Jesus Wept
Canvas: 30” x 30”
Date: November, 5th 2023
Cost: $500
“Jesus Wept.” –John 11:35
The theme of today’s service was “Novembering”: a time to mourn the loved ones we’ve lost as the Holidays approach. As Jesus arrived at his friend Lazarus’ tomb going slowly as he normally did, Laraus had already died 4 days before. Martha and Mary were confused and asked him 3 times why he had delayed coming. (I can’t count the number of times I’ve asked Jesus why he’s delaying his help!) But, Jesus doesn’t hold that against Mary and Martha. Instead, upon seeing how anguished they were, “he was deeply moved.”
On my way to Church I heard Marty Robbins’ song “Cool Water” which (according to Julia Rubio–OldTimeMusic.com) was inspired by Moses and the Israelites leaving Egypt, but also regret, thirst, desperation, hunger for friendship, and “longing for redemption.” Different images came to mind...I saw Jesus as a stone mountain with waterfalls coming out of his eyes, filling up a refreshing pool for people to be baptized. But, just then, Doug talked about how humanly Jesus was portrayed in John 11, not a statue of rock like the Greek gods who showed no mercy on people, (or like Prometheus who did try to help humans and got tortured for a thousand years for it) Jesus was not like the cold gods, but was warmhearted and the only in history to show empathy by taking our sorrow upon himself. In fact, John 11:35 was a demonstration of 100% empathy-pain, since he clearly believed (had just declared) Lazarus was about to be raised up.
So, I made him flesh and blood with tears flowing down–comforting and reviving Martha and Mary. This story shows that he gets us. This story shows also that Jesus' mission of redeeming us and our fallen world is slow and brutal…brutal for both us and him. At the end of the service many came forward with tears in their eyes to light candles in remembrance of their loved ones. And Jesus wept with them.