Jesus Weeps With Us

The Overdramatic Crying Contest

This fun game helps everyone relax and laugh before talking about deeper feelings. You will need a few tissues and maybe a small towel for cleanup if anyone gets too dramatic! Ask for three or four volunteers to come up front. Tell them the challenge is to act out the most over-the-top crying scene they can imagine. They can pretend to cry about silly things like dropping an ice cream cone, losing Wi-Fi, or a favorite sock going missing. They can use fake sobs, big gestures, and dramatic wailing. The rest of the group cheers and laughs while you judge who gave the most dramatic performance.

After a few rounds, let a few more brave volunteers try. Keep it short and fun. End by giving a small “Golden Tissue” award (a tissue held up like a trophy) to the winner.

Follow-up questions for the group:

• What made you laugh the most during the game?
• How did it feel to act out being sad, even though it wasn’t real?
• Do you think real sadness feels different from pretending? How?

That game was silly, but it showed something true. Sometimes we hide our real emotions behind humor or pretend not to care. We might joke about sadness instead of letting people see what’s really going on. But in today’s story, Jesus does the opposite—He shows His real feelings.

In the story we’ll read, Jesus’ friend dies. His friends are crying, and instead of pretending everything is fine, Jesus cries too. Think about that—God’s own Son crying with His friends. He wasn’t being dramatic or silly. He was showing real love.

So as we move into this story, try to keep that in mind. It’s okay to feel things deeply. It’s okay to cry. Jesus did. Today we’ll see that His tears teach us something about love, compassion, and what it means to walk with others when they hurt.

Read John 11:1-45 (Lazarus Raised from the Dead), the Gospel for the 5th Sunday of Lent Year A. To shorten the reading, omit the sections in brackets.

[Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was ill.]

So the sisters sent word to him saying, “Master, the one you love is ill.”

When Jesus heard this he said, “This illness is not to end in death, but is for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was. Then after this he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

[The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?”

Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in a day? If one walks during the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”

He said this, and then told them, “Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him.”

So the disciples said to him, “Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved.”

But Jesus was talking about his death, while they thought that he meant ordinary sleep.

So then Jesus said to them clearly, “Lazarus has died. And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you may believe. Let us go to him.”

So Thomas, called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go to die with him.”]

When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.

[Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about two miles away. And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them about their brother. ]

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Mary sat at home.

Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.”

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise.”

Martha said to him, “I know he will rise, in the resurrection on the last day.”

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who is coming into the world.”

[When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary secretly, saying, “The teacher is here and is asking for you.” As soon as she heard this, she rose quickly and went to him. For Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still where Martha had met him. So when the Jews who were with her in the house comforting her saw Mary get up quickly and go out, they followed her, presuming that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, ] he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?”

They said to him, “Sir, come and see.”

And Jesus wept.

So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.” But some of them said, “Could not the one who opened the eyes of the blind man have done something so that this man would not have died?”

So Jesus, perturbed again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay across it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”

Martha, the dead man’s sister, said to him, “Lord, by now there will be a stench; he has been dead for four days.”

Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone.

And Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me. I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me.”

And when he had said this, He cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands, and his face was wrapped in a cloth.

So Jesus said to them, “Untie him and let him go.”

Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him.

In John 11:1–45, we read about Jesus’ close friend, Lazarus. Lazarus becomes very sick, and his sisters, Mary and Martha, send for Jesus to come and help. But by the time Jesus arrives, Lazarus has already died. The sisters are heartbroken. They both say to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” You can almost hear the pain and disappointment in their voices. They believed in Jesus, but they didn’t understand why He didn’t come sooner.

When Jesus sees their grief, He doesn’t give them a quick answer or tell them not to cry. He doesn’t say, “It’s okay, I’ll fix this.” Instead, He looks at them, feels their pain, and begins to cry too. The shortest verse in the whole Bible says, “Jesus wept.” That one sentence tells us a lot about who Jesus is. He doesn’t just see our sadness—He shares it. When we cry, Jesus is not far away. He is beside us, crying too.

That’s hard to believe sometimes. When we go through tough times—like losing someone we love, being hurt by friends, or feeling alone—it can seem like God doesn’t care. But this story reminds us that He does care. Jesus didn’t just cry for Lazarus; He cried because He loved deeply. He cried because He saw how much Mary and Martha were hurting. He entered into their pain. That means when you are hurting, Jesus is with you too. He doesn’t turn away or tell you to “get over it.” He stays with you, just like He stayed with them.

