Station 5 - Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus Carry the Cross

Artwork by Liam Thulson (8 years old) pencil and marker on paper

Poem by Taylor Miskel

Welcome to the website for Centennial Covenant Church’s podcast Centered. This podcast was created by Karl Helvig, David Dillon, and Kaley Rodda, with the help of many other wonderful people. The content below is a guide for the prayer practice known as The Stations of the Cross, and this website was designed particularly with our friends in the D/HH community in mind. You can use it on its own without the audio podcast, or you can use the website while listening to the podcast to create a more immersive experience. The content here is exactly the same as that on the audio podcast. In other words, this website and the podcast can function either independently or together.

Today we are joined by a special guest, our good friend and staff member, Taylor Miskel. In addition to her work at Centennial Covenant as Director of Care and Connections, Taylor is also a leader with CBE Denver (Christians for Biblical Equality). She recently helped launch their podcast, Mutuality Minded - a place for people to be encouraged and get education on what mutuality and living Biblically side-by-side means. You can find that podcast on Spotify or cbedenver.com.

This episode is focused on the fifth Station of the Cross - Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry his cross.

As always, we encourage you to begin by simply taking a moment to settle your heart and mind. Wherever you are, find a comfortable posture - perhaps sitting, or lying down, close your eyes, and take two or three deep breaths.

Breathing is a powerful reminder of God’s presence with us, which is just as close to us as the breath in our lungs.

As you take a couple more breaths, allow your attention to focus on the feeling of your lungs filling with air, and then emptying again. Let your attention be fully consumed by the sensation of air coming in, and going back out.

Read now the words of Luke 23, verse 26:

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.

When you are ready, scroll down to the artwork.

Take a minute to simply sit with the artwork, taking it in.

• What part of the image is attention drawn to? Let your eyes linger there for a while.

• Consider, why is your attention drawn to that part of the image?

• What emotions are being stirred inside of you?

Based on these reflections, how might God be prompting you to respond?

Writing: Taylor Miskel

Bare, sunken, dusty

I look at the ground

There is no sign of nourishment in its cracks.

Intense, scorching, agonizing

I feel the sweat dripping down my face

There is no sign of relief from the heat.

Shrieking, chaotic, confusing

I look to the faces in the crowds

There is no sign of grace in their faces.

Radiant, broken, Holy

I feel the tension between hurt and love

There is unspoken wisdom in His posture.

Haughty, angry, smug

I look at the guards gripping my arm

Here, they are pulling me near him to pick up the cross.

Who is this man who can remain so contrastingly calm against the roars of the people?

Why is His response so intriguing?

I cannot stand idly by as I am confronted with His reality.

This cross is my own.

When you are ready, you might choose to write down your thoughts in a journal or share them with a trusted friend. As you close your time of reflection, offer a simple prayer of thanks for the ways that God is speaking to you in your life.

Thank you for joining us today. If this podcast is meaningful or helpful to you, we would love for you to share it on any of the social media you spend your time on. As always, we look forward to engaging with you again in the next episode. Grace and Peace.