Jesus grieving

During virtual Vigil Mass with St. Francis Community yesterday (check them out, they are mystic, holy and welcoming!), Fr. Ken proclaimed the Gospel in which Jesus dramatically raises his friend Lazarus from the dead.   I'm a lifelong Catholic, so this reading is "old hat", usually comes up around the tail end of Lent.  But Fr. Ken and Fr, Michael made me think a bit more about it this weekend.

And Jesus wept.

John 11:35.  One of the shortest versus in Scripture.  And it punctuates the humanity of Jesus above most others, in my opinion.  How well we all know the sadness that engulfs us at loss of a loved one, and to be overcome with grief when the reality of their death is final.  Not only that, how the grief of others may indeed feed into our own. Seeing my sister sob at the memorial of my our dear cousin poured into me; I knew her pain and she knew mine.

How Jesus must have felt, knowing that he did not get a chance to say goodbye to his friend, knowing he missed him (regardless of what His plans were for him).  Then the added burden of both Martha and Mary, seemingly all but blaming Him for Lazarus's death, by insisting he wouldn't have died, had Jesus only come sooner.  When Jesus saw Mary, Martha and the mourners weeping, Jesus "became deeply troubled", and finally broke down with them after they brought him to the grave.  He knew He would raise Lazarus up.  But as He grieved as any man would at the death of his friend.

As He would during Passiontide, Jesus first entered into our human suffering before raising Lazarus.  This helps me know Him as my brother and my friend, aside from being my Lord and my God.


Daily Mass Readings
Ezekiel 37:12-14
Psalms 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
Romans 8:8-11
John 11:1-45