Prayer: Hear
O Lord our God the prayers of Your people as they cry to You. Hear O Lord our God the prayers of Your
people as we send You our love. Amen.
Luke 23: 26 – 31
This section of scripture is filled with
people. Each Holy Week we read this
passage but we usually pass over the names and the tasks of these people. Today
we have an opportunity to look at those who helped Jesus.
The Roman Soldiers led Jesus away. What impact do you think the crowd made upon
the Soldiers of this man named Jesus?
Simon of Cyrene had come to Jerusalem for the
festival. Cyrene is what is today known as Libya (northern Africa). He was a religious man and a believer. As he is coming into the city, the Soldiers grab him and tell him to carry
the cross belonging to Jesus. Did Simon
of Cyrene know Jesus or did Simon think he was merely carrying the cross of a
criminal?
A great number of people followed Jesus. Were these people just crowd followers or
were these people the disciples?
Women who were beating their breasts and wailing for
Jesus. The official mourners. The louder the wailing the more the person
had been loved. Yet what does Jesus do
as he passes by the women? He turns to
them and says, “Daughters of Jerusalem
do not weep for me, but weep for
yourselves and for your children……”
(Luke 23: 28 NSRV
Nelson, 1989). Jesus
is telling them to stop their official mourning. Do not weep for him because the days will get worse. What
must the women have thought?
Jesus himself as he trudges along the roadway to his
crucifixion. What must he be
thinking? This is the focus of his
mission. The deepest meaning of his life
is unfolding. The love of God is with
him in his journey.
Ourselves.
As we read through this journey of Christ to the Cross, we too are reminded that we need to empty
ourselves of our old life and bring ourselves into the love of God. Renewed life in Christ.
Prayer: Great
God, we know that weeping lasts for a
morning but the joy of knowing You lasts forever. Amen.
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