“A man named Simon from Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was coming from the fields to the city. The soldiers forced Simon to carry the cross for Jesus” (Mk. 15:21)
Tradition states his sons Rufus and Alexander became missionaries; the inclusion of their names in Mark suggests that they were of some standing in the early Christian community at Rome.
This means that the experience of helping Jesus carry his cross, which is historical fact, moved Simon so deeply that he began to believe, ultimately raising his two sons to believe the same. This was a once in all of history moment and it shook this farmer's spiritual foundation.
I can only imagine the way that Simon recounted this story to his sons when they were of age. He must've shown emotions that Alexander and Rufus rarely saw. He must've taken deep breaths between sentences. He must've changed his sons lives with his story telling.
“If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross each day and follow me” (Lk. 9:23 CEV).
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