Lent 5: Jesus Wept

Apparently “Jesus wept” is the shortest verse in the Bible – the King James version, anyways. This brief sentence appears in the account of the raising of Lazarus, which we will encounter on Sunday. In this account, Jesus is summoned because his friend Lazarus, brother of Mary and Martha, has died. Upon coming to the place where Lazarus’ body has been put to rest, Jesus, surrounded by a weeping Mary and other friends, begins to weep too. This says a lot. It reinforces the idea that Jesus is not some distant king-like figure, but embodied and enmeshed intimately in the life of the world.

Throughout Lent, we’ve been looking at Jesus’ encounters with people in the lectionary Gospel passages and marking characteristics of discipleship. This week, our passage tells us about love. About the love that Mary, Martha and Lazarus had for Jesus, the love that Jesus had for them, the love of God that infuses itself in this whole account. Perhaps it is this magnificent love that raises Lazarus from the dead. Perhaps we are to take notice as a foreshadowing of what is to come.

The release of Lazarus from the bonds of death reminds us of the coming release from the bonds of winter. Surely, just like Lazarus emerging from his tomb and leaving the shrouds of death lying at his feet, the spring flowers will soon do the same?

As a fitting farewell to winter, our musical friends Dominik Franken and Dan Corcoran will be in the sanctuary this Sunday, offering a small concert at the end of the service, everything from Cat Stevens to George Gershwin to Astor Piazzolo. Perhaps this gorgeous music will help coax the flowers from the ground…

To prepare for Sunday, read John 11:1-45 and ponder the following:

1.      The fact that Jesus weeps... what does this mean to you?

2.      Is your heart yearning for Spring?

Image: “Take Away the Stone,” John August Swanson, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN.