It’s hard to see through tears, but sometimes its the only way to see. Tears can be the turning point, the springs of renewal and to know you have been wept for is to know that you are loved. ‘Jesus Wept’ is the shortest, sharpest, and most moving sentence in Scripture.
I have a God who weeps for me, weeps with me, understands to the depths and from the inside the rerum lachrymae, the tears of things.
This sonnet, and the others I will be posting for Holy Week are all drawn from my collection Sounding the Seasons, published by Canterbury Press here in England. The book is now back in stock on both Amazon UK and USA The book is now also out on Kindle. Please feel free to make use of these sonnets in church services and to copy and share them. If you can mention the book from which they are taken that would be great.
Thanks to Lancia Smith for the image. as always you can hear the poem by clicking on the title or on the ‘play’ button if it appears.
Jesus weeps
Jesus comes near and he beholds the city
And looks on us with tears in his eyes,
And wells of mercy, streams of love and pity
Flow from the fountain whence all things arise.
He loved us into life and longs to gather
And meet with his beloved face to face
How often has he called, a careful mother,
And wept for our refusals of his grace,
Wept for a world that, weary with its weeping,
Benumbed and stumbling, turns the other way,
Fatigued compassion is already sleeping
Whilst her worst nightmares stalk the light of day.
But we might waken yet, and face those fears,
If we could see ourselves through Jesus’ tears.
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Thank you Malcolm for helping me face the difficult realities of my beautiful wife’s courageous struggle with cancer, her heart breaking death, and my own unimaginable feelings of grief and loss. Your message of love, hope, and faith have stirred my imagination, turned me towards God, and renewed my faith in Jesus Christ. It was a thrill and great honour to meet you and listen to your beautiful words and ideas at Regents College. You know me as your “long-lost Canadian brother.”
It was great to meet you Reid. Let’s stay in touch M
Thanks for your quick reply! I will email a photo soon.
It is so moving to read your beautiful/sad but still hopeful sonnet “Jesus Weeps” today with visions of Notre Dame Cathedral burning in my mind!
“It’s hard to see through tears, but sometimes it’s the only way to see.” Yes, I’m learning. Thank you.