Luke 23:26
Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.
The book of Luke is the third book of the gospel. Luke was a Greek physician, who was the servant of Theophilus. The book of Luke is a letter addressed to The Most Excellent Theophilus who was a ruler in the Roman Empire. Luke accompanied Paul through his travels interviewing the people who were directly involved with Jesus, collecting data, and documenting. That his master Theophilus might know for certain that the accounts of Jesus that they heard of were true. Paul called Luke the Beloved Physician. The book in great detail documents the whole life of Jesus, from conception, to birth, to the ministry and miracles, and to death.
Jesus beaten and battered is now carrying his cross through the streets making his way to the place where the Roman soldiers will crucify him. This walk was done to draw attention to the criminal and his crime, to keep the people from rebelling against the Roman soldiers. Jesus bore the cross from the palace to the city gate, and was then unable to bear the cross any longer. That's when the Roman soldier ordered Simon to assist with bearing the cross. Now, those days if a Roman soldier ordered you to carry his bag for a mile you wouldn't protests you would just do it. A Roman soldier could lay his sword flat upon your shoulder and you would have to do what he asked, that was Roman authority. We know that Simon was from Cyrene, most likely going to the Cyrenian Synagog in Jerusalem for Passover. Who would have thought his travels would include carrying the cross of the Messiah! Talk about timing and chance!
Bearing the cross is not comfortable, or convenient. It will require us to drop what we are doing. Maybe even change our outlook, convictions and goals. The cross is heavy to bear, it is messy and far from glamorous. However there are rewards! In Mark's gospel he documents that Simon's sons Alexander and Rufus became well known disciples. In Romans, Paul sends a special salutation to Rufus, calling him chosen in The Lord. And Paul even recognizes Simon's wife as his own mother. Bearing the cross comes with a heritage of blessings.