Should a believer shed tears for a family, community, or city that has abandoned God?

God wants every believer to come and lament Zion and weep over her. Perhaps He would say that if our eyes are dry and our hearts have hardened, let us turn for support to those of our brethren who are spiritual, that we may learn to live the life of repentance from their example, and ask them to pray for us. If we can, we should ask all creation to support us in prayer to God who helps us through the abundance of His grace. The prophet Jeremiah says, “Oh, that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people” (Jer. 9:1), and, “Let them make haste and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run with tears, and our eyelids gush with water” (Jer. 9:18).

The prophet Jeremiah was wont to humbly seek out hidden places where he would shed tears for the Lord’s flock who had fallen under the captivity of the devil. Their hearts were afflicted with blindness — they did not realize that they were descending into darkness. Jeremiah’s heart was torn with grief for them, and so he says, “But if you will not hear it, my soul will weep in secret for your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock has been taken captive” (Jer. 13:17).

When St. Basil saw how heresies had crept into the hearts of the simple, the springs of his tears burst forth, and he said, “I will weep many days for the people who are being driven to destruction by these vile doctrines. The ears of the simple are being led astray, and have now got used to heretical impiety.”⁵⁶⁹ And St. John Chrysostom says, “You hills take up wailing, and you mountains lamentation! Let us call the whole creation into sympathy with our evils … Let us take refuge in the King that is above. Him let us call in to our aid. If we may not obtain the favor of heaven, there is no consolation left for what has befallen us!”⁵⁷⁰