Jesus weeps ...

All Saints Sunday

Year B

3 November 2024

Isaiah 25:6-9

Psalm 24

Revelation 21:1-6a

John 11:32-44

Source of all being, beginning and end,

we praise you for those

who have served you faithfully.

Replenish our hope in your eternal kingdom,

so that we may have life in all its fullness,

unbound by the fear of death;

through your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

________________________________________

“Jesus … weep[s].” (Jn 11:35)

Our theology, our interpretation of what we find in the scriptures isn’t static. It doesn’t stay the same from the days of our ancestors through those who will come after us. Each generation looks at the words of the text, the bible, and we interpret it according to who we are, where we are, and what we’re experiencing.

That means that scholars also look at the same texts and find different meanings, depths and interpretations. So, what scholars are gravitating to, lately, when we look at the gospel for today, are the words “Jesus … weep[s].”

When we think of today’s gospel, when we revisit the loss of Mary, of Martha, and of all of the people of Bethany because Lazarus has died, we tend to focus on the grand actions of God through Jesus.

“40Jesus said to [Martha], ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’ 41So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upwards and said, ‘Father, I thank you for having heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.’” (Jn 11:40-42)

We focus on the miracle of Lazarus’ resurrection, and on the unexpected gift of God that Lazarus is returned to Mary and Martha, to the community.

We focus on Jesus’ words to Martha before the tomb and on Jesus’ words to God.

But, really, how great a gift is it that Jesus enters fully into the human experience and feels?

Today he feels the loss of his friend and he’s able to see how this loss affects the unmarried sisters who are left behind.

So, “Jesus … weep[s].” (Jn 11:35)

Today we see that even as each one of us experiences loss and the confluence of emotions that come with that, God in human form also shares in that experience.

John’s gospel tells us: “33When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. … 35Jesus began to weep.” (Jn 11:33, 35)

There will always be those among us who see and who seek only the miracle, or the miraculous from God.

We can see some of them in the grieving crowd, today when we’re told: “35Jesus began to weep. 36So the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’ 37But some of them said, ‘Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?’” (Jn 11:35-37)

But it’s the fact that Jesus is able, and willing, to enter into not only our joy and celebration but also our grief and despair means and reinforces that God wishes / desires / looks to be an active participant in each of our lives.

Sure, God and Jesus have the power to have prevented Lazarus from dying. We have countless stories of Jesus healing those that society was unable to cure.

But before this, Jesus shares that Lazarus’ death is so that the glory of God will be made manifest and so that the disciples will believe.

John’s gospel tells us, before today’s reading: “3So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.’ 4But when Jesus heard it, he said, ‘This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’ 5Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, 6after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was.” (Jn 11:3-6)

These verses tell us that the disciples are still thinking that a good chicken soup will do a world of good for Lazarus, and yet Jesus wants to encourage their belief in and trust of God in all things

Jesus tells the disciples “14Then Jesus told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead. 15For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.’’” (Jn 11:14-15)

Jesus shares that Lazarus is dead so that the Glory of God will be made manifest and so that the disciples will believe, so that our faith will be deepened by the experience.

So, we look for miracles.

We pray for the unlikely and when it doesn’t happen in each of our lives, as we see in the life of Mary and Martha, in today’s passage, then we don’t know where to turn for comfort in our times of distress, loss, or pain.

“33When Jesus saw [Mary] weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. 34He said, ‘Where have you laid him?’ They said to him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ 35Jesus began to weep. 36So the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’ 37But some of them said, ‘Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?’” (Jn 11:11-37)

But to fully live means that we fully embrace all that life ‘throws at us’, and we see this in Jesus’ life as well.

“Jesus … weep[s].” (Jn 11:35)

We see, today, that the Messiah, our Teacher / Rabbi experiences what we experience.

He doesn’t stand apart, he doesn’t wave a hand to bring miraculous action in the lives of those of us who believe yet look for miracles.

Instead, he stands in our midst.

He experiences what we experience.

He prays with us and on our behalf. He teaches us to believe in the power of prayer, even when the outcome isn’t what we would desire.

We’re not alone.

What we feel and experience is also felt and experienced by God.

“Jesus … weep[s].” (Jn 11:35)

And this is a great gift.

God knows what it’s like to walk a mile in our shoes.

Jesus knows the efforts we go through to live lives that are balanced and in harmony with each other, and with the world all around us.

The Holy Spirit knows how we feel when things go well, when things go sideways, or when we feel that there is no place where we are able to find solace, peace, love, or support in our lives.

Through all of this we now know that Jesus feels what we feel, he experiences what we experience, and he supports us in the emotion that currently has the ability to overwhelm us, in the moment.

And this is revealed in today’s gospel.

It’s shown to us through the knowledge that at the death of his friend, “Jesus … weep[s].” (Jn 11:35)

So, what does this mean for each one of us? How do we now navigate this world with the knowledge that Jesus is with us, always?

How do we move through this world knowing that it is by our choice that we ignore Jesus and the Holy Spirit in our lives and then complain that we are alone?

“40Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’” (Jn 11:40)

Lazarus has died.

His family grieves this loss and prepares for a life without him in their midst. But this is where God chooses to bring a miracle.

“40Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’ 41So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upwards and said, ‘Father, I thank you for having heard me. 42I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me.’ 43When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’” (Jn 11:40-44)

Today we celebrate All Saints Sunday. We remember all those who have gone ahead of us into God’s kingdom. They are saints because their lives of faith led them to where Jesus welcomed them with open arms.

When we suffer loss, we like Mary and Martha don’t expect miracles. Rather we learn to deal with the loss, the emotional turmoil, the emptiness that comes with the loss.

But also, today we’ve learned that we do not walk that road alone. Jesus is with us, in the depths of that emotion, and on the road that will one day bring us back together with those whom we love.

Sure, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, showing the glory of God in the world, in Bethany, and specifically in the lives of Mary, of Martha, and of Lazarus.

And yet we also know that such glory is present when we know that as we weep, so does Jesus.

We might look to the large events of the world and strive to look for God’s hand in those occasions, but rather, it’s right here. It’s present in each of our lives and hearts as we turn to each other, support each other, and know that when we weep, Jesus weeps.

Amen.