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the Romans could have had influenced the minds of the soldiers;
and when they saw Simon, they may have identified him to be
of Cyrene from his outward appearance; and they might have
exercised their power over this man with this psychological
bias. Simon was surely an odd face among the Jerusalemites?
This is nothing but an ‘other’ feeling. Other feeling developed in
the minds of the soldiers that Simon can be picked up, without
his agreement. Simon can be seized or grabbed or dragged to do
the task. Who would question the soldiers?

How are we connected with ‘others’ in our society? Do
the emotions of ‘others’ really touch us? Do the life situations
of ‘others’ really bother us? On 22nd February 2018, in a place
called Attappadi in Kerala a man named Madhu was beaten
brutally to death accusing him of stealing some food items.
Madhu was from a tribal background. The so called civilized,
educated and literate society of Kerala or its cross section could
not accept this ‘uncivilized’ man. He may have stolen the food,
ethically he was right in violating the commandment ‘thou shall
not steal’ because he was hungry for many days and no one gave
him food. He was not even allowed to come into public, but
when he tried to take something to eat, just to sustain his life.
He had to give it up rather they took it both the food and the
life from him. Where are we heading to? How are we going to
answer such approaches from us? This very distinction between
you and I is the reason why we do not hesitate to call them as
‘they’. Have we lost the vocabulary ‘we and us”?

Simon’s Personal Space was Breached - Distance was
disrespected?
Simon’s personal space was breached by the soldiers.
They seized him, In Luke 23:26 the term used is epilabomenoi
which means ‘they laid hold on him’. The same word is used in
Acts 17:19 when the crowd seized Paul at Athens. It is kind of
arrest. The person is now motionless and has to obey those who
have grabbed him/her. One’s body is one’s own right. Invasion

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Lenten Meditations Re - Imaging People