LIVING THE GOSPEL

“And Jesus wept.”

—John 11:35

Pay attention to these three words in this week’s Gospel—three words easily missed, easily forgotten. We might not even hear them, or let them sink in. After all, shortly thereafter, Jesus raises a man from the dead—a feat far more interesting than a few shed tears! But there’s something deeper here, something very important that deserves a moment’s reflection: Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, the God of the universe wept. And why? Because he encountered the suffering of those around him.

Suffering is a great mystery in our lives and in our faith, and every great religion attempts to wrestle with it. As Christians, we know suffering can be redemptive, can unite us to the cross of Christ and be used for the salvation of souls. But that doesn’t make it any easier—and God knows it. Ours, then, is a God who suffers with us, who weeps when we hurt, who walks among us and hears our cries and cries with us. Moreover, ours is a God who wants us to cry out, to express our hurt and struggle. Never forget the story of Job, who in his own great trial challenges God with the words: “Perish the day on which I was born” (Job 3:3). And God responds; he answers Job. God wanted Job to express what was in his heart.

There is no easy answer to suffering, and God knows it. But the answer is not to bottle it up and pretend it doesn’t exist; rather, God wants to hear our cries so that God can weep with us.