Throughout his ministry in Palestine our Lord encountered people. These encounters revealed much about Jesus himself, but also about the people he spoke to and helped. Today’s first reading and the Gospel deal with an ostensible need for water, but through this need both the ancient Israelites and the Samaritan Woman find themselves encountering the Living God. But these are also accounts about the God who comes forth and in so doing encounters wayward people who are in need of his reconciling love. As St Paul says in the second reading “But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”
On the Way of the Cross Jesus encounters a number of people. In all of these encounters he continues to reach out to his people, even though they may not realise it at first. Both the encounters we look at today are ones where ostensibly it would appear that individuals are doing things for Jesus, but in so doing they find themselves blessed and brought into an encounter with God that has far reaching consequences.
V. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the Cross
Luke 23:26 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyre'ne, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.
Mark 15:21 And they compelled a passer-by, Simon of Cyre'ne, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.
They “seized one Simon of Cyrene.” “Seized” – in other words he had no choice, he was compelled to do as the Roman soldiers required. They did not want to fail in their duty to crucify Jesus for they were charged to crucify him alive not dead. So rather than see him die from exhaustion on the way they compel a stranger to carry the cross behind Jesus. Why did they choose Simon, we might think? In all probability they chose him because he was a foreigner – he was from Cyrene and was therefore black. In all probability we see racial prejudice at work here.
We thought at the last Station of the compassionate exchange as the eyes of Jesus and his Mother met. What might have been the look in the eyes of Simon? Was there anger and resentment at being picked on? Did his eyes look into the eyes of Jesus and if so what did they see there? If Jesus saw the anger and resentment in Simon’s eyes then something did happen to cause a great change in Simon’s life. What evidence is there for saying this? Consider the text from St Mark’s account again: St Mark records that Simon was “the father of Alexander and Rufus.” Why is that detail there? St Mark is saying to his first hearers “You can check the truth of this out – ask Alexander and Rufus.” From this we discover that they were both Christians and well known to the Christian Community to which Mark was writing. Who told Alexander and Rufus about Jesus, if not their father Simon? Indeed a great exchange must have taken place between Jesus and Simon. It may well have been a silent exchange, but it had profound consequences for Simon and his family – for faith came to them.
Anger and resentment can often melt away even in the most hardened people by a compassionate attitude from another. In life we often encounter people who display anger and resentment – can we learn from the silence of this encounter to show them compassion? In life we also have our own periods of resentment and anger – can we learn from looking into the face of the Crucified to let faith flood into our lives in such a way that it overflows to members of our family and beyond. For it seems to have flooded through Simon, through his sons and into other encounters.
Pray for those filled with anger and resentment. Bring your own anger and resentment to Christ and let him melt it with the warmth of his love and compassion. In so doing we find ourselves truly blessed and also become a blessing to others.
VI. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
Luke 6:34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. 37 "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back."
There are many stories about Veronica from ancient times. Some say she is the woman who had the issue of blood who had been healed when she touched the hem of Jesus garment. Other stories say that she was the wife of Zacchaeus. Many today would say that this is a fictitious introduction into the Stations of the Cross because it is not included in the Gospel accounts, and that the clue to this is in the name Veronica which means “True Image.” However, the story is quite ancient and there is a picture of this incident in the ancient Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, and there is another ancient story that says that her name was not Veronica but actually Sheraphia, the wife of an influential member of the Sanhedrin. In this story it is said that she had long been a secret follower of Jesus and her unheard of approach to this condemned man on the way of the cross was permitted by the soldiers only because of the exalted rank of her husband who stared at his wife with amazement. The story goes that the kindly woman wipes the face of the Master with a veil on which the image of his features was later found almost perfectly preserved in the dried blood.
In this encounter we yet again see compassion, but we also see bravery. If the story of Veronica actually being the wife of a member of the Sanhedrin is true then she showed extraordinary bravery as her husband was presumably one of those who wanted Jesus dead. Presumably the veil was her own and so she risked bringing further shame on herself and her husband by removing it to minister to Christ. She was taking a huge risk in doing this, but her compassion and pity moved her to action. She was also at risk from being brutally knocked aside by the Roman soldiers or of being imprisoned. But take a risk she did.
Veronica’s eyes are filled with pity and compassion. Perhaps in her rush to offer this small, but profound, act of comfort to a man whose blood trickling into his eyes was probably adding to his stumbling, she wasn’t able to see directly into his eyes, but if she did she would surely have seen a depth of gratitude that we can only begin to imagine. Here is a small act of kindness shown to God incarnate, but the image of his countenance imprinted upon the veil she used was, if ancient stories are true, to give healing to those who were suffering when they gazed upon the Holy Countenance.
In one sense it doesn’t matter if this story is true or not – for this is about the importance of acts of charity and kindness and of how Christ leaves his impression upon those acts when they are done in his name. But as well as the exhortation to follow the example of Veronica in showing compassion and kindness there is also another lesson for us and that is of showing bravery in order to do good even if it means risking our freedom. History is littered with examples of those who have taken action to serve the persecuted and condemned in the face of opposition from those in authority and even members of their own families.
If she was a secret follower of Jesus and even if the other stories are true that it was either the woman with the issue of blood or Zacchaeus’ wife then this woman felt compelled to show some act of compassion for the Master who had simply gone around teaching and doing good. And therein lies our motivation for showing kindness and compassion even in the face of opposition. As St Paul puts it: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Veronica was able to help Jesus because she had been ministered to by him in some way – such was her devotion to him. We too are able to help others through the grace that has been ministered to us by Christ and in serving others we are serving Christ as Mother Theresa of Calcutta demonstrated to us.
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