SIMON OF CYRENE
By Peter Vuono
ON April 21, 2012, I had a heart attack. On the 25th, I received a quadruple bypass operation. The artery known as the "Widowmaker was 90% clogged! I was sent to Tufts medical and was assigned two brilliant thoracic surgeons- Dr. Afshin Ehsan now of RI Hospital and Dr. Mattheau Julien now of Texas.
My doctors were so masterful that I was out of the hospital in a week and was lifting weights lightly two weeks after surgery. Two years after surgery I completed my Black Belt training and pulled a 400 deadlift in competition. I DESERVE NO ACCOLADE! Rather, it was the expertise of these two doctors that saved me along with God's grace and my prayers to Mary.
Dr. Julien was like a medicinal "Batman". He would appear in my room in the middle of the night to watch over me. I never saw him arrive or leave but I remember his kindness. At this juncture it is important that I mention that Dr. Julein is African American . These two gifted physicians paved the way for me to continue to help my parents, my family and my future students and I'm forever grateful.
Now, fast forward to 2025. The President's press secretary was quoted as saying in front of cameras and reporters the following:" When you are on an airplane with your loved ones which every one of us in this room has, do you pray your plane lands safely and gets you to your destination or do you pray that the pilot has a certain skin color?"
I've noted that the secretary wears a cross but I'm afraid that her knowledge of what Cyrene was like in 33 AD isn't what she'd like it to be. Cyrene was an African country now called Libya. It's inhabitants were Black. Does anyone really think that it was a coincidence that the man conscripted to carry Christ's cross was Simon of Cyrene? I think not and the texts of Matthew 27:32, Mark 15:21 and Luke 23:26 would attest to this.
Christ, even in his last moments chose this time to mend a schism that would continue to last for centuries later. I would hope that the next time the secretary adorns herself with a cross, that she is reminded of who helped carry it!
