5th Sunday in Lent

Does God show feelings and emotion?  In the ancient world the deities were believed to be without feeling and without emotion.  The reason was simple.  As soon as a deity showed feeling, it showed that they were vulnerable to circumstances and even manipulation.  As with many things at the time, Jesus turned this thinking on its head.  In the Bible passage this week, we have the story of the death of Lazarus at the house of Martha and Mary in Bethany.  When Jesus learns of his death and is met with the despair of Martha and Mary, Jesus does something extraordinary.  It is recorded as the shortest verse in the Bible but also one of the most poignant.  John’s Gospel records, “Jesus wept.” God is the God who has feelings, emotions and limitless compassion.  In the midst of this terrible corona virus we serve a God who grieves with those who grieve, who mourns with those who mourn, who suffers with those who suffer and who weeps with those who weep.  That is the nature of God.