JESUS WEPT

“Jesus wept”

The shortest verse in the Bible contains these two words, “Jesus wept”

This is perhaps, also the verse in the Bible with the most meaning and depth.
Jesus wept. In this story, we find Jesus in Judea with Mary and Martha after Jesus’ friend Lazarus has died.

It would be easy to look at this story and say something like how close Jesus and Lazarus must have been. Jesus comes to find that, during his travels to see Lazarus, he has died and Jesus is sad. You could interject perhaps some guilt on Jesus’ part for not making it there in time.

I don’t think Jesus was worried about his personal feelings. So if was not guilt, what then?

It seems that it would take a tremendous sadness to make the Son of God cry. If you think about his life and works, the man goes through what none of us could endure. There are things like not being afraid on the stormy sea when others were. He didn’t cry then. He said, “Peace, be still,” and the storm ceased and the waters were calm.

Even earlier in this 11th chapter of John, Jesus makes the decision to go back to Judea even though there had been attempts for the rabbis to stone him on his previous visit. Nevertheless, he went and he didn’t stop along the way to cry in fear.

There are no accounts even in the beatings and persecution leading up to the crucifixion where Jesus cried. He was beaten, struggled through the streets with his cross and then ultimately, nailed to the cross through his hands and feet. Again, we find no account of crying in this story either.

In our parish newsletter, I offer a column called Thinking Out Loud. I started this writing, years ago in our parish in Oklahoma to get youth to think about the Bible and how it relates to their everyday life and spirituality. It accomplished that goal and so much more. To my own amazement, it caused me to think about the Bible and how it relates to everyday life in different ways. My writings are not meant to authoritative. They are not meant to become a shared opinion necessarily although likely there are times that it is something we all agree on. But instead, I pray that the sharing of my thoughts by ‘thinking out loud’ and the meditations of your heart and mind bring us all into community through the teachings of the Bible and perhaps, give you a new way to face life with a greater strength or resolve.

“Jesus wept.” If I were to think out loud now, here is what this passage has come to mean to me. The symbolism of Jesus crying is magnificent and grand. We are told from an early age to take our cares to Jesus. Solutions and answers come from prayer. Forgiveness and grace are there for the asking. What kind of love does it take for these things and more to be ours? It passes our understanding. We cannot begin to even grasp a small particle of understanding of this love because of the limits of our thinking as humans.
I want you to think about exactly how you felt a few weeks ago when we received the news, as a family or community, about Fr. David’s mother. You may not have known Miss Pat, but you know her son. I can tell you that I felt a hurt for my friend. I think this is just like what is illustrated in these two very powerful words.
Jesus wept and he continues to do so every time we do. There is a song with lyrics that specifically illustrates what I am trying to say. Listen to some of the words from that song:

When I Cry
Alone in the dark, face in my hands, crying out to You Lord,
There's never been a time in my life
There's so much at stake, there's so much to lose
But I trust it to You You'll bring me through
And it helps me to know that I'm not alone
When I cry, You cry
When I hurt, You hurt
When I've lost someone
It takes a piece of You, too
And when I fall on my face
You fill me with grace
'Cause nothin' breaks Your heart
Or tears You apart
Like when I cry
You're the one who calmed the raging sea
You're the one who made the blind to see
You looked through all of heaven and eternity
And through it all you saw me

“Jesus wept.” Amen

(Homily given at Youth Sunday, Feb 8, 2009)

God's Will

I always thought the discernment of God's will was difficult at best and likely only understood by "Holy" people. I have a startling revelation at age 51.

In the Book of Common Prayer, there is the Great Commission. It goes like this.

"Hear what our Lord Jesus Christ saith. Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soul and with all thy mind. And the second commandement is like unto it. You shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On this hangs all the law and the prophets."

I was always looking too hard and trying to make God's will incredibly complex. It's simple. God wants us to love Him and love each other. If we follow that in all we do, we are following God's will.

It is not what occupation you choose. It is not the friends you keep. It is not the clothes you wear. it's all about love.

Peace.

A Timeless Prayer

"Jesus help us as we struggle to authentically reflect your image, and as we seek to see your image in all we meet."

I saw this prayer at he end of a posting in a listserv that I subscribe to. It struck me that this simple sentence is the epitomy of what we are called to do with our lives. It is so easy to make the simple complex and faith is complex, there is no doubt. But, at the same time it is very simple as defined in this prayer.

Our parish had a member that was unceasingly difficult, argumentative and destructive. Yet, if we do what this prayer says, we are to look for Jesus in all we meet. I pray that this will become a part of all our lives. I suspect it will bring us greater peace.

The Lord is risen, alleluia!

John 20:1-18 I have seen the Lord

Today is Easter Sunday. When you go to bed tonight and you reflect back on the day, make time to affirm that this scripture is true in your life.

That does not mean that the Lord will come to you in a vision. What I am talking about is seeing Jesus in each other, a kind or significant gesture, when you hold hands with family and friends to say the blessing for Easter Dinner. There are thousands of ways to see Jesus. The key is to open your eyes.

Today is Easter Sunday. Open your eyes today for the love of God. The Lord is risen, alleluia.

Good Friday

"They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there." Amen

Can You Hear God When You Are Talking?

Here are the words from the second reading at Maundy Thursday Service.

For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

As I read these words tonight in the service, I heard God. You see, in the Episcopal Church, we hear these words every week during the Eucharist. Somehow though, tonight they took a deeper meaning for me. I do not know if it was because I was reading them. I do not know if it was because of it being Holy Week. What I do believe however, is that the Holy Spirit was there with me as I read the words.

I could not help but envision Jesus as he was depicted in the film "The Passion of Chirst" that was released several years ago. I am sure that the visual impact of this film will never leave me. Perhaps that is why these words at this time in my life, take on new meaning. What Jesus did for us is beyond our human comprehension.

Sometimes, I look at these words I write and the feelings I have and sometimes relate to others and I wonder if folks think that I am a little off center. And, frankly, I have the same thoughts from time to time. But, as I think about this and look deeep inside, I am deeply grateful that God has let me in on these thoughts and how they only strengthen my faith and conviction that He is calling me to a greater service.

Ann told me tonight about some of her feelings as she participates in this journey with me. She is a wonderful woman and a blessing to me. This would all be impossible without her support as well. My prayer this Maundy Thursday night is for you, the readers of this journal, to begin or to continue to discover the wonder of the love of God and the majesty and mystery of the breadth of it.

Waking Up In the Night....

Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night? Your mind is going at the speed of sound and you can't seem to stop it. There are hundreds of things being processed almost to the point of nausea. This happens to me sometimes. The problem is how to quiet down enough to go back to sleep.

I have found a solution that works for me, I talk to God. I talk to him sometimes about very mundane things of no consequence. I pray for people. I think about solutions that would please God and help youth group members. You know, things like that.

What I find are answers to prayer, more questions, feelings of peace and eventually, rest. I wonder, this evening, is that God waking me up so we can have some time together? In today's readings, specifically from Psalm 94, verses 17-19, it says, "If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence. When I thought, ‘My foot is slipping’, your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul." This passage reminded me of these nights when I am awake and through prayer and meditation, I find peace and rest.

This is Holy Week, I pray for all to find God and to find peace and rest.