Pro Sanctity Reflects on the Stations of the Cross

Fifth Station: Simon Helps Jesus Carry the Cross

We adore You, O Christ and we praise You, because by Your holy cross You have redeemed the world.

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. (John 15:4-11)

One of the greatest moments of grace in my life has occurred while praying with the fifth station. I never liked “doing the stations” and it became more and more of a struggle as I tried to comply with the spiritual disciplines and practices given to me, the Stations of the Cross being on of them. I noticed that at the fifth station, I felt absolutely rotten because I thought I wasn’t any better than Simon of Cyrene. I didn’t want to carry the cross either! As I spent lingered at the this station, I began to see that it was not Simon helping Jesus carry His cross, but Jesus who was helping Simon carry his! Engaging the “tools of prayer” that I have been immersed in, I began to tell Jesus how much I didn’t like carrying the cross in my life and how unhappy I was with myself because of this. I realized it wasn’t so much that I didn’t want to carry the cross, I just didn’t know how, and I was clumsily struggling to drag my cross up the hill by myself.

In the gospel of John, Jesus reminds us “for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). We can’t even carry out our cross without His sustaining grace. He invites us to participate in His suffering and all of His disciples are to follow Him on the Way of the Cross, but we don’t do this alone. Jesus is with us in our joys and sufferings and He has already perfected the way of the cross. He shows us how to carry the cross through the example He gave us, especially the total abandonment to the Father’s will. In placing our trust and love in the Father, our fears and struggles disappear and we become available to not only carry the cross we have been given, but also to assist our brother and sisters on their journey. Let us carry our cross and let Jesus carry us.

Submitted by Joan Patten,
Aspirant Apostolic Oblate, Nebraska

Holy Mother, impress into my heart the wounds of your Son.

Pro Sanctity Reflects on the Stations of the Cross