“His eyes. His eyes as steady as a fisher’s netpulled me to him. Again I fell and never broke the stare.” Fr. Joseph A. Brown “Luke”












Imagining ourselves in scriptural texts is one way to “respond” in lectio divina. This poem by Fr. Joseph A. Brown, SJ, arose from his Ignatian contemplation practice, a form of “imaginative” prayer, in response the story of Simon of Cyrene saying “yes” to carrying the cross of Jesus. When you listen, consider your own response to Luke 23:26-29. 
Do the eyes of Christ on the road to Calvary draw you nearer?
















Explore this and other poems in Presence:  A Journal of Catholic Poetry.







About the Author & Text







Joseph A. Brown, S. J., Ph.D. a native of East St. Louis, Illinois, is a Catholic priest andmember of the Society of Jesus. He is a professor at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and Director of the School of Africana and Multicultural Studies. He has published several poetry collections and serves on the board of Presence journal. He also composes the blog, “The Sankofa Muse.