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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 tempted 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.
Image - Milan - resurrection of Lazarus from San Giorgio
church
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