Take Away the Stone

“Take away the stone.” Luke 11:39

Even if Jesus said He was the resurrection and the life in John 11:25, He still mourned when his friend Lazarus died. Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus, and I imagine He weeps with us when we lose someone dear to us. Jesus cannot fail to have compassion for all the wonderful people we have lost in these terrible times. We could not have imagined the death toll in Italy, in Spain, in the US, and dear God, we hope we will not see a devastating rise in deaths here in the Philippines. We have already lost so many doctors and so many are still quarantined in hospitals. 

Death is always a terrible loss, whether the person who dies is a talented, powerful, beautiful, loving human being or not. The potential to have lived a better, more fruitful, purposeful life is cut off. We are sad that we cannot be with that person any longer. So yes, Jesus mourned and wept, and we do the same. 

But we should not take the words of Jesus as platitudes, a feel good cliché, a trite remark to quell uneasiness. HE is the resurrection and the life and whoever believes in HIM, when he dies, will live a full abundant life and never die again. This can become a reality for us and should be a concrete truth for us to deal with the horror of these days. 

When I could see my mother’s failing health, I was terrified to lose her. We were so close, we would go to mass almost every day and talk about all sorts of things afterwards. She was not only my mother, she was my friend and kindred spirit. My family and I exhausted all means of praying, various medical solutions, and even went on a pilgrimage with her to Europe with a healing priest. Five years after her diagnosis of cancer, she left us. The day she died, God gave me the most amazing, miraculous glimpse of her heavenly home with Him, and my fear of losing her turned to joy. I was in awe of what God did for me! It was truly the most wonderful gift! 

Yes it is but right to mourn our loved ones, but let us also know that Jesus can take away the stone of despair and sadness, if we take His words to heart.