Day 35
Start with Posture of Silence and Solitude (2 minutes)
Read Scripture: Luke 23:26-31 The Crucifixion of Jesus
As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then
“‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”
and to the hills, “Cover us!”’
For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
Devotional:
The Gospel of Luke is the only gospel that mentions the weeping women and Jesus’ response to them on the “Via Dolorosa”, the way or path of sorrows. It is still called that today and recognized as the road in which Jesus traveled to his execution.
He said this to the women because he knew that in 40 years the temple would be destroyed by the Romans. Verse 31 has been translated in different ways but many feel it means that if the Romans were able to do this in a situation where Jesus was innocent (green tree), then what would happen to the Jews (dry tree) in their guilt.
Questions to ponder:
- If you were one of the people on the path who was a follower of Jesus, what might your state of mind (and heart) be?
- Given this passage, what is the best way for you to pray today?
End with Posture of Silence and Solitude (2 minutes)
