simon the Cyrene

Hello Friends!

Last weekend we celebrated Good Shepherd Sunday, which inspired my song "That one Sheep" We are all that one sheep that gets lost and goes astray, but Jesus's mercy is so great, that He comes after us to rescue us and bring us home again and again.

Today's Blog:

How many times do we feel like we on the sidelines looking in? Not sure if we should get involved and help someone? Someone else will do it...

What if God said That someone is You.

He sure said that to SImon, the Cyrenian man who was just going about his day when God made him a part of something bigger than He could understand. He went from living a normal life of a jewish man in the world to doing something in his life for God. That one experience changed His life forever, and compelled him to start living for God more. He devoted his life to learning about, following the ways of Christ, and became a prominent figure in the spreading of Christianity. He went out proclaiming as the disciples did, the Good News of Jesus Christ, with such joy! So much so, that he became a martyr, giving up his own life for his faith in Christ. Giving up his life for Jesus, as He recognized Jesus did that for all of us.

How did God work in all of this? Well, God worked through the roman guards who asked Simon to help Jesus carry His cross, He worked through that difficult moment of Simon having to walk up the hill of Calvary with our Lord, to help Simon find His calling. Sometimes as I have mentioned before, when God calls us to something, sometimes it is difficult, but it's always clear weather we realize that or not (it isn't always a actual call, sometimes it's in either a sign a song you hear on the radio, a message from an old friend, a homily on Sunday talking about the exact thing you prayed about, etc )

Reflect on what it must have been like for Simon the Cyrene to walk carrying the cross with Jesus. Think about how Jesus carried His cross to make ours lighter but how even when we complain on earth that our earthly suffering is too great, He still comes and lightens our loads at times. His mercy and love for us is so great. Thanks be to Jesus! Our Savior and King!

What if we are not sure how to help, or if God even has a role that we can play, or anything important that we can do in our lives?

Sometimes we want to help, or to do something meaningful in our lives, and we think we need to do some big donation or sacrifice; St Athanatius, whose feast was celebrated on Saturday May 2nd, was bold in standing up for the faith against hersy, and defending the church in Big ways, (sure that's one thing you can do) but as many of the Saints say such as St Therese in her "Little Way" or young St Dominic Savio (whose feast day is coming up in May said) "I can't do big things, but I can do small things for the greater glory of God."

Sometimes we may not be called to the priesthood or religious life, but we can still live a religious life, by growing in the virtues. Growing in the virtues one at a time can help us to become saints like so many holy men and women.

I'll cover the 4 Cardinal Virtues and St Thomas Aquinas's Method to Grow in them more in my next blog...

So ask God during prayertime what He is asking of you, how you can make a difference, how you can be a part of His great plan. I assure you, He has something spectactuliar for your life (big or small) it'll make a big difference. Maybe just in one person's life, but maybe that one person who you spread the joy of Jesus to, went on to become a Catholic school teacher, who taught many children about the faith many which grew up to become saints. You're simple actions done out of Love today can make a huge change in the world. God can move mountains,

God can take the smallest seeds, and make them blossom abuntantly to a beautiful garden growing toward Heaven, Our light to get there is Jesus. Our water, Baptism.

We are all flowers growing our way to God's Garden. Will we say yes as Mother Mary did, as Simon did not knowing the next step but putting his complete trust in God's will for his life. Do we trust God's great plan that much?