Jesus Wept

Recently there has been further strife in the Holy Land.  Some lives were taken in a Jewish Synagogue.  The animosity between Jews and Palestinians is deep rooted.  It will probably continue in this fashion for quite some time.  It is a rather complex issue!

Living in America, we are so far removed from that kind of contentious environment.  If you have traveled on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, you could experience the tensions.  Furthermore, you could also experience the religious tensions between Judaism, Islam and Christianity in this small territory called the Holy Land.  

The irony is that Jerusalem, the name means the city of peace.  But it is far from being a peaceful environment.  So many lives have been destroyed.  Jerusalem is familiar with the darkness of war and violence, much more than we can possibly imagined.  

But Jerusalem is the city of our Lord.  It is the place where he lived and grew up.  The place where he worship and prayed at the temple.  The place where he healed many and spoke about how we can belong to the Kingdom of God!  This is the place where he was crucified and died.  This is the place where the Last Supper was instituted.  This is the place of the ultimate miracle, his rising from the dead. 

The city of Jerusalem means a lot to Christ.  As he stood looking over Jerusalem, Christ WEPT for the city.  Because he loved the city.  He loved the people.  His tears is an expression of his love and care for the city and its inhabitants.  

Christ knew that as long as the people do not embrace the gospel and its teachings, darkness will continue to ensue upon the land.  It happened in the year 70AD when the temple was destroyed.  Darkness persists in that territory even during our lifetime. 

Sometimes all we can do, when there is nothing else that can be done, is to offer everything up to God.  Essentially, that is what Christ did.  He prays to the Heavenly Father for the city and for his people.

Christ shed tears for Jerusalem, because he is not indifferent as if the city of Jerusalem is a far remote country hundreds and thousands of miles away.  No, they are his people, the sheep of his flock. 

Each sheep is important for Christ, so much that he says he will leave the 99 sheep in the desert and search for the lost sheep.  And when a sheep strays, he will go and search diligently for the sheep.  And his eyes are filled with tears as he looks for the lost sheep.  And when he finds it, those tears that come forth from his eyes will be tears of joy.  

The tears in his eyes are an expression of his affection, care and love.  

Glory be...