And Jesus Wept

What a tremendous and heart moving story in today’s Gospel of the raising of Lazarus. There is so much to share in this story and it’s never ending well spring of Divine graces that gush forth for us can never be dried up, let alone explained exhaustively in a 10 to 15 minute homily. There are many powerful moments in this Gospel story, but there is one verse in particular that really makes us pause, the verse that says, “And Jesus wept,” moves us in the depths of our being. Here is the Lord and master of the entire created universe, crying. Not just crying but weeping, this signifies being moved deeply and profoundly. It also reminds us of Jesus’ humanity. Think for a moment how awesome that really is, that God Himself would become a human being.

We are talking about the God who is all powerful, all knowing, everywhere, no beginning, no end, holds all creation in existence, and He cries. It is almost too mind boggling to fully understand how and even why God would do this, become one of us and share our nature in every way but sin.

The “how” is very difficult to answer, we know what happened, Jesus was born through the Holy Spirit in a Virgin named Mary, herself Immaculately conceived. Knowing that is much different than knowing how it actually took place, there is definitely Divine mystery at work here. The “why” is a little easier to explain and understand, and the more important to know and believe.

God became one of us for the most simple of reasons, but also for the most important, because of love. Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. In this way the love of God was revealed to us: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might have life through him. In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. (1 John 3:7-11, NAB)

There is something we take for granted in this understanding of God loving us, and that is, we do not fully stop and contemplate what this means – that God loves us. We see it and say, “Well, you know, God is God and that’s what He does, He loves us.” True, but if we truly reflected on that it will shake us at our core.

First, God did not have to come into the world to fix what we broke. Second, He could have fixed it anyway He wanted, but then love itself would have become something less than what it is now. Third, He chose to die for someone else’s faults (sins). Beyond just this theological understanding of the whys and the why not’s is the more practical and the more magical reason why God became one of us. He did it for the simple reason that each and every one of us is precious to Him. Each and every one of us has God shinning through us. Did you ever stop and really look at people? Do you see the image and likeness of God coming forth from them?

I want to share with you a personal story that helped me to understand that God is in all people, the Divine spark if-you-will. For years I would go to the NIT final four at Madison Square Garden. I had a ritual in and that I would arrive in Manhattan quite early. First, I would go to my favorite pizza shop, Rays Pizza on 6^th and 11^th. It can’t be beat! Next, I would go visit some of my favorite record shops, Venus Records, Bleeker Bob’s, and Sullivan Records. I would pick some of my favorite albums, remember those. When I was younger I would stop off at West Fourth Street and get into some pick-up basketball games, some of the best pick-up games in the country. While doing all of this I would try to remain in reflective prayer and people watch, looking for God in them. Hard to do when I was boxing someone out. After all this I would go sit in front of the Garden about an hour or so before tip-off and just pray my Rosary, praying for every person that passed me. As they passed me I would see Jesus in every one of them, I saw their dignity, their value, their beauty, I loved them, and I didn’t even know them.

I would think of how intense it must have been for Jesus to love, for it moved me so deeply it would sometimes bring tears to my eyes, I understood then why Jesus wept for Lazarus. He wept for Lazarus because he was His friend, but also because Lazarus was precious to Him. It was not only Lazarus, but you and I as well.

Often times we do not feel loved, we may be going through a very dark period in our lives. It clouds our understanding of love, of God. I was only able to watch a few people pass me in front of the Garden, for I am only human and cannot see everyone, nor can I see into the depths of their being. But, Jesus can not only see everyone, He also sees into the depths of the heart, and there in your very being – in your heart He says, “I love you.” And when you suffer, Jesus weeps.

Lazarus’ story is ours as well. For when we all died in sin, we cried out to the Lord, “If only you would have been here we would have lived,” God wept then, even though He was not to blame, but nevertheless in His love He would raise us up. “Thus says the Lord God: O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them . . . (because) no one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends. (Ez 37:12, Jn 15:13-14, NAB, emphasis mine)

Fr. John