lazarus, arise!

My mind is still a bit cluttered after four days of having to go through the translation of the sacramentary. Added to this is the excitement it generated in me after knowing that we have only 40 pages left to translate before everything can be called done. This, after 3 years, 1, 340 pages of Latin plus the many other pages of supplements coming from the English Sacramentary. I know you don’t miss me that much not being here for four days. But I do miss you. I even said to myself, I think I need to stay out of my community once in a while for as the saying goes, Absence makes the heart grow fonder. I don’t know if it’s the same with you. Probably with you its more of, when the cat is away the mouse will play. But to tell you I regained some of my trust in you. For a fact, during my absence, I heard many good things happening and it made me happy, it made me quite at ease and it even made my heart grow fonder still.


Frankly, I missed the touch, the exchange of banter, the jokes, the fun, the seriousness, the problems, the presence. Coming home like this I could have wrestled with you or even cuddled you if not for the threat of sexual harassment pervading in the air. As it is I have to avoid the so called inappropriate gestures of affection although the heart may at times long for the touch which makes us all human.

Why am I talking about these things? It’s because I want you to get in touch with the human in you – your feelings, your emotions, your passions. I want you to get in touch with these because I want you to answer this question: Have you every cried for another person? Have you ever cried for another human being?
It is said that the Greeks to whom the gospel of John must have been addressed would easily believe the miracles that Jesus wrought. They could believe them all –all of them without exception. They would even dare believe that a God would willingly offer his life for his people. But the most difficult thing to believe is the gospel which we chose for our theme this year – Jesus wept; Jesus crying for another human being; Jesus sharing the anguish of the human heart. The life and death of Jesus is an astonishing story, but what makes it more astonishing still is the fact that he wept.

Have you ever cried for another human being? Have you every cried for another person?

A whole retreat can be made from this gospel. In fact you have reflected on it for your annual retreat. But to start the formation program for this year, I would like you to dwell on this one sentence, Jesus wept, see why Jesus wept, experience why Jesus wept, go through the experience which Jesus had with Lazarus and know why he wept.

As a nation we are homophobic. We are afraid of being labeled, held suspect, or even look like or act like homosexuals. Comments like “look how he loved him”, would leave us embarrassed perhaps especially when the comment is given in reference to another male person. But I want you to look at it again with the eyes of faith, I would even say with human eyes. When Jesus wept the comment of the Jews was “Look how he loved him.”

Look again. Examine it again and see for yourself. Have you wept for another human person, more specifically have you wept for another male person, and more specifically still have you wept for another seminarian – a seminarian whom you considered your friend, your beloved, the person you have truly loved.
Have you wept for him?

Our program this year has no deadlines. Everyone will follow the natural pace of friendship. Some will have to wait for so long. Others will only wait for sometime. Others may never even go first base. No deadlines, no hurry. But this is your indication when you get there. By that time it will not be astonishing anymore to weep. And by that time it will not be so embarrassing to hear, see how he loved him.