Station 5: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry his Cross
Verse: We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You. Response: Because by your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.
Scripture: They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. Mark 15: 21
Reflection: Jesus, the soldiers are becoming impatient. This is taking longer than they wanted it to. They are afraid you won’t make it to the hill where you will be crucified. As you grow weaker, they grab a man out of the crowd and make him help carry your cross. He was just wandering by, watching what was happening, but all of a sudden he is helping you carry your cross. My smallest gesture of love benefits everyone. By not seeking my own interests but sharing the suffering of others, I help carry the weight burdening the poorest and the weakest. Loving like this renders me capable of entering into the joy and sorrow of others and making them sincerely my own.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, help us to see in the sufferings and shortcomings of our lives a share in Your Cross; strengthen and console us in the belief that we bear all things in union with You. I want to help you bear your cross. Give me the grace to help others by sharing the weight of their suffering as Simon did for Jesus. Grant me a willing spirit that I may be your instrument on earth.
Our Father, who art in heaven; hallowed by Thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death, AMEN.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end, AMEN.