had an extremely difficult and painful task to accomplish on Calvary, but He had to get there first. After being scourged and losing much blood, it wasn’t easy for Him to carry a heavy cross. Fearing that He would die before they had the chance to crucify Him, the authorities forced Simon of Cyrene to assist Him in carrying the cross. As a result, Jesus reached His destination and was able to redeem us.
If you are suffering, rest assured that there is a Simon of Cyrene headed your way. It may be in the form of a person, it may be the grace you need to keep going, or it may be a combination of both. It’s also possible that you are being called to be the Simon of Cyrene for someone else. The bottom line is that the Lord never gives anyone a cross that’s too heavy to carry.
Lord, help me to carry the crosses in my life and please use me as the Simon of Cyrene in the lives of others. Amen.
(Gary Zimak is a Catholic speaker and author who travels throughout the United States and Canada giving inspirational talks and leading parish missions and retreats. Click HERE to invite Gary to speak at your parish or conference or to inquire about his availability.)
