When Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus, he showed us that he is like us. Joe Nolla, SJ, reflects on the power of tears and laughter and how they reveal that Jesus shows us an image of God who cries with and for us. Based on the readings for Sunday, March 26, 2023.
Jesus was able to weep because he was one of us.
I’m Joseph Nolla and this is my One-Minute Reflection.
It’s been said that comedians and tragedians are the true magicians in this world because they can use the power of their words to make your body do something involuntary, namely, laugh or cry.
It’s true that laughing and crying are thought of as involuntary because we judge laughter or tears to be fake if they are not involuntary. So in order to laugh or cry, we need to identify so strongly with a person or situation that our bodies can’t help but react.
When Jesus weeps at the tomb of Lazarus, it’s because he identifies so strongly with what’s happening. This is not some stoic, wooden, emotionally distant Jesus. Jesus is not some performative do-gooder who doesn’t identify with the people he helps. We have a God in Jesus who is so much like us that he weeps for us and with us.
