Eighth Station of the Cross

Jesus meets the daughters of Jerusalem 

   “And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him.  But Jesus turning to them said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.” (Luke 23: 27-28) 

   Why would Jesus tell these women to weep for themselves and their children?  He knew what was to become of Jerusalem.  By AD 70 the temple would be destroyed and Jerusalem over-run.  In His ministry He had several times warned of the coming disaster to come upon them. 

   When His disciples pointed out the beauty of the temple in Jerusalem He had warned them, “He thereupon said to them, ‘Do you see all these?  Amen, I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another; every one of them will be thrown down.’” (Matt 2).  In AD 70 His prophecy was fulfilled when the Romans sacked Jerusalem and completely destroyed the temple.

   As I look at our nation today I can’t help but wonder if the same fate awaits us.  We have turned from God in so many ways.  Our self-love society has abandoned Him; we’ve removed Him from the public forum.  Any mention of God or sin is considered rude and out of place in our so-called open society.

   “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”  This quote, attributed to Edmund Burke, is very applicable in a nation intent on promoting evil.  May we not be guilty of promoting evil through our indifference to the evidence right before our eyes.