Tears of Jesus

~~~ 1 Maccabees 2:15-29 ~~~ Psalm 50 ~~~ Luke 19:41-44 ~~~ 

Many who sought to live according to righteousness 
and religious custom
went out into the desert to settle there.

The Jewish people had the desire to be steadfast...
to hold on to their laws and rituals,
but many succumbed to the pressure out of fear.

The best way to not be a prisoner
 of their fear was to flee their homeland.
Some fled out into the desert where they
could practice their customs without being killed.

Fear for ones life is a very effective motivator.
How much would you be willing to give up in the face of fear?

It is difficult for most of us to even imagine
 being in such a situation.
As we know from the news, many
 today are being forced to face this precise fear.

It saddens my heart to think that right now,
 in the place where Jesus walked the earth,
 Christians are being slaughtered.

It seems that mankind does not learn from previous mistakes.
It seems that brutality is stronger than kindness.

As Jesus drew near Jerusalem,
he saw the city and wept over it, saying,
"If this day you only knew what makes for peace..."

I wonder if Jesus continues to weep?
We still do not know 'what makes for peace'.
Why is that?

According to the Bible
Jesus did not weep very often...after all he was a man.
His tears make his humanity more real for us.
We cry for many different reasons.

Jesus wept over Jerusalem.
This is where the chosen people were residing.

Jesus, himself did not stretch out his hands over Jerusalem

magically making everything as it was meant to be.

No, he wept. He shed tears for what could have been...
He shed tears for what was never brought to fullness.

Jesus shed tears because his message
was greatly ignored.

Jesus wanted then as he does today for peace
 to reign in our hearts...in our lands.

We still have not figured out a way to make peace
 more desirable than violence.

We are among those who have not recognized
our time of visitation.

Please pray for more peace in your heart...
more peace in your families...
more peace in your city...
more peace in your country...
more peace in the world.

Each one of us is responsible for the tears of Jesus.

What causes you to weep?

Blessed with the humanity of Jesus.
~~~Peace~~~