Jesus wept tears, he wept because he was human.
Jesus grieved, unashamed – his friend was dead.
He remembered Lazarus’ face, his welcoming smile, his laughter. He remembered the hours they had sat talking; chewing the fat, shooting the breeze.
Jesus wept for all that is passing.
Lazarus was gone, dead and buried and Martha and Mary were distraught.
Did Jesus feel their judgment for not coming immediately?
He wept.
In this age of Pandemic, people are dying alone. Buried alone.
No ritual.
No brothers and sisters, nor mothers and fathers, children and friends and those that loved them gathering in grief, to support each other, to say farewell, to be filled with sadness at a young life cut off or to celebrate a life well-lived, no wake to give them a good send-off.
Jesus weeps with those who mourn because he was one of us.
Bethany is close to Jerusalem, just over the Mount of Olives, on the road to his passion and crucifixion.
Was he afraid?
Did have more than an inkling that his Mission was to end in betrayal and death.
Did he weep for himself?
Once again we are his companions on that journey into Jerusalem, jubilant on Palm Sunday, breaking bread together at the Last Supper, standing in the shadow of the Cross, weeping with his mother and a few loyal friends.
Rolling the stone, sealing the tomb – a place of decay.
If Jesus was merely going through the motions knowing that three days later, he would merge from the tomb, then the crucifixion is a farce. He couldn’t have known that it was a passion play with a happy ending.
It is we, who are the children of the Resurrection, who believe that Jesus rose, not merely like Lazarus, but resurrected, called by GOD to break the power of sin and death.
And although our faith offers us a new and eternal life it doesn’t remove our pain, it doesn’t stop us weeping.
Click this link or the image below pray, watch and listen.