JESUS WEPT!

Sister Patricia Anne Ralph, SSJ

5th Sunday of Lent

And Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him.” (Jn. 11:1-1-45)

WHEN JESUS FOUND OUT THAT HIS FRIEND LAZARUS HAD DIED, HE WEPT! HOW OFTEN DOES JESUS WEEP FOR YOU BECAUSE OF WHO YOU WERE NOT SURE TO BE ON YOUR JOURNEY CALLED LIFE?

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU FELT ABANDONED. JESUS NEVER LEAVES YOU ALONE.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU MISSED YOUR BLESSINGS. DON’T BLOCK THE BLESSINGS THAT WERE MEANT FOR YOU.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU FELT NO COMPASSION TOWARD YOUR NEIGHBOR. THE ONE THAT SITS NEXT TO YOU IS YOUR NEIGHBOR.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU FELT DEFEATED. NEVER GIVE UP WHEN YOU FEEL DOWN AND CAN’T GO ON.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU WERE ENVIOUS OF OTHERS. ALWAYS CONGRATULATE.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU DID NOT FORGIVE. FORGIVING CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU DID NOT USE YOUR GIFTS. RECOGNIZE YOUR GIFTS AND USE THEM.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU WERE NOT HUMBLE. BE MINDFUL OF YOUR OWN HUMILITY.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU WERE INSECURE. CONFIDENCE IS THE KEY TO YOUR TRUE SECURITY.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU WERE JUDGMENTAL. REMOVE THE SPECK FROM YOUR OWN EYES FIRST.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU THOUGHT YOU KNEW IT ALL. AT TIMES LEARN TO TAKE THE BACK SEAT.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU WERE LOATHSOME. LOVE IS THE KEY TO EACH NEW DAY.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU WERE MISGUIDED. STAYING ON THE RIGHT PATH WILL LEAD YOU TOWARD A FREEDOM OF MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU WERE NARROW-MINDED. THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX TO MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU MISSED OPPORTUNITIES TO OPEN THOSE DOORS TO APPRECIATE THE GOODNESS OF WHO YOU WERE MEANT TO BE.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU WERE NOT PATIENT. WHENEVER YOU PRAY, LEAVE IT AT THE ALTAR AND LET GO. DO THE REST.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU WERE TOO QUIET IN TIMES OF NEED. WHEN YOU SEE A WRONG DOING, SAY SOMETHING TO MAKE IT RIGHT.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU RESENTED. DON’T RECENT WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A “WOULDN’T!  A COULDN’T! AND A SHOULDN’T!

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU WERE SELFISH. WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN TO YOU AS GIFTS, DO NOT HESITATE TO SHARE THEM WITH OTHERS.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU WERE TIMID. BEING FEARFUL WOULD PUT YOUR LIGHT OUT. 

JESUS WEPT BECAUSE YOU DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE ASSIGNMENT. REMEMBER TO READ THE DIRECTIONS FOR THE LIFE GOD HAS GIVEN TO YOU.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU WERE VAGUE. SHARE YOUR WHOLE SELF.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU WERE IN WAR WITH YOURSELF. PUT YOUR WEAPON OF WEAKNESS DOWN TO HAVE PEACE WITH YOURSELF.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU MADE X-CUSES. WHEN GOD CALLS YOU, ANSWER.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU GAVE UP ON YOURSELF. REMEMBER, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

JESUS WEPT… BECAUSE YOU WERE NOT ZEALOUS. YOU HAVE TO SHOW UP, AND SHOW OTHERS HOW NOT TO WORRY BUT BE HAPPY.

YES, JESUS DOES WEEP FOR YOU AS WELL. HE GIVES YOU A TISSUE OF LOVE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE. WHY DO YOU WEEP? BE OPEN TO JESUS FOR WHATEVER HE CALLS UPON YOU TO DO. HE IS THE ONE WHO WILL DRY YOUR EYES.

Author: Sister Patricia Anne Ralph was born on August 15, 1960, in Jersey City, New Jersey. Ralph attended elementary and junior high school at Blessed Sacrament Catholic School in Newark, New Jersey. In eighth grade, while in junior high school, she decided to dedicate her life to God and become a nun. In 1979, she earned her high school diploma from Benedictine Academy, a private Catholic school in Elizabeth, New Jersey. While in high school, she was a cheerleader, baton twirler, and member of the dance team.

In 1994, she made her final vows in Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania, thus completing her journey to become a nun. Surprisingly, her twin sister, Lynne Marie, decided to follow in Ralph’s footsteps and also became a nun, although entering a different community, the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament.

Currently, Sister Patty is the 5th-grade teacher at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Elementary School in Washington, DC, and a member of the Sisters in the Spirit ministry.