God Will Wipe Away Every Tear

Rev. Molly F. James, PhD

DFMS Noonday Prayer via Zoom

Commemoration of Bernard Mizeki, June 18, 2020

May God’s Word be spoken. May God’s Word be heard. May that point us to the living Word