Seal of Approval

The following books have been awarded the Seal of Approval for the 4th quarter of 2023:

  • Joseph: Little Saint Stories by Cassie Herrington
  • Helmet of Salvation by Theresa Linden
  • Deception in December by Doreen McAvoy
  • Saint Therese: The Sleeping Saint by Maria Riley
  • A Home for Jesus in My Heart by Kristina Schoettle
  • Wild Life by Corinna Turner
  • Bonvida's Quest for Light by C.D. Smith
  • In the Beginning by Stephen G. Kenny

From Our Blog

  • The Day that Simon of Cyrene Met Jesus

    Tom Medlar
    16 hours 9 min ago
    The Day that Simon of Cyrene Met Jesus Simon of Cyrene, and his sons, Alexander and Rufus, meet Jesus in the midst of his passion.

    “They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.” (Mark 15:21)

    Simon had been in this great city of Jerusalem once before. His father had brought him on the long journey more than twenty years before, to see the holy temple. For many years, he dreamed of coming back. He hoped and prayed and waited for this day when he would bring his sons to this special place.

    The three of them had come to join the perpetual pilgrimage of Passover. All the talk of the town was of a prophet named Jesus from Nazareth and of his great deeds and his being condemned and how he would today be crucified for blasphemy, because he called himself the son of God.

    The crowd made Simon nervous. He worried about his sons Alexander and Rufus, but how could he not be curious to go see what all the talk was about? They joined the throng lining the streets, waiting for this Jesus to pass.

    The crowd surged and swayed and propelled them along like the sea had during their long voyage on the way here. Suddenly, the crowd before him cleared and the condemned man fell right at his feet while a Centurion whipped him, yelling at him to get up. Simon was grabbed by another Centurion who demanded that he help the man pick up and carry his cross. The soldiers ignored his cries that his young boys might get lost in the crowd.

    A woman nearby watched closely as the boys cried, and the father pleaded. While Simon lifted the heavy wooden cross and stood shoulder to shoulder with the bleeding and gasping man, the woman rushed forward and took the two boys by the hand. Leaning close she told them, “I know, I know, just have faith. Stay with me.”

    The woman remembered the day many years before when she’d lost her son, about the same age as the older boy, Alexander. She’d searched along these very streets until she and her husband went into the temple to pray that God would show them where to find him.

    The bleeding man stumbled and leaned against Simon and said, “The son must obey the father.” Simon suddenly remembered a time when he was 12 years old, and his father brought him to the temple. They had stood at the edges of a crowd gathered around some elders questioning a boy his age. The boy had answered them by saying, “The son must obey the father.” The suffering man smiled briefly as Simon recalled that moment so long ago.

    Alexander knew that he and Rufus were safe as the lady so gracefully wove her way through the crowd, managing to stay close to their father, and her son.

    Simon’s fears were replaced by deep sympathy for this gentle man who stumbled again. Simon told him to walk ahead while he alone carried the cross.

    A group of women called to Jesus, and they cried as he spoke briefly with them. Then the lady swept up to Simon with the boys in hand. “Stay with your mother,” he cried to the boys as the soldier pushed him forward again. Simon realized he’d misspoken and had meant to say, “Stay with the nice woman.”

    Everything was so loud and happened so very quickly as the soldiers took the cross from Simon, took the clothes off the man, and hammered him onto the cross. Simon wept and the lady touched his cheek tenderly while tears ran down her face. The boys cried and clung to their father as they were joined by other women and a man. The others hugged Simon and thanked him for helping Jesus.

    After it was all over, Simon and the boys stayed awhile in Jerusalem with their new friends. A couple days later, Rufus said that he had seen Jesus and his mother early one morning. ‘His mother was happy, and Jesus didn’t have blood all over his face,” young Rufus said.

    Simon and Alexander were baptized, but Rufus was asked to wait a few more years before he was baptized. A dozen years later Simon returned again to Jerusalem with his wife, Nadia. Alexander was then traveling and studying medicine with the physician Luke, and helping Luke and Paul. Rufus was eventually anointed Bishop of Cyrene where he joyfully worked to spread the church and tell others the happy news of Jesus Christ; the man he had seen put to death and rise again, so that our sins might be forgiven.

    copyright 2024 Tom Medlar

The CWG Prayer

Holy Family, guide our minds, our hearts, our hands, as we write, speak, illustrate – help our words to live in union with the Word.

Teach us discipline and skill to use the talents God gives us.

Give us also insight and courage to convey God's love through our craft, and humility to be open to His divine will, shaping our lives, in loving loyalty to His Church.

In Christ's name,

Amen.

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