Climbing a hillside 8) B2 Knowing what sorrow means

Just a couple more aspects from the Lazarus story:

2. Sorrow can open us up  to others like nothing else.  Jesus deliberately delayed visiting Lazarus until he had died for he knew it was going to be one of the very few demonstration moments of God's power over death.  Yet, when he reaches the tomb and sees the tears of Mary and the mourners, Jesus himself breaks down into tears.  Seeing others in grief can open us up to deep empathy.  Luke Johnson comments sadly about the church: When we look at our smooth, careful controlled religious life in which we dole out sympathy and concern in thimble doses, we might ask ourselves how much we resemble Jesus who grew angry, frustrated depressed and sorrowful. He was ripped with sorrow at the death of his friend.  When we see others' sorrow, thimble doses of sympathy and concern will not do!

3. Sorrow hears the Easter promise.  The most important element in this story are the words that change everything. Everything.  When Martha chided Jesus about his lateness Jesus responds: Your brother will rise again. She replies: I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE. He who believe in me will live even though he died and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. DO YOU BELIEVE ME?   The only person who has lived and died to rise from the dead, the only person ever to have overcome death, speaks with authority as only he can about life beyond death.   This remains the critical question for mourners - Do you believe that Jesus is the Easter Lord.  Do you trust him for assurance and comfort?  Only then can this beatitude make sense

Yet, notice the extraordinary truth that Jesus can say these words but still breakdown and weep for his friend. Sorrow hears the Easter promise through tears. You can believe the Easter truth of resurrection but it won't wipe away tears and grief. We know this. Grief is inevitable but we can have faith in Jesus through the tears.  Faith in sorrow.  God's promise in sorrow is we shall know comfort  and courage even as we weep.  J.B. Phillips translates this beatitude: Happy are those who know what sorrow means for they will be given courage and comfort.