John 11:35
Jesus Wept

The shortest verse in the Bible. Jesus wept. Only two words. But there is so much behind those two little words about Jesus.
To put it in context, Lazarus, the brother of Jesus’ friends, sisters Mary and Martha, was sick to the point of death. The sisters and Lazarus lived in Bethany, and sent word to Jesus to come, hopefully to heal him. But Jesus didn’t travel to Bethany immediately, he waited two days! Why did he wait so long? Didn’t He care about the trauma his friends were going through? Did He want to avoid confrontation with the Pharisees? Or did He have another plan?
He did indeed have another plan: the glorification of God and the final impetus leading to his arrest. His disciples had been trailing Him around for nearly three years, but I think that they still didn’t have a complete grasp of who Jesus was. Despite witnessing countless miracles and healings, His followers were still missing the main message. They were still concerned with earthly matters, such as returning to Judea where not long before, the Jews were ready to stone Jesus. That’s all well and good, but Jesus’ insistence to return to potential conflict and danger showed that one must be willing to face fears and uncertainty to live God’s Word. Jesus told His disciples that Lazarus was “sleeping”, they thought He meant natural sleep. Jesus knew that Lazarus had died, and that in delaying His arrival to Bethany, causing more grief and anguish to Mary and Martha, He would embody His true Self, His Oneness with God. BUT, Jesus was completely human, with human emotions which he was not reluctant to share. Jesus loved deeply, particularly His close friends and confidantes. The four days between Jesus being told of Lazarus’ illness and his arrival in Bethany would have been very troubling for Jesus. Knowing that He would be bringing Lazarus back to life, He waited until it was too late, and Lazarus was in the tomb.
Before the drama unfolded at the tomb of Lazarus, the full impact of the situation hit Jesus like an earthquake. With Martha and Mary beside him, in obvious grief, yet with hope of seeing Lazarus again in the Resurrection at the Last Day, JESUS WEPT. Was it quiet tears streaming down His face? Was it loud wailing and keening? Was it an ugly cry? Did He bend over double in physical and emotional pain? Martha and Mary surely contributed their own intense expressions of grief and weeping. It would be natural for anyone in the presence of someone weeping to feel their eyes filled with sympathetic tears. But Jesus loved Lazarus as His own brother. Surely, He experienced the anguish of grief for the loss, the pain the sisters endured, and perhaps the enormity of the moment when He knew what he had to do.
So, Jesus wept.
When was the last time you had a good cry? My last weeping session was at the farewell luncheon for our pastor, Jessica McClure Archer, who had accepted a prestigious position with the Pittsburgh Presbytery https://www.syntrinity.org/featured/jessica-mcclure-archer-answers-second-call-in-return-home-to-pittsburgh-area/. Jessica was my beacon of faith who guided me in my decision to leave the Catholic Church and join Sampson’s Mills Presbyterian Church. I felt a strong connection with her during her seven years at Sampson’s Mills, and, along with our congregation, was surprised but proud of her decision to accept her new role. I was sad, but did not feel the deep, painful anguish that Jesus and His friends felt. I know that Jesus wept tears of sadness with us but also gave both Jessica and the rest of us His Blessed Assurance that all will be well.
During this Christmas season, full of joy and hope for so many, we cannot forget those who weep. The lonely, the homeless, the hungry, the frightened, the abused, those affected by war and conflict. Because we know that Jesus wept, we know that He is weeping alongside them. People who are suffering ask “Where is God in all of this?” Well, Jesus is here, beside all of us. He weeps when we weep. He rejoices when we rejoice. He hears us and comforts us when we cry out to Him. Jesus, because he was fully human, knows what it’s like to be human.