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)