Simon of Cyrene. Third Fall of Jesus.
The procession had reached an arch formed in an old wall belonging
to the town, opposite to a square, in which three streets terminated,
when Jesus stumbled against a large stone which was placed in the
middle of the archway, the cross slipped from his shoulder, he fell
upon the stone, and was totally unable to rise. Many
respectable-looking persons who were on their way to the Temple
stopped, and exclaimed compassionately: 'Look at that poor man, he is
certainly dying!' but his enemies showed no compassion. This fall caused
a fresh delay, as our Lord could not stand up again, and the Pharisees
said to the soldiers: 'We shall never get him to the place of execution
alive, if you do not find someone to carry his cross.' At this moment
Simon of Cyrene, a pagan, happened to pass by, accompanied by his three
children. He was a gardener, just returning home after working in a
garden near the eastern wall of the city, and carrying a bundle of
lopped branches. The soldiers perceiving by his dress that he was a
pagan, seized him, and ordered him to assist Jesus in carrying his
cross. He refused at first, but was soon compelled to obey, although
his children, being frightened, cried and made a great noise, upon
which some women quieted and took charge of them. Simon was much
annoyed, and expressed the greatest vexation at being obliged to walk
with a man in so deplorable a condition of dirt and misery; but Jesus
wept, and cast such a mild and heavenly look upon him that he was
touched, and instead of continuing to show reluctance, helped him to
rise, while the executioners fastened one arm of the cross on his
shoulders, and he walked behind our Lord, thus relieving him in a great
measure from its weight; and when all was arranged, the procession
moved forward. Simon was a stout-looking man, apparently about forty
years of age. His children were dressed in tunics made of a variegated
material; the two eldest, named Rufus and Alexander, afterwards joined
the disciples; the third was much younger, but a few years later went
to live with St. Stephen. Simon had not carried the cross after Jesus
any length of time before he felt his heart deeply touched by grace.