32 When Mary arrived where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.”
33 When Jesus saw her crying and the Jews who had come with her crying also, he was deeply disturbed and troubled. 34 He asked, “Where have you laid him?”
They replied, “Lord, come and see.”
35 Jesus began to cry. 36 The Jews said, “See how much he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “He healed the eyes of the man born blind. Couldn’t he have kept Lazarus from dying?”
Reflection
In this well know section of scripture we find Jesus shedding tears, some translations say deeply moved and others deep grief. John recognizes and records this expression of a very human emotion. He affirms the full humanity of Jesus as well as his deity.
What grief do you carry, or see this season? The story of Lazarus being raised up from death takes place just before Passover and we are just before Palm Sunday. I can’t imagine that each person who reads this does not have multiple memories of a situation that brought, or still gives sadness, sorrow, pain …..
Surely this is part of every life, can anyone say they have never felt feelings such as these?
What we do when encountering situations that cause these responses, is important to me, to ask about. I like some of the things John Wesley has said and also some other persons:
Grief is the price we pay for love – Queen Elizabeth
Tears are the silent language of grief – Voltaire
Wesley, while not explicitly focusing solely on grief, emphasized the importance of finding comfort and assurance in God during difficult times, including death and loss, and believed that a good death was a culmination of a life lived for God’s glory.
Wesley’s famous quote “Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the persons you can, in every place you can, at all the times you can, with all the zeal you can, as long as ever you can” is a reminder to live a life of service and love, even in the face of grief.
I believe that that there is a uniquely high level of stress and questioning right now that makes us feel powerless. I am glad to be able to say that I am hearing some wise people say what counters that is being in community with others, getting out and doing something positive – no matter how small, and of course, our faith in a power higher than ourselves.
by Clarence Beverage
For Pondering and Prayer
What questions do you ask that may be uncomfortable but lead toward better understanding and confidence that you can make things better for not only you but those with whom you relate?
Where do you see God at work in your life and in the events that you see?
Are you asking God to speak to you?
Prayer: Holy Lord, we are coming to the end of our Lenten Journey, as we come closer to the day that we bow down, get on our knees, and say thank you so very much for the gift of Jesus on the cross. Please touch us through the power of your Holy Spirit in a way that draws us to you more closely than ever before. Thank you for listening to our prayers. We pray these things in Jesus name. Amen.