Think about that for a moment. The Son of God, who could perform miracles and raise the dead, stopped and wept. He didn’t rush past the sadness. He didn’t pretend it wasn’t real. He let Himself feel it. That shows us that crying and feeling sad are not signs of weakness. They’re signs of love. When you care about someone, you hurt when they hurt. When you go through loss, it’s normal to feel grief. Jesus shows us that real strength includes compassion.

Sometimes people think faith means always being happy or pretending everything is fine. But Jesus shows us a different kind of faith. Faith means trusting God even when things hurt. It means believing that God is with you, even when you can’t feel Him. Mary and Martha were sad and confused, but they still came to Jesus. They still believed He could help. That’s what faith looks like—it’s coming to Jesus with your real feelings, not hiding them.

Maybe you’ve been through something painful. Maybe you’ve lost someone or something important to you. Maybe you’ve been disappointed, or you’re struggling with things you can’t control. This story tells you that Jesus is not far away. He knows what it’s like to feel heartbroken. He understands every tear you cry. You don’t have to act strong in front of Him. You can tell Him exactly how you feel. He listens. He cares. And He stays.

But the story doesn’t end with tears. After Jesus weeps, He goes to the tomb where Lazarus is buried. People think it’s too late, but Jesus calls Lazarus by name and brings him back to life. The same Jesus who cried also brings resurrection and joy. That shows us something amazing—our sadness doesn’t last forever. God’s love has the power to bring life even out of death, hope out of despair, and joy out of sorrow.

When you are in a dark time, it can feel like everything good is gone. But Jesus reminds us that there’s more to the story. He sees your pain, and He promises that it will not be wasted. Just as He turned tears into laughter for Mary and Martha, He can do the same for you. It may not happen right away, but God is always working to bring light back into your life.

Jesus wept because He loved. That’s what love looks like—it feels deeply, it cares deeply, and it shows up even when things are hard. When you see someone else hurting, you can follow His example. You can comfort them, listen to them, and let them know they’re not alone. Sometimes you can’t fix everything, but you can be there. And that matters.

So when you face sadness, remember this: Jesus is right there with you. He’s not watching from a distance. He’s by your side, holding your pain with you. He weeps when you weep. But He also brings hope. The same voice that called Lazarus out of the tomb calls to you too. He calls you toward life, toward healing, and toward peace. You are never alone in your grief. Jesus walks with you every step of the way, until the tears turn into joy again.

Small group time is a chance for youth to talk openly and listen to each other. Encourage everyone to be respectful and kind. Remind them that it is okay to share feelings, but no one should feel forced to talk. Allow for quiet moments. Sometimes silence gives people space to think. Try to keep the group focused on what the story of Lazarus and Jesus’ tears means in their own lives.

• What do you think it means that Jesus cried with His friends?
• Have you ever felt like God was far away when something sad happened? How did you deal with that feeling?
• Why do you think Jesus wept even though He knew He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead?
• What does this story teach us about how to care for people who are sad or grieving?
• When you feel hurt or alone, what helps you remember that Jesus is with you?
• How can you show compassion to someone who is struggling this week?
• What do you think it means that sadness is not the end of the story for followers of Jesus?
• If Jesus were sitting next to you right now, what do you think He would say to comfort you?
• How can our faith community help each other during hard times?
• What gives you hope when life feels dark or difficult?

This week, your challenge is to notice someone who might be hurting and show them compassion. It doesn’t have to be a big thing. You could sit with someone who looks lonely at lunch, send a kind message to a friend going through a hard time, or just listen when someone needs to talk. When you care about others, you are doing what Jesus did when He wept with Mary and Martha. You are showing that their pain matters.

You can also take time to pray each day for people who are sad or struggling. Maybe you know someone who is sick, grieving, or just stressed out. Say their name to Jesus and ask Him to be with them. And if you’re the one who feels hurt, talk to Jesus about it. Tell Him how you feel, even if the words are messy. Remember, He understands. Jesus weeps with you, and He brings hope even when things seem dark.

Let’s take a quiet moment together and pray.

Lord Jesus, we thank You for being with us, even when life feels hard. You cried with Your friends when they were sad, and You still cry with us when we hurt. Help us remember that You understand our pain. You are not far away. You are close to us, even in our tears.

Teach us to love others the way You do. When we see someone hurting, help us to notice, to care, and to reach out. Give us kind hearts and gentle words.

