By Fr. Glenn Jones:
Everyone on the planet seeks to find fulfillment. One might say that every living creature seeks fulfillment in its own way—growth, procreation, and life itself. Thus the plant reaches toward sunlight, the grazer to better pastures, the carnivore to where prey is plentiful. But, of course, with we humans, just life and existence and physical contentment is not enough for most; we desire more. We desire the satisfaction—the fulfillment-of having made a difference in our lives, whether that be with descendants, or discovery, or working to make others’ lives and the world better.
In contrast to this, I found myself musing over that shortest verse in the Bible: “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35).
Why did Jesus weep? The verse occurs after the death of His friend Lazarus. Many have interpreted Jesus’ weeping to sorrow of His friend’s death, but that never rang right with me; after all, Jesus knew what He was about to do—bring Lazarus back to life. But the verses just prior (John 11:33-34) emphasize that Jesus saw the people weeping around Him, so it seems to me that He wept out of empathy for these rather than for Lazarus Himself, whom Jesus knew He was about to free from the bond of death.
Does Jesus—does God—weep in our day? I daresay “yes”, in whatever divine way it may be that is far beyond our understanding. But there are two reasons for weeping: sorrow, but yet also joy.
When does God “weep” in sorrow? When He sees people exploiting one another or doing evil. When He sees His good law being disregarded and even trampled. When He sees we, His children, straying from the path so clearly laid out before us by Jesus and seeking selfishness rather than charity. When people willingly do evil. After all, God “…desires ALL men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4)
Every loving parent whose child goes astray toward evil probably weeps at some point because of their love for their child and their desire for the child to flourish. But, as Jesus specifically delineates in the Gospel for the Catholic Mass on Sept. 1 this year, “Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile. From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly. All these evils come from within and they defile.” (Mark 7:21-23)
In our day it has become increasingly popular and prevalent for people to claim: “Well, God will take all people to Heaven in the end.” Even priests and ministers very often perform informal on-the-spot canonization to sainthood of the deceased at every funeral, regardless of the person’s life. We are not to judge the soul, no; that is for God alone (cf. Romans 14:4). And we should instill hope, but in the cavalier disregard of responsibility is grave disservice, for we are reminded repeatedly in both throughout scripture that we must account for what we do or fail to do in this life (see Matthew 25 for a particularly pertinent reference). And Jesus Himself specifically says that “… the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:14)
Why is the way hard? Because we tend toward selfishness rather than selflessness … to judgment rather than to charity. And once going down that slippery slope, it’s easy to slide right to the bottom.
But … when does God “weep” for joy? It is when we do what is good and right, especially when sorely tempted to do the wrong. It is when the Prodigal comes back down the road to home, so much so that the Father runs to embrace him. (cf. Luke 15:11-32) It is when people give of themselves in love and charity to those who are in material or spiritual need. It Is when we strive to make the world, or even our own little orbit, a better place. It is when we sacrifice of ourselves for others. In short, It is when we reflect Jesus Himself even just a little bit more perfectly. And so when we come to that portal which is death, we might go in confidence rather than in fear … in anticipation rather than trepidation.
The young man asks in the Gospel: “What must I do to attain eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16ff). Jesus lists a number of the Ten Commandments (implying all), and then tells the man that, to be perfect, to give himself totally for others (as Jesus Himself would soon do). Therefore the more we give of ourselves, the more perfect—the holier—we become. Also to forgive, as we ourselves ask to be forgiven (see Matthew 6 and 18). To love God with all that we are, and to love our neighbor as ourselves.
The more we do these things, the more ardently does God “weep”, and in the end, He and we will weep for the joy in the arms of one another for all eternity. That is happiness. That is our true fulfillment.
Rev. Glenn Jones is the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and former pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Los Alamos.