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From: Luke 19:41-44

Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem

[41] And when He (Jesus) drew near and saw the city He wept over it, [42]
saying, “Would that even today you knew the things that make for peace! But
now they are hid from your eyes. [43] For the days shall come upon you, when
your enemies will cast a bank about you and surround you, and hem you in on
every side, [44] and dash you to the ground, you and your children within you,
and they will not leave one stone upon another in you; because you did not
know the time of your visitation.”

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Commentary:

41-44. When the procession reaches a place where there is a good view of the
city, they are disconcerted by Jesus’ unexpected weeping. Our Lord explains
why He is weeping, by prophesying the destruction of the city which He loved
so much: not one stone will remain on another, and its inhabitants will be mas-
sacred—a prophecy which was fulfilled in the year 70, when Titus razed the city
and the temple was destroyed. These historical events will be a punishment
for Jerusalem failing to recognize the time of its visitation, that is, for closing its
gates to the salvific coming of the Redeemer. Jesus loved the Jews with a very
special love: they were the first to whom the Gospel was preached (cf. Matthew
10:5-6); to them He directed His ministry (cf. Matthew 15:24); He showed by His
word and by His miracles that He was the Son of God and the Messiah foretold
in the Scriptures. But the Jews for the most part failed to appreciate the grace
the Lord was offering them; their leaders led them to the extreme of calling for
Jesus to be crucified.

Jesus visits every one of us; He comes as our Savior; He teaches us through
the preaching of the Church; He gives us forgiveness and grace through the sa-
craments. We should not reject our Lord, we should not remain indifferent to
His visit.

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.