We ask You, Jesus, to bring hope where there is sadness and light where things feel dark. Remind us that Your love is stronger than death and that joy will come again.

We pray all this in Your holy name.
Amen.

Themes

• Compassion of Jesus: Jesus weeps with Mary and Martha to show He cares deeply about their pain. He shares their sorrow instead of ignoring it. His compassion teaches us how to love others when they are hurting.
• God’s Presence in Suffering: Even when life feels hard, God does not leave us alone. Jesus shows that God stays close in times of grief. He brings comfort and hope to those who trust in Him.
• Power of Prayer: Mary and Martha both turn to Jesus when their brother is sick. They speak honestly about their sadness and confusion. This reminds us that we can always bring our worries to God.
• Hope Beyond Death: Jesus raising Lazarus shows that death is not the end. God promises eternal life to all who believe in Him. This gives us courage and peace even in times of loss.
• Faith in Difficult Times: Martha believed in Jesus even before seeing the miracle. She trusted Him when things made no sense. Her example helps us keep faith when life feels uncertain.
• Emotional Honesty in Faith: Jesus did not hide His feelings. He cried openly and showed that love includes emotion. Faith allows us to bring our whole selves, even our tears, to God.
• Friendship and Love: Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters deeply. Their friendship shows how relationships are sacred gifts from God. True love means walking with others in both joy and pain.
• New Life in Christ: Lazarus coming out of the tomb is a sign of how Jesus brings new life to us too. He frees us from sin and fear. God’s love always leads to renewal.
• Witness to God’s Glory: Many people believed in Jesus after seeing what He did for Lazarus. Acts of faith can help others see God’s power. Our love and trust can inspire others to believe.
• Community in Grief: Mary and Martha were not alone when Lazarus died. Their friends gathered to comfort them. The Church also gathers around those who mourn, bringing prayer and support.
• Trusting God’s Timing: Jesus did not rush to heal Lazarus right away. His delay had a purpose that no one understood at first. We learn that God’s timing is perfect, even when it feels late.
• Jesus’ Humanity and Divinity: In this story, Jesus shows both His deep human emotion and His divine power. He feels sorrow like we do, yet He commands life from death. This reminds us that Jesus is truly God and truly human.

Background Material

The story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead in John 11:1–45 shows both the humanity and the divinity of Jesus. It is one of the clearest moments in the Gospel where we see that Jesus truly feels what we feel. He is not a distant Savior but one who enters into our suffering. When Jesus weeps, He shows that God’s love includes deep compassion. His tears tell us that sadness is not something to be ashamed of. It is part of how we love.

The Catholic Church teaches that Jesus became fully human while remaining fully divine. This means He felt joy, pain, friendship, and sorrow just as we do. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “The Son of God… worked with human hands; he thought with a human mind. He acted with a human will, and with a human heart he loved” (CCC 470). When we see Jesus cry at Lazarus’ tomb, we are reminded that God’s heart beats with ours. He understands our emotions because He lived them.

This story also points to the promise of resurrection. Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live.” This statement reveals one of the central beliefs of our faith—that life does not end in death. Through Jesus, we receive eternal life. The Catechism teaches, “ Finally, Christ’s Resurrection — and the risen Christ himself is the principle and source of our future resurrection” (CCC 655). The raising of Lazarus gives us a sign of this truth. It shows that God has power over death and that His love always brings new life.

The Church invites us to see this story not only as a miracle of the past but as a message for today. We all face moments of loss, fear, and grief. When we look to Jesus in those times, we remember that He is with us. He listens to our prayers, even when His answers come later than we hope. Like Mary and Martha, we can bring our pain to Him and trust that He is working for our good.

This passage also teaches us about compassion toward others. When Jesus weeps, He shows us what it means to love those who are suffering. We are called to comfort the brokenhearted and to walk beside those in grief. The Catechism reminds us that “The works of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities.” (CCC 2447). Comforting the sorrowful is one of those works.

In this lesson, youth learn that Jesus’ tears are not a sign of weakness but of love. They see that faith includes real emotion, real care, and real hope. Through prayer and reflection, they are invited to open their hearts to the same compassion that Jesus showed. The story of Lazarus helps them trust that no matter how deep the sorrow, God’s love always leads to life.

Music Suggestions

• Awake, O Sleeper by Ike Ndolo
• I Will Rise by Chris Tomlin
• Come Alive / Dry Bones by Lauren Daigle
• You Came (Lazarus) by Jonathan David Helser & Melissa Helser