What wondrous love!

A large crowd of people followed him; among them were some women who were weeping and wailing for him. Jesus turned to them and said, ‘Women of Jerusalem! Don’t cry for me, but for yourselves and your children. For the days are coming when people will say, “How lucky are the women who never had children, who never gave birth to babies, or held them to their breasts!”‘ (verses 27-29)

Read Luke 23: 26-31

Are the words of Jesus bad news or good news? It would seem that here, as he is about to die, Jesus tells those weeping for him, ‘You think this is bad. Wait until the whole earth is judged – then you’ll really suffer.’ His words can be seen as prophetic words about a judgment that will come upon all people.

But maybe these are not words of condemnation. Maybe they are words of lament. Once, as Jesus entered into Jerusalem, he mourned for its inhabitants: ‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets and stone the messengers God has sent you! How many times I wanted to put my arms around all your people, just as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings, but you would not let me!’ (Matthew 23:37).

In the midst of his pain and suffering and imminent death, Jesus still could lament over those who had rejected him. This is love­ to still care for the enemies even as they are killing you. What wondrous love is this!

Dear sweet Jesus, thank you for your undying love. Amen.

by Greg Graham, in ‘Guidance for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2002)

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