<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8sdmUkjsRNmMSXMNxr5Ai5Y9VVPJDYiGTwfaA_8ED-d0TC4uij2uFjeND442oQdEatAMg64cu5TvIzKvxtpqmY4XnEoXgLchkHLMMYSyENbpLAxQcTRPtZC8dcJCzTjLSq2osr5XlV0iYeK45XjOEsZPbo3gJRPc0sk2mYmQjd0xCOIeVKb0EA4gY50/s2357/Painting-Jesus-Wept-11052023__largepreview__.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2357" data-original-width="2200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj8sdmUkjsRNmMSXMNxr5Ai5Y9VVPJDYiGTwfaA_8ED-d0TC4uij2uFjeND442oQdEatAMg64cu5TvIzKvxtpqmY4XnEoXgLchkHLMMYSyENbpLAxQcTRPtZC8dcJCzTjLSq2osr5XlV0iYeK45XjOEsZPbo3gJRPc0sk2mYmQjd0xCOIeVKb0EA4gY50/s320/Painting-Jesus-Wept-11052023__largepreview__.webp" width="299" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif;">We cannot grieve alone!&nbsp;</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px solid rgb(229, 231, 235); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">In the gospel of John (chapter 11), we hear of Jesus meeting Mary and Martha, two sisters who are grieving.&nbsp;</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px solid rgb(229, 231, 235); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px solid rgb(229, 231, 235); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Turns out they are not grieving alone, but they are part of a community that is supporting them.&nbsp; Likewise in our grief, Jesus blesses us with community, giving us people who console us.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px solid rgb(229, 231, 235); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">However, as we reflect more deeply on the interactions of Jesus with the two sisters, we realize that at some level we do grieve apart from others.&nbsp; As we grieve and pray in our grief, we discover that we are not alone, and that the company of saints and ultimately Jesus meets us in our grief.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px solid rgb(229, 231, 235); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px solid rgb(229, 231, 235); box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The painting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.isaachortonlivepainting.com/jesus-wept" style="border: 0px solid rgb(229, 231, 235); box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">"Jesus Wept" is from a program called "Horton Live" in which an artist paints live during a church event</a>.</p>