Hajja Salesjana January February 2017

32 God has gifted us with many ways to express the emotion that wells within our hearts. Our culture will often tell us to suppress those feelings especially when it comes to crying. The world wants us to believe that to cry is to show weakness and defeat. 10 times Pope Francis reminded us that it’s OK to cry by Becky Roach (Catholic Link) However, the word of God affirms that crying is not only a necessary part of life, but also a healthy release of sorrow, pain, anger, frustration, happiness, and joy. The words in John 11:35, “Jesus wept.” reveal to us that the Source of our strength and healing also cried. Pope Francis is an advocate of releasing the cry of our heart through the gift of tears. Some have titled his teaching “The Theology of Tears” because he speaks of it so frequently. His words offer comfort and remind us that crying is not for the weak. In the moment of confusion, dismay and tears, Christ's heart turned in prayer to the Father. Prayer is the true medicine for our suffering. It would do us good to ask for the grace of tears for this world that does not recognize the path of peace. Let us ask for the conversion of hearts. If God could weep, then I too can weep, in the knowledge that he understands me. The tears of Jesus serve as an antidote to my indifference before the suffering of my brothers and sisters. His tears teach me to make my own the pain of others, to share in the discouragement and sufferings of those experiencing painful situations. Without weeping, heartfelt weeping, we can never understand this mystery. It is the cry of the penitent, the cry of the brother and the sister who are looking upon so much human misery and looking on Jesus, but kneeling and weeping and never alone, never alone!