Compassion: what do they say about Jesus?

What do they say about Jesus?
by Earl Keating, C.P.

Jesus, who bore the cross Some time ago a short movie called "The Carpenter" left a deep impression on me. The film, made in New York City, was a story about a young man with a beard who had a little carpenter shop in his garage.

One day a pastor asked the carpenter to make a new cross for his church, which had been damaged by fire. The carpenter made a cross about six feet tall and four feet wide. Because of its size the carpenter decided to deliver it himself

He placed the cross on his shoulder and started on his way to the church. Everybody who saw him carrying the cross on his shoulder, stopped and looked at him. Nobody said a word.

The carpenter went down the stairs to a subway station. When the train arrived he stepped into one of the cars and stood to one side holding the cross. The passengers looked at him but no one said a word.

When the train arrived at his stop, the carpenter got off the train and started up the stairs. A little boy playing on the sidewalk at the top of the stair noticed him and followed him for a short distance. Then he said, "Hey, mister, are you Jesus?"

"Are you Jesus?"

That little boy's recognition of Jesus as the "man who carried the cross" is the one distinguishing mark of Christianity among all the religions of the world.

Hinduism and Buddhism

What do they say about Jesus? • Variations on the theme of Psalm 22
New hope for Jewish-Christian dialog • Compassion in art
Editor's Note

Sign of the Passion