The Lament for Jerusalem
http://graceandspace.org
Lk 19:41-44
41As he drew near [to Jerusalem], [Jesus] saw the city and wept over it, 42saying, “If this day you only knew what makes for peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43For
the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade
against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides. 44They
will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they
will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not
recognize the time of your visitation.”
Reflection:
The time of your visitation. Jerusalem in Hebrew means peace.
Jesus weeps because the holy city fails to live up to its name. The
inhabitants reject Jesus, the messenger sent by God. Despite the
wondrous miracles Jesus has done, the people fail to recognize the time
of God’s visitation. Jesus foresees the forthcoming destruction of the
city whose people reject the Gospel values and ways of non-violence.
Truly
human at the same time he is God the Son, Jesus shows the pain in his
heart. The people persist in their hardness of heart and stubborn minds.
They maintain their old ways and reject the Messiah of peace. War
indeed comes to people whose options do not include the ways of peace.
Jesus
may be weeping for us now. When life is not respected, when babies are
rejected and aborted, when the sanctity of marriage is violated, when
couples resort to contraception—yes, Jesus still weeps when we reject
his Gospel and evangelical values.
Jesus’ lament echoes the sorrow of God
that stems from his great love for his people.
Are you one with God in this sorrow
for the sins of men and women?
No comments:
Post a Comment