Revd. Chris Humble
Dear Friends,
As we journey with Jesus on his final days towards the scenes of his passion and the cross there are some significant figures who share in his journey. Simon of Cyrene was compelled by the Roman authorities to help carry the cross of Jesus. Luke 23. 26 reads “as the led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and they laid the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus”. This man just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, it would seem, so he was chosen to carry the cross that Jesus was struggling to manage on his own. He was probably (scholars believe) of black skin. He was from Cyrene in Libya, in North Africa. He is compelled to carry the cross of Jesus , he has no option, but comes strangely to represent all disciples of Jesus who seek to fulfil what Jesus himself said “unless you take up your cross and follow me….” Perhaps he was actually in the right place at the right time!
When I was at school we used to sing, in assembly, the hymn by Charles Wesley (MHB 717) “Help us to help each other Lord, each other’s cross to bear, let each his friendly aid afford and feel his brother’s care”. It has probably been excluded from our last two hymn books because of its apparent sexist language. Of course, Charles Wesley did not mean all disciples were male but he lived in another era when he used one word “brother” to mean both “brothers and sisters” and “his” to mean both “his/her”, but he hadn’t been on the unconscious bias training and knew little about inclusive language in the terms we are familiar with today! Despite its fault his words are still powerful. If you have a MHB you might take a look or google it!
Many years ago as a group of people from the different churches walked through the town centre of Grimsby a man was drawn in to the procession of witness and he wanted very much to carry the cross. A local preacher commented to me that “we have our very own Simon of Cyrene!” We did not compel him to carry the cross, he very much wanted to be involved. He was you may say drawn to it. In a strange way it was a fulfilment of the words of Jesus “when I am lifted up, I will draw all people to me”. It is a reminder that the old, old story we hear, dramatize, sing and pray through each Holy Weekhas a compelling nature about it. Each year perhaps we rehearse its themes we hear something new and engaging.
We are living through troubled times, of course, with war in Iran, Israel, Lebanon and other Middle Eastern countries, (not forgetting Ukraine) , we have been drawn in by permitting British territory to be used for landing and launching aircraft, some of our own Royal Navy vessels are being sent to the region. Mixed messages emanate from the White House. Nearer home many families are struggling with the cost of living crisis. There are plenty of people who need help and plenty of ways we can do this.
The hymn goes on “Help us to build each other up, our little stock improve, increase our faith, confirm our hope and build us up in love”. It is a sentiment that speaks of using the little we may have to build on to work for improvement. I wonder if Wesley was drawing on a banking term, “stock” as in joint stock company but that may be conjecture. I think he meant building each other up in terms of encouraging each other in the way we should go, so we develop and make progress in the Christian life. It is about mutuality and caring for each other, so we lend a hand when we can and shoulder the burdens of one another. In addition to this we are invited to build ourselves “up into thee, our living, let us in all things grow” as we seek to grow in grace, develop in our walk with Christ, go deeper, and make advances in our discipleship.
I wish you every blessing for Holy Week and Easter.
Chris Humble