Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem

We adore You, O Christ, and we praise You.

Because by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

A large crowd of people were following Jesus.  And among them were many women who were wailing and lamenting him. Jesus turning to them said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and your children.  For indeed the days are coming when people will say: ‘blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.’  At that time, people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ for if these things are done when the wood is green what will happen when it is dry?”   (Luke 23: 27-31)

Come, all you who pass by the way, look and see whether there is any suffering like my suffering; suffering with which the Lord has afflicted me on the day of his blazing wrath.  At this I weep, my eyes run with tears:  far from me are all who could console me, far away are any who might revive me.  (Lam. 1: 12 & 16)

Let us pray.  Beloved Jesus, with tears of pity these women of Jerusalem responded to You, broken, bruised, and beaten, on the road to Calvary.  Deepen our faith, we beg You, so that we may see You in our brothers and sisters, bruised by our envy, beaten down by injustice, and broken by our greed and our indifference.  Make us your instruments, as we follow in your footsteps

Amen.

Processional Song:
Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom!
Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom!

Stations of the Cross Images courtesy of carmelites.net