Station Four
James B. Janknegt: Man of Sorrows, 1990 (oil on canvas, 36 X 28 ) for prints or to purchase original artwork please see the artists commercial page.
Luke 19:41-44
As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace-but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God's coming to you.”
Jesus wept for Jerusalem. He knew her fate. In 70 AD the Roman army would descend upon Jerusalem and crush a revolt of its citizens. The city and the temple would be destroyed-many would lose their lives. Jesus laments that the city could have found peace if they had only recognized the time of God's coming-if they had only seen that Jesus was the promised messiah-if they had only desired him! But instead they would reject Him. In our own lives we, too, often miss the time of God's visitation, the time when He desires to draw near to us and to bring us peace. Often we are too busy, too preoccupied, too intent on our own plans. Take time now to reflect on your life. What are the things that keep you from recognizing God drawing near to you? Anselm lived from 1033 to 1109 AD and was archbishop of Canterbury toward the end of his life. With him we pray:
O Lord our God, grant us grace to desire you with a whole heart, that so desiring you we may seek and find you, and so finding you may love you, and loving you may hate those sins which separate us from you, for the sake of Jesus Christ.
