Article April 13, 1992 Issue

A time to weep?

Christ Jesus' mission and message is ultimately one of joy—joy in the power of divine Love to lift us out of sorrow and loss.

Joe Eller

I remember well the awe I felt as a child when I listened to my parents talk about Christ Jesus. I'll never forget one of the first verses that I read for myself about his life. It's in John, and it says simply, "Jesus wept."

Many times since, it's been good for me to remember that such a man as Jesus wept. The conventional view seems to be that positive, active religious practice never includes weeping or sadness, that one should always be "upbeat" and smiling. Even though some may have accepted this characterization, it really is not the most accurate way to describe a Christian Scientist's effort to live as Christ Jesus taught.

Weeping or sorrow can represent the thought that truly mourns the want of spiritualized thinking and living in ourselves or the family or the world. After all, when we see such a lack, other reactions may be more typical. Isn't indifference a common response? Indifference really ignores spirituality as if it didn't exist. Then, there is a superficial cheeriness that really doesn't want to face life's problems. Anger and righteousness are common responses too. But none of these responses lead to healing, nor do they have the value of one tear.

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