Losing a loved one is painful. No matter how ready you are, it will still shock you. Grieving is part of your life. All of us should go through the process of grief.
Jesus understood how it is to grieve. This the reason why He showed everyone that He was crying when His friend Lazarus died. John 11:35, which is the shortest verse in the English Bible, gives a lot of meaning for us.
When Jesus wept, He showed us the following things:
First, Jesus is with us in our grief.
Jesus is not a cold and distant god but rather the God who is with us – Emmanuel. In your state of grief, imagine that Jesus is with you, and is crying with your loss as well.
Jesus was different from the Greek and Roman gods who would only see humans as toys to be played. Jesus showed that He truly cares for us.
Second, Jesus is telling us that it is okay to cry.
Jesus did not hide His emotions. He showed it to all the people who were present. The response of the people was recorded in John 11:36 that says, “Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”
So, do not be afraid to show your love by crying. He died not wail like the professional wailers during that time. It is comforting to know that Jesus knows how to cry. The Greek word Dakruo was used to describe how Jesus cried. Dakruo is silent yet deep crying. The compassion of Jesus is surely evident when He cried.
When lose a loved one, do not be in despair but rather remember that Jesus cares.
May God bless us all!
Sincerely,
Rev. Francis Neil G. Jalando-on
Director, Office of Communications