Jesus wept, John 11:35. A very humble image of Christ.

St Paul teaches us in Hebrews 4:15: “F For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin”. Jesus’ tears show us that the Holy Trinity knows human pain firsthand. Jesus allowed Himself to experience sorrow, and God the Father and God the Holy Spirit shared in this sorrow through Him.

We must never forget Jesus’ deep compassion, empathy, and sorrow. His human heart feels the same emotions we do—He grieves when we grieve, shares in our pain, and is moved by the hold sin has on us. After feeling these emotions at Lazarus’ death, Jesus (in John 11:43) stood outside the tomb and “cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’”. We can imagine the passion behind His command. In our lives, when we are tempted in sin or burdened by human weakness, we must hear Jesus calling us to freedom with the same divine authority and human passion.

In Christ, we are shown that humanity in its authentic fullness is precisely where the beauty of God can be most deeply manifest. For we are never more truly human in its authentic fullness than when our hearts and minds are touched and elevated by the grace of God. It is sin that makes us less human. Human perfection, humanity in its fullness, is thus not something sterile and aloof, but can weep and laugh.

We are now not far away from the great celebration of the Triduum, the great celebration of the institution of the Eucharist, the Passion and death of Christ, and the Resurrection. In this great drama, we go from a man sweating blood in Gethsemane, to the same man dead, tortured and on a cross, to the very same man now risen in glory. You are welcome to join us at any of our services: Lent, Holy Week and Easter - St Marys Church Bletchingley

Let us too weep, that we may one day experience humanity in all its eternal glory.

Every Blessing

Father Paul