Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/654

 Jesus, the  Son  of  God.  Jesus  showed  Himself  to  be  God,  and  this in a fourfold  way. i. He  knew  that  His  disciples  would  find  the  ass and her  colt  tied  up,  as  described,  in  the  village  of  Bethphage,  and He knew  the  disposition  of  their  owner. 2. He  foretold  the  siege  and destruction of  Jerusalem  (for  the  account  of  which  see  chapter  LVIII). He knew  the  things  which  were  invisible,  as  also  those  things  which had not  yet  taken  place,  and  the  secret  thoughts  in  the  hearts  of men. He was,  therefore,  omniscient. 3. He  applied  to  Himself  the passage in  Psalm  8:  “Out  of  the  mouths  of  infants”  &amp;c. This Psalm relates to  the  adoration  paid  by  all  creation,  and  even  little  children, to the  Lord  God. By applying  it  to  Himself,  Jesus  claimed  to  be the  Lord  and  God  of  creation. 4. He  showed  His  divine  Omnipotence by  healing  the  lame, blind  and  sick  who  were  brought to Him.

The tears  of  Jesus.  All  in  the  midst  of  the  joy  of  the  people and the  homage  paid  to  Him,  Jesus  burst  into  tears  at  the  sight  of  the holy city! He who  had  dried  the  tears  of  so  many,  and  had  said  to the  mourners:  “Weep  not”,  now  wept  Himself. “This scene  is  so  moving that it  defies  all  attempts  at  description. The soul  alone  can  try  to discern  what  passed  through  the  mind  of  Jesus,  and  weep  with  Him as a child  weeps  with  its  mother,  the  reason  of  whose  tears  it  cannot understand. And in  truth  the  tears  of  Jesus  are  a mystery  to  us,  so incomprehensible  is  the  love  which  brought  Him  from  heaven  to  this vale of  tears. He prayed  for  those  who  persecuted  Him,  but  it  is  infinitely more  that  He  should  have  wept  over  their  misfortunes”  (Schegg). Let us  try  to  penetrate  the  mystery  of  these  tears! He gazed  at  the Temple, both  the  erection  and  the  services  of  which  pointed  to  Him, the Redeemer,  whom,  in  spite  of  all,  this  highly  favoured  city  refused to acknowledge! That day  was  the  last  day  of  grace  for  both  city  and people. His solemn  entry  was  for  them  the  last  warning  and  the  time of visitation:  and  Jesus  knew  but  too  well  that  this  last  grace  would be passed  by,  unused,  as  all  the  rest  had  been,  and  that  His  chosen people would  blindly  reject  salvation,  while  hatred  and  envy  of  their Saviour filled  the  hearts  of  their  leaders. Jesus wept  therefore  1. over the blindness  and  obstinacy  of  the  chosen  people; for  He,  the  Saviour, was bringing  no  salvation  to  the  impenitent  city  which,  by  its  final  rejection of  Him,  would  fill  the  measure  of  God’s  wrath,  and  draw  down on itself  speedy  and  terrible  judgment. This knowledge  drew  bitter tears from  Him. He wept  2. over the  coming  downfall  of  Jerusalem, and the  calamities  which  its  people  would  bring  on  themselves;  and still more  over  the  eternal  woe  which  would  overtake  this  unfaithful and impenitent  city. He therefore  wept  especially  3. over the  eternal loss of  so  many  souls  which  He  had  come  to  save. How very  great is the  love  of the  Divine  Heart  of  Jesus,  that  it  should  make  Him  shed bitter tears  over  those  who  repaid  His  love  with  such  ingratitude,  and who were  ruined  by  their  own  fault!