Way of the Cross - VIII. Jesus Consoles the Holy Women
The Savior teaches the women not to weep for Him, but for their own sins and the sins of their children. How generous is He! O Jesus, grant that I may understand the true meaning of Thy Passion and be so inflamed with love for Thee that I may shed tears of blood over my past transgressions.
Leader: It seemed like an ordinary afternoon. We drove through the city... leisurely, just looking around... out to enjoy the afternoon. As we drove around, how strange our conversation. We saw houses falling apart, and we remarked, "How awful!" We saw some children playing dangerously... no supervision, and we said, "What a neglect!" We passed a convalescent home and said, "How pitiful!" And there on an abandoned street sat a man – elderly, unclean, alone... and we said, "What a shame!"
Response: As we continued to drive through the city, our thoughts almost brought us into a state of shock... for above the hum of the motor of the car... and our own voices we heard: "Weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves and your children"... and weep until you do something about what you have seen.