Jesus Wept

LAZARUS SATURDAY

Hebrews 12:28-13:8; John 11:1-45

O Christ God,

By raising Lazarus from the dead before Your passion,

You did confirm the universal Resurrection, O Christ God!

Like the children with the palms of victory,

We cry out to You, O Vanquisher of death;

Hosanna in the Highest!

Blessed is He that comes in the Name of the Lord!

-- Troparion of the Saturday of St. Lazarus

The Son of David! The King of Israel!

Because of this glorification by the people,

the priests and scribes were finally driven

“to destroy him, to put him to death”

(Lk 19:47; Jn 11:53, 12:10).

AND “Jesus wept”

To prove His human nature, (He) weeps in silence, and defers the miracle for the present. For since that miracle was a great one, and such as He seldom wrought and since many were to believe by means of it ... He draws to Him many witnesses by His condescension, and shows proof of His human nature:

"I thank You that You have heard Me."

Who now ever prayed in this manner? This He said not as though He Himself were powerless, but to show that His will and the Father's is one ... This also was a part of His wisdom, to show condescension by words, deeds, by power.
-- St. John Chrysostom, Homilies LXII.

When the Lord cried: 'Lazarus!', the man awoke and lived. The Lord knows the name of each of us. If Adam new the name of each one of God's creatures, how could God not know each of us by name? Oh, sweet and life-giving voice of the only Lover of mankind! That voice can make sons of God out of stones. How can it not wake us from the sleep of sin?
-- Bishop Nikolai Velimirovich. Prolog, 5 February.

Today the grace of the Holy Spirit has gathered us together. Let us all take up Thy cross and say: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!
(First Verse of Vespers).
Then we were buried with Thee in baptism, 0 Christ God, we were made worthy of eternal life by Thy resurrection. Now we praise Thee and sing: Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord!
(Second Troparion).
Sitting on Thy throne in heaven, and carried on a foal on earth, 0 Christ God, accept the praise of angels and the songs of children who sing: BIessed is he who comes to recall Adam!
(Kontakion).

Hosanna!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!