Eighth Station

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The Eighth Station:  Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem.

1. The women of Jerusalem, and their children, come out to comfort and thank him.  They had seen his compassion and welcomed his words of healing and freedom.  He had broken all kinds of social and religious conventions to connect with them.  Now they are here to support him.  He feels their grief.  He suffers, knowing he can't remain to help them more in this life.  He knows the mystery of facing the separation of death.

2. We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
Because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.

3. I look at their faces.  So full of love and gratitude, loss and fear.  I contemplate what words might have passed between them.
I remember all his tender, compassionate, merciful love for me.  I place myself with these women and children to support him.

4. This is for me.  So, I let this scene stir up deep gratitude.

5. "Jesus wept." —Luke 19:41
"My tears are stored in your flask; are they not recorded in your book?" —Psalm 56:9
"Oh, that My head were a spring of water, my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night over the slain of the daughter of my people!" —Jeremiah 8:23
"Let my eyes stream with tears day and night, without rest, over the great destruction which overwhelms the virgin daughter of my people." —Jeremiah 14:17
"Thus says the Lord: 'In Ramah is heard the sound of moaning, of bitter weeping! Rachel mourns her children, she refuses to be consoled because her children are no more.' Thus says the Lord: 'Cease your cries of mourning, wipe the tears from your eyes. The sorrow you have shown shall have its reward,' says the Lord, 'they shall return from the enemy's land. There is hope for your future.'" —Jeremiah 31:15-17

Prayer: Jesus, give me the gift of tears. May I weep for the same reason You did.

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