…As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus… - Luke 23:26
Ever been asked to do something you didn’t really want to do?
I’m sure, at one point or another we all have been given an assignment that we did not want to do, yet we knew it was required of us. I think in every job I’ve ever had I’ve had something laid in my lap, some project or report that has been dumped on me, and at a moment’s notice, I was expected to drop everything and work on that one thing.
Most of the time, we know those types of things come with the territory (so to speak) of what is expected of an employer. But what about those times when it was someone else asking you to do something, expecting you to do what was asked? Those tasks may be foreign to us, or at least not asked of us often.
Now, imagine, you are traveling into the city and all of a sudden a crowd is coming out of the city, prisoners carrying crosses, their own execution instruments, and you see one of those prisoners drop that cross. All of a sudden, one of the guards grabs you, an innocent by- standard, someone who hasn’t done anything wrong. You are now asked to pick up his cross and carry it on your back. You haven’t done anything wrong, you are not a criminal, but now you are walking death row with those whom have been prosecuted by the state, and deemed unfit to remain a part of society. This imagery is difficult, especially when I think about Jesus own words to his disciples; “if you are to be my disciples, deny yourself, pick up your own cross, and follow me.” Simon of Cyrene, to our knowledge, was not present when Jesus spoke those words, yet he was forced by the governmental authorities to carry a burden, to do a job that was not his own, and walk death row, carrying an instrument of death.
The burdens that we bear as Christians today, pale in comparison to those of the early Christians church. Because of faithfulness, and the burden that others have carried for us, we have a the freedom to worship as we see fit, and rarely are asked to do anything difficult for our faith. However, there are times when the difficulty of faith are a little more know, when we want to care for others, but don’t know how. Or sometimes we have our own deep needs and don’t know what to do. For us the promise is that Jesus will help carry our burden, though sometimes we also need to help carry the burden for others.
Right now, as we see COVID-19 cases numbers rise, our government authorities has asked us to do a simple task, wear a mask in public. Some have turned this call into a burden, made a big deal about it, however, the Christian response would be to wear one, to have enough care for others to understand and simply wear a mask. In doing so we both obey our government, and at the same time express care for one another in Christian love.
Please note, if you choose to join us in person for worship on Sunday, mask are required for everyone who enters the building. I will be wearing mine because I care for you, please remember to wear yours as a sign of your care for others. If you are concerned, or anxious about returning, online worship will still be posted at 9 am, and you are welcome to worship with us in that way. No matter what do what is safe for yourself and for those around you. God bless you, and keep you, now and always. Amen.
Grace & Peace,
Sam