Lamentation: What Do You Lament?

I am a big fan of stained glass – specifically stained glass that is used to enhance worship spaces in cathedrals and sanctuaries across the globe. The craftsmanship, the detail, and the various styles which depict the various narratives and notions of the Christian faith are captivating to me. I particularly appreciate unique stained glass that tells a story, but only if you are paying attention to the story being told!

The stained glass shared in today’s blog is that of Jesus’ Lament referenced in Luke 13:34 but, there is something unique about this depiction – you see, the city shown is a layering of Jerusalem and Albuquerque NM, the city in which I reside. This piece of worshipful art is located in the chapel of First United Methodist Church in downtown Albuquerque, and I believe is one of the most moving and insightful pieces I have had the privilege to pay witness to. This piece of stained glass, so gently tucked away in a small chapel, reminds me that the lament story, and the love of Christ that is a never-ending and always-speaking truth.

Lament is a language of faith—an act of honesty before God when things are not as they should be. It is not a loss of hope, but a cry for justice, healing, and redemption.

In Luke 13:31-35, we find Jesus lamenting over Jerusalem:

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Luke 13:34)

This is not just a statement; it is a lament. Jesus expresses deep sorrow for a people who resist God’s embrace. He sees their brokenness, their rejection of truth, and their unwillingness to turn toward love—and He weeps.

We all carry grief. We lament personal losses—relationships that have fractured, dreams that have crumbled, prayers that seem unanswered. We lament the state of the world—violence, injustice, suffering. Like Jesus, we see what could be and mourn what is. But lament is not despair! It is a sacred space where sorrow meets God’s presence. It is the cry of a heart that still hopes, that still longs for redemption.

Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem reminds us that lament is also an act of love. Jesus does not condemn out of anger but grieves out of compassion. Jesus’ longing is for restoration, not destruction. And that same longing extends to us.

So, what do you lament? What do you grieve and what do you long for?

Remember: Lament is not the end of the story. Just as Jesus’ tears over Jerusalem become the very soil where hope took root.

May we have the courage to lament. And may we also have the faith to believe that God is still with us as we work, gather, heal, and restore that which is within and around us.

Blessings on the journey –