When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 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 11:32–35
Jesus’ humanity shines clearly in today’s Gospel. In the
face of Lazarus’ death, Jesus is deeply moved by the grief around Him. The
Gospel says He “became deeply distressed and troubled” and eventually “wept.”
The Greek word for “deeply distressed,” embrimaomai, suggests a strong
emotional disturbance, even indignation or anger. It could be translated as “He
snorted in spirit,” indicating an involuntary, visceral response from the depth
of His soul. Some commentators suggest Jesus’ anger wasn’t directed at the
people weeping but at the reality of death itself, caused by sin. As God, Jesus
knew death was never part of the Father’s original plan for humanity. From a
divine perspective, He saw death as a consequence of sin. From this point of
view, death provoked righteous indignation and deeply troubled His human heart.
As the passage continues, Jesus’ humanity is powerfully
portrayed in the shortest verse in the Bible: “And Jesus wept.” Why did He
weep? Saint Paul reminds us in Hebrews: “For we do not have a high priest who
is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been
tested in every way, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus’ tears
show us that the Holy Trinity knows human pain firsthand. The Incarnate Son
allowed Himself to experience sorrow, and the Father and the Holy Spirit shared
in this sorrow through Him.
It’s important to note that Jesus’ sorrow was different
from the weeping of Lazarus’ sisters and the others present. Jesus’ weeping
uses the Greek word edakrysen, which means “to shed tears” or “weep
silently.” His tears were personal, controlled, intimate, heartfelt, and full
of divine compassion. In contrast, the weeping of the others is described by
the Greek word klaió, meaning loud wailing, a typical expression of
communal and ritualistic mourning at the time. Jesus’ grief was neither
ritualistic nor excessive; it was intimate and heartfelt, born from personal
sorrow and divine compassion.
We must never forget Jesus’ deep compassion, empathy, and
sorrow. His human heart feels the same emotions we do—He grieves when we
grieve, shares in our pain, and is moved by the hold sin has on us. After
feeling these emotions at Lazarus’ death, Jesus stood outside the tomb and
“cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’” (John 11:43). We can
imagine the passion behind His command. In our lives, when we are trapped in
sin or burdened by human weakness, we must hear Jesus calling us to freedom
with the same divine authority and human passion.
Reflect today on Jesus’ humanity and how He perfectly
understands everything we experience. His deep empathy for our suffering and
His joy when we rise with His grace show us how intimately He knows us. God
became one of us in every way, sharing in our human condition—though without
sin—so that we might share in His divinity. Ponder His humanity and let His
closeness draw you to Him, giving you a share in His divine life.
Most compassionate Lord, You experienced human nature in its fullness. Though You never sinned, You allowed Yourself to feel the effects of our sin and suffering, filling them with Your divine compassion. Help me to always remember Your humanity, knowing that through it, I come to share in Your divinity. Jesus, I trust in You.
