Weak

“As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.” (Luke 23:26).

Christ Carrying the Cross (Patrick Hayman)

I really hate feeling weak.

Vulnerability of any sort is a very uncomfortable feeling for me.  I do not like to feel weak at home or at work or in front of others.

Perhaps this is a culmination of all my experiences?  Perhaps it is because of the way I was brought up or the person who I chose to marry?  Perhaps it was things that I observed during my lifetime?  Or, maybe, it is just because I am terribly proud and terribly vain, and I really do not want anyone to know that I am not some sort of superwoman who can do everything in the world for myself…?

This inability to be comfortable in my weakness is – of course – not a sign of strength, rather it is the opposite.  Being unable to express vulnerability and weakness is a sign of my weakness and not my strength.  And I can recognise this even in the depths of my sinful state.

I have been reflecting on weakness over the last few weeks…

Christ was weak.  Despite being God Himself, Christ allowed Himself to be weak.  He allowed Himself to hunger and thirst.  When he was hot and sweaty, He smelled just as you or I do.  He needed to rest after working for the day and stop when He was sleepy.

Christ the Man was weak – and weak by choice.  He allowed others to see His tears and others to hear His prayers.  His disciples saw Him tired after a day of travels and ministering to the sick or preaching to His followers.  He allowed them that.  His mother and foster father, Saint Joseph, also saw such things…

And even more than this – EVERYONE saw the weakness of Christ when He fell for the third time in carrying His cross, and a man from the crowd was called to carry it for Him…

“As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.” (Luke 23:26).

And I have been reflecting on that today.  What an unimaginable sacrifice for God Himself to allow the help of this Cyrene!  What an unimaginable affront to the Holy Right of God to His own righteousness and power!  Christ had every right to destroy the universe in that instant, rather than to submit to the indignity of being assisted by a mere sinful human being – a creature under His dominion…

But instead – for MY SAKE, and for YOURS – Christ said nothing.  He walked beside the Cyrene and allowed that mere man to carry the Cross of the Saviour of the World.

And Iahve been thinking about that today, because the infinite amount of humility that would have taken is a thing to ponder for eternity…  And yet – for ME – Christ was weak and refused to bring in His strength.  And that is the STRONGEST thing I have ever contemplated…

And I love God for that reason, perhaps more than for any other reason at all…

For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.