Today we read about Christ's crucifixion from the Gospel of Mark. From the cowardice to Pilate to the rage of the mob, from the involuntary service of Simon to the compassionate request of Joseph of Arimathea: there is a character in this story we can all probably identify with at times. It is very much our story as much as it was theirs.

Fun fact: the inclusion of Simon being the "father of Alexander and Rufus" is thought to be an indication by some scholars that Alexander and Rufus were known to the early church, and may have even been church leaders. Even the minor characters matter.