Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, Year A

Jesus Wept And Still Weeps

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Lent, Year A

St. Gerard Majella Church, Baton Rouge, LA

Sunday, April 6, 2014

The shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35: “Jesus Wept.” The story begins when Lazarus from Bethany, the brother of Mary and Martha became sick. His sickness is  serious enough to make his sisters send words to Jesus, “Master, the one you love is ill.” Jesus is a friend of the family. He knows Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. So when Lazarus’ health deteriorated, they quickly informed Jesus about his failing health. But on hearing the urgent message of Mary and Martha about their brother’s ill-health, Jesus waits. The bad news did not move him. Instead he downplays the important of the message with these words: “This illness is not to end in death, but it is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

Jesus’ response is not what Mary and Martha wanted to hear. Their brother Lazarus may have been disappointed that his best friend, Jesus, has not come to visit him.  Jesus waits for two full days before starting the two day journey to Bethany. But why did Jesus wait? Why did he delay? Why did he not go immediately he heard that his friend was ill? Why does God wait? Whatever is his reason for delaying, the fact is that the sisters of Lazarus, Mary and Martha, did not appreciate his delay. They expected him to come right quick and be with them. They know he has miraculous powers to prevent their brother from dying. But Jesus did not respond to the emergency call. He did not rush to the bedside of Lazarus. He did not rush to comfort Lazarus’ sisters. The gospel says, “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was.” Jesus loves this family. But why didn’t he respond to the emergency call? Why does God wait?

Afterwards, Jesus says to his disciples, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him.” The disciples did not understand what he was saying. They thought he was talking about ordinary sleep. Jesus therefore speaks more clearly, “Lazarus is dead!” On getting to Bethany, each of Lazarus’ sisters took turn to blame Jesus for his lateness and delay. They did not disrespect him, but it seems they blamed him for the death of their brother: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Their comment is a subtle way of expressing their frustration and disappointment over the delay of Jesus. Of course in our human way of looking at things, Jesus disappointed them by not showing up when his attention was needed. The experience of Mary and Martha is also the experience of some of us. How many times have we waited just like they did? How many times have you asked, “Why isn’t the Lord here when I need him?” “Why is God delaying?” “Where are you Jesus?” The other day I encountered a middle age lady who said to me, “Father, I feel that I am so insignificant that God doesn’t care about me again.”

So the pain and the frustration of Mary and Martha are sometimes our pain and frustration too. For some of us, it is the death of a loved one. For others, it is the death of a dream; the death of hope and aspiration; the death of a goal; the death of a job, the death of a marriage, etc. For some of us it may be the depreciation of health, depreciation in the quality of life, depreciation of strength etc.

We don't know why Jesus waits, and we don't know why God waits. My conclusion is that something critically important happens to us while we are waiting. While waiting, life is lived. While waiting, life is challenged. While waiting, our endurance and long-suffering are challenged. While waiting, faith is proved. While waiting, hope is tested. No one likes God’s wait. I do not like it either. When I ask God for something, I want him to give it to me without delay. But then, God waits! God’s wait does not mean God does not care. God, without doubt loves and cares for us. When he waits, when our petitions and prayers are delayed, it is ultimately for a purpose. Like I said before, while we wait for God to answer, our faith and trust him is tested and also perfected. If you think God is delaying to answer you, don’t stop asking. Wait on God! Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” After the wait, God does surely answers. In the final analysis, none of us can be deserted or abandoned by God. 

Death is always a painful experience for the bereaved. It causes sorrow. It brings tears. The tears of mourners usually bring other tears. When Mary broke down in tears before Jesus, he was sorrowfully moved to ask “Where have you laid him?” Upon seeing where his friend Lazarus was buried, he was deeply moved, and “Jesus Wept.” Jesus wept because he cared. He wept for the same reason that we weep at funerals. He loved Mary and Martha and Lazarus. They were his friends. He grieved with the two sisters for the lost of their brother and his friend. He wept because his friend Lazarus had died. He identified with their pains and understood their sorrows. That’s what friends do. They cry when you cry. The good news from today’s gospel is that Jesus identifies with his people especially those who are hurting. He is not an indifferent person. He feels our pain. He cries when we cry.

Jesus wept for Lazarus’ death; he also weeps over the bloodshed that happen everyday around the world. He weeps over the way we treat each other. He weeps for the wickedness in the world. He weeps for the mothers whose children roam the streets hopelessly. He weeps for all children whose fathers are in jail, who have never experienced a father’s love. He weeps for all the single mothers who have to bear the burden of raising their children all alone. Jesus weeps for the gap that exists between the rich and poor.

Jesus wept for the death of Lazarus. He weeps for the death of many dreams, for the death of many aspirations; for the death of faith and for the death of God in many hearts, homes and families. The family is one of God’s dreams for humanity. The family is a spark from heaven shared with all humankind. It is the cradle where we were born and constantly reborn in love. The family is the domestic church. Jesus weeps over the state of many families today. The Lord weeps over the death of love in our families.

Jesus wept for the death of Lazarus. He also weeps for the death of love. Genuine love is fading, and our world is becoming cold, inhospitable and intolerable. He weeps over the abuse of the wonderful things he has given to us. Food and drinks have been abused and turned into idols. Jesus weeps over substance abuse. There are some people whose lives are controlled by food, whose lives are dictated by drinks and drugs. Jesus weeps over the abuse of the human body. The body that is the temple of the Holy Spirit is constantly abused with food, drinks, sex, drugs, and other substances.

In Galatians 5:16, St. Paul says, “Walk by the spirit and you will not satisfy the desires of the sinful nature.” Jesus weeps that many who called themselves Christians do not walk in the Spirit. There is no difference between us and non-believers. We over-eat like unbelievers, over-drink like unbelievers, and live like the unbelievers. The Lord wept for the death of Lazarus; he also weeps for the death of the sense of God. He weeps for the death of the sense of sin. With carnal philosophies, we justify our behaviors and attitudes. Jesus weeps for the death of striving for excellence in virtuous living.

Jesus wept for the death of Lazarus, he weeps for the death of many people due to hunger, poverty, diseases and neglect. He weeps for the division of our world into belts of prosperity and belts of poverty. He weeps for the division of the world into two rooms; in one room, things go waste; in the other, people are wasting away due to abject poverty. In one room, people are dying from excess and surplus; and in the other, God’s children die from penury, poverty, destitution, misery, and deprivation. Jesus cries that in one room, people are heavily concerned about being overweight; and in the other God’s children are begging for charity. He is aggrieved that while some people have too much of material wealth and sometimes do not know what to do with it, others are constantly begging for alms. He weeps that untold suffering is insulting the dignity of many. He weeps because “when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, it is not a breaking news, but when the stock market loses two points, it is news.”

Jesus wept for the death of his friend Lazarus, he continues to weep today. He weeps for those languishing in prison. He weeps for drug addicted parents. He weeps for nations with deeply selfish, corrupt and incompetent leaders who perpetuate themselves in office. Jesus weeps for the hostility in the world. He wept, and still weeps. He weeps when you weep. He cares for you. "See how much he loves him" was the comment of the crowd on seeing Jesus cry for the death of his Lazarus. The Lord still cries for you when he sees you hurt. He cries seeing so many people suffer. But after weeping he snatched Lazarus from the grip of death. He will also free us from all that trouble us.