“Jesus wept.” Why did Jesus cry knowing He would raise Lazarus from the dead? Did He cry because of the overwhelming grief of the mourners or seeing the pain on the tearful face of His two good friends Martha and Mary? I believe Jesus cried because of “compassionate anger.”

Jesus was very angry. Jesus knew what the Father intended for humans. The Father created humans for a life of joy, peace, love and eternal life. Pain, suffering and death were never part of God’s plans for His children. Satan deliberately messed it up.

Satan was so jealous that God treasured humans more than him. Satan got revenge by gaslighting two humans, Adam and Eve, to believe they didn’t need to obey God or even need God. With that betrayal of God, death came into our world and killed our union with God. Satan destroyed our “forever home” in Heaven. It’s like a dog spending a few days in a loving forever home only to be returned to the kennel.

Jesus was angry about what Satan did. It angered Jesus that Satan hurt Lazarus and all of us whom He loves. Have you ever felt anger when someone hurts the one you love? The Bible describes Jesus as “bursting into many tears.” Yet, in His tears was born the water for our eternal life.

Jesus cried because He is compassionate. He cares for the sufferings of others. Jesus became human so He can understand the sufferings of His people. Jesus didn’t know suffering in Heaven. He surely knows it now on earth. Jesus shows His compassion in this way: Jesus weeps with you while drying your tears.

I ask this question. How does Jesus care for me in my suffering? I believe Jesus shows it by bringing someone into your life who truly understands your cross. Someone who can cry with you while wiping away your tears.

A traumatic event happened to me when I was in fourth grade. I was in Phys Ed class. The teacher was talking about body posture. He used students as a show-and-tell to describe good and bad posture. He called forth one athletic kid to demonstrate good posture. Then he described bad posture. He looked around the class to pick out a student as an example. He looked right at me and said, “Mike, come to the head of the class.” He made me stand before the entire class. He proceeded to make fun of me for being fat and not standing straight. The kids laughed at me. Then came the fat jokes. I remember one kid telling me not to wear yellow because I’ll be mistaken for the school bus. News of my body shaming spread around the school.

I felt so alone. One day this all changed. A student came up to me and said, “I know how you feel.” He told me his name was “Bumper.” He was a good-looking kid who seemed fairly normal. How could he possibly know what I feel? He’s not fat. After a few moments of speaking, I found out. He had a stutter. He shared the pain of constantly being mimicked, of kids making him feel stupid.

We fast became friends. We cried together and dried each other’s tears. Our friendship not only took away my loneliness but gave me strength to deal with the daily barbs. Kids can be cruel. The best thing about our friendship was that we could look beyond our impediments to see the goodness within ourselves. There is a phrase for this coined by Sasha Chapin. It is called “Deep Okayness.” It means I am worthy of love just as I am.

Jesus cried for those who not only suffer physical death, but also for many whose souls have died from lack of love, rejection, or not given the right to live. What a painful suffering to be marginalized, considered unimportant, or not given basic human respect.

Jesus calls you to dry each other’s tears. Tears are holy water that make the seeds of compassion grow.

I left for the seminary at 14. I never saw Bumper again. I will be forever grateful for the healing he brought to me. Bumper showed me God cares. Happy Lent…Fr. Mike