Stations of the Cross VIII: Simon

They compelled a passer-by, who was coming in from the country, to carry his cross; it was Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus.

Mark 15: 21 (NRSV)

8. Simon

i do not want
any part of this.

i came to be a witness
to speak to the horrors
so that when they pretend
all was right
i can speak
and tell what i saw
tell how i saw innocence die.

my eyes shall forever record.

but there were the hands that grabbed me
and pushed me,
and fixed the weight of that cross on me
and i had no choice.

i had seen him growing weak
the wounds on his back,
his head
his pride, i assume,
weeping red--

who is this man?
God, they say--
but no god bleeds like that
or cannot find the strength
to carry something like this.

it is heavy
and i can only steal glances
to that doomed face
but at least there's some relief
at least i can give that.

...what if He is God?
could that even be possible?
a God who is so weak

or a God that is so strong
He would become this weak
He would allow me to step in
and carry this burden
He would allow me to help
i could be a part of His story.

--

Incomprehensible God, You come to us in the forms we least expect.  Thank You for all the ways You reveal Yourself to us.  Continue Your work of drawing us in.  Show us opportunities to collaborate with You, that the church might truly be Your body in our world today.  Amen.

--

Slats (they/them/theirs) is a queer/trans/nonbinary Presbyterian (PCUSA). They hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drama and a Master of Divinity and they deeply love liturgy and hymnody.  They write, preach, teach and often work as a director and sound designer for live theater.  They are currently in the ordination process, and spend much of their time working toward claiming queer/trans space in Christianity.

Slats' website is https://www.slatsite.com and their book, Queering Lent, can be found at http://a.co/4nAGn29.