And Jesus Wept

April 6, 2014

Fifth Sunday of Lent

When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Sir, come and see.” And Jesus wept. – John 11:33-35

Meister Eckhart said – “You may call God love, you may call God goodness, but the best name for God is compassion.”

I did not know this compassion until I met a priest who, through his compassion, revealed this Jesus to me. A Jesus I had never known. A Jesus with so much compassion, he weeps when we weep. He suffers when we suffer.

In my book about surviving child sexual abuse, I described a time when I did an imaging exercise where I pictured Jesus being in my room when I was being abused and I saw him crying.

I never needed to ask the question, “Where was God?”

The word compassion literally means – “to suffer with.” I know in my heart that Jesus suffered with me when I was being abused and whenever I have suffered.

And now. Still. He suffers with me.

And He weeps.

Jesus, thank you for always being with me. Thank you for weeping for me, for suffering with me so I know I am never alone. Help me to bring your compassion to others as others have done for me. I love you. Amen.