Bereavement Leave

“…Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.”

Psalm 30:5 NKJV

Having grieved for 4 days, Martha was desperate at the sight of Jesus coming to their house (Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus).  They have sent a message to Jesus who was like a day’s travel away but two days elapsed before Jesus came.  “21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” John 11:21 -22.

But, even when Jesus heard the message from the messengers that His dear friend Lazarus was sick, Jesus knew he was already dead. He has revealed to His disciples (John 11:11-15) before coming to Bethany that Lazarus was just asleep and He was going there to wake him up.  Jesus emphasized that for the sake of the disciples (for the living) He, Jesus, is going to Bethany so they (including us) may believe.  This was to let the people and us realize that He is not only the Messiah, the Savior who heals, but also He is the Life, Himself, and the Resurrection… thus, He can raise the dead; a privileged preview of His own death and resurrection.

As we would know in the later accounts in the gospel books, Jesus died and in three days He rose again. I was wondering why Jesus chose three days. And for Lazarus, He raised him after 4 days?

My own answer came when my own father passed away two days ago. I had an idea last year when my sister and brother-in-law also died but it became clearer to me when I had my self-imposed vigil, my father’s remains being far away and there was no chance for me and my family to go home to touch even just his urn. I asked myself, how come official work bereavement leaves are only 2 – 5 days, average 3 days?  Are we joking?  Three days are not enough to ease the pain, the heartache and brokenness made even worse due to the pandemic restrictions. 

But in my vigil meditations, God showed me; three days is enough.  He rose in three days because He does not want His people to focus on the grief, the sadness and the separation. Jesus does not want us to suffer for a long time.  He is also grieved by our grief. Instead, He wants us to focus on the HOPE; the anticipation, the promise of a much joyful reunion when Jesus will raise our loved ones, never to die again but to be reunited with Him, the Maker, together with all our loved ones who have departed before us.

 So why would Jesus leave us again after He rose when He could rule the earth and His people could be freed from the Roman rule?  That was the question during Jesus’ time.  For their eyes are focused on this temporal world. And so Jesus, before He left earth reassured His followers that this separation will be just for a time. He reassured Thomas, the doubter and prepared breakfast for His disciples and bonded with them before He was gone.  He left with a promise that He will come again. And for sure, He will.

So right now, we are in a prolonged state of bated breath, especially after losing a loved one; we can’t wait for Jesus to come.  We become more eager and that’s what Jesus would like us to do.  Yes, be sad, and take as much time as we can, but deep inside, keep the Hope of the Joy in the morning bright in our hearts until then…