Station 9, Day 2

Station 9, Day 2

Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem

A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are surely coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us’; and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

Luke 23:27-31

Meditation

            Jesus tells the weeping women to mourn for themselves and not for him. He then implies that in the time of trial it will be better for those who never bore children. Does he mean we will witness the suffering of children such that we will wish we never had children at all? I think that is exactly what he is saying. Apparently, times will become so troubling we will ask for the mountain to fall on and bury us.

            We can only speculate about the times to which Jesus refers. Perhaps he is referencing the end times described in the Revelation of John. Perhaps they are a reference to the tribulations the people of Israel will go through in the generations following Jesus’ death.

Spiritual discipline

            Meditate for 10 minutes on Jesus’ interaction with the women of Jerusalem. Picture yourself following him down the road, weeping, when he turns and tells you to weep for yourself. What sorrows would make you wish you were barren? What calamities would make you wish for death by burial under a mountain? Do Jesus’ words make you feel closer to or more distant from Jesus?

Prayer

            All-knowing Lord Jesus, you predict miserable times ahead for those of us on the earth. Help me to strengthen my connection to you so I will be better able to lean on you through whatever trials lay before me. Amen.

This is the 33^rd in a daily series titled The Stations of the Cross that will run through Easter 2026, at which time I will return to my weekly Life Notes. Life Notes are my explorations into mysteries that interest me. They are invitations for readers to explore more deeply into life’s mysteries. Engage with me or explore contemplative spiritual direction at ghildenbrand@outlook.com.