This is not the post I planned to share today.  Today many of us are grappling with deep sadness and questions no one can answer. This weekend we were brought once again to the shattering reality that humanity is in deep, agonising trouble. While politicians promise dramatic responses, musicians comfort us with gentle tunes, and newsreaders sombrely churn out details we don’t really need to know, one question rises unbidden in our searching hearts:

Why?

We hear talk of swift and unrelenting retribution. We watch world leaders speaking of unprecedented unity. We see flags flying, hear anthems being sung and deck out our social media in special colours. Some urge victory in solidarity. Others preach defiance. But the question remains unanswered:

Why?

We are quick to offer our opinions on ideology, radicalisation, religion, marginalisation, death cults and what needs to be done about all of them. But these are symptoms of something much deeper, much darker in the collective heart of humanity, that has been there longer than any of us can remember. War, destruction, hatred and murder. This is our history.

Why?

Some say the only answer is love. They are right. But Love has walked among us and we did to Him what we wanted. We crucified Him. Do we really think we can love without Him? Really?? Do we really believe this human race can find our way out of the darkness within us –  apart from Him?

WHY?

The question is screaming at us and we stop our ears, desperately hope someone will turn up to solve the problem, and sadly limp on. We cannot answer the question, but are we at least ready to ask it? If not, one thing is guaranteed: we will grieve, collectively, again.

And the question will remain hovering menacingly in the air, spoken only by the brave and truthful.

When Jesus Wept

When Jesus wept at Bethany

What sorrow did His heart conceive

Was it unbelief in all its masks

That caused His overflowing grief?

That human eyes that day conveyed

While human tongues unknown betrayed?

When Jesus wept at Bethany

Did He weep for you and me?

 

When Jesus wept at Bethany

What aching filled His gentle soul?

Knowing well our history

Did He glimpse the unrelenting toll

Of pain and grief and misery

That death has cost humanity?

When Jesus wept at Bethany

Did He weep for you and me?

 

When Jesus wept at Bethany

Did creation gasp with soft surprise

And angels gaze with puzzled eyes?

Did earth and Heaven hold their breath

While tears rolled down the face of Him

The Resurrection and the Life?

When Jesus wept at Bethany

Did He weep for you and me?

 

When Jesus wept at Bethany

Did His tears fall down to stain the land

To mingle with the sinless Blood

That Calvary would soon demand?

Did blood and sweat from Gethsemane

Join their flow into the flood?

When Jesus wept at Bethany

Did He weep for you and me?

 

When Jesus wept at Bethany

Perchance He stood by all of us

And mixed His tears with yours and mine

And claimed our suffering as His own

That none of us who weep and ache

Could ever say we wept alone

When Jesus wept at Bethany

He wept for you, He wept for me

 

When Jesus wept at Bethany

His weeping crossed eternity

And entered every human tear

That was or is or soon will be

That in our loss and in our pain

We should know the cost is paid

And sorrow’s depth was plumbed by He

Who wept with us at Bethany

© Cheryl McGrath, Bread for the Bride, 2015 and beyond.   Copyright Notice: Permission is granted to freely reproduce any Bread for the Bride articles in emails or internet blogs, unaltered, and providing this copyright notice is included.     To permanently display an article on any static website please contact me for permission.