”And Jesus Wept”, 5th Sunday of Lent (A), March 26, 2023

Of the many important details that make the story of the raising of Lazarus so powerful, perhaps the one most likely to be overlooked is the simple, three-word sentence: "And Jesus wept." That Jesus would weep as we weep, especially in the face of the death of a beloved friend, reminds us of Jesus' humanity. His tears mingle with ours and ours with his. His trembling before the cold, dark tomb of his friend reminds us of his cosmic battle, his divine battle really, with the forces of death, destruction, and evil itself...a trembling which is expressed in the God-command: "Lazarus, come out!"

Homily delivered to the Saint Francis Catholic Community of Cuenca, Ecuador. Iglesia de San Francisco, Cuenca