Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

Read Mark 15:20-22

"[The soldiers] led Him out to crucify Him.
And they compelled a passerby, Simon
of Cyrene, who was coming in from the
country... to carry His cross." (Mark 15:20-21)

Reflection:

Finished with their mockery, the soldiers rip
the blood-soaked cloak off of Jesus' shoulders--
and another wave of excruciating pain crashes
through His body. Roughly dressing Him in His
own clothes they line Him up with two other
condemned criminals.

Next they bring three roughly hewn crossbeams
and cruelly drop them across the condemned
prisoners' shoulders. A complete cross is far too
heavy to carry, so they will drag these
crossbeams to the execution site where they
will be attached to the uprights already in place.
The gates of the palace are opened and the six
hundred soldiers of Pilate's Jerusalem cohort
push their way through the Passover crowds,
making a road for the grisly procession.

It is not a great distance from Pilate's palace
to the place of crucifixion, but Jesus' legs
tremble and ache with each step as He
struggles to carry His crossbeam down the
narrow road leading outside the city. After His
sleepless night, His beating at the hands of
His Jewish enemies and His brutal flogging He
repeatedly stumbles and falls. Realizing Jesus
is simply too weak to carry His cross the
soldiers compel a passerby named Simon to
carry it for Him. Looking at the faces along the
way and speaking comforting words to those
who weep, Jesus slowly makes His way to the
Place of the Skull- Golgotha.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, You stumbled and fell under the
staggering weight of our sins. But You kept
getting up and refused to stop until You
completed Your course. Give me courage and
strength whenever I grow weary and exhausted,
until my course if over and I can rest with You
Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries Lenten Devotional)