It’s a fairly well-known Bible tidbit that the shortest verse in all of scripture, which is taken from this week’s Gospel, is “And Jesus wept.” Because it’s an interesting verse and it comes from an important passage in John’s Gospel, there has been much commentary on it throughout the years. It is often read at funerals and used to describe the very real, very human pain that Jesus felt at the death of His friend. But to take it simply as a sign of Jesus’ sadness over a death that He knew was not permanent is to miss a much larger point.

Jesus knows what He is about to do. There is no reason for Him to weep over losing a friend if He knows that he isn’t truly lost. In fact, we are even explicitly told that when Jesus hears about Lazarus’ illness, He doesn’t leave to address it for two days. The true cause for Jesus’ tears lies in the fact that those who are His closest disciples don’t yet understand who He is or what He is promising. If Martha and Mary fully trusted in Jesus as the Son of God, this scene plays out very differently.

This deep longing that Our Lord experiences, a longing that moves Him to tears, is the entire basis of Mother Theresa’s spirituality. Jesus, both in His earthly ministry, and from the right hand of the Father, and even from the Cross, thirsts for our love. He cannot take it without our consent, for then it would cease to be love, because it would no longer be free. We must offer Him our love and our whole being, and sit beside Him at the foot of the Cross, consoling Him in His Passion.
 
As we draw towards Passion Week, this is an opportunity for us to renew our commitment to consoling the Heart of Jesus and offering prayers in reparation for our sins and the sins of the whole world. Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Ask God to abundantly bless our families, our parishes, our nation, and our world with His abundant Mercy. Let us rest in the Merciful Heart of Jesus.
 
Prayers always,
Fr. McC

Facebook Live-Streamed Masses
Fr. McCullough is live-streaming Masses.
The live feed will be on the WWPR Facebook page
and the most recent Mass video will be posted at
wintonwyomingpr.org.
 
Spiritual Communion Prayer
(to be said during Mass at home)
My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You in my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive You
sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
Amen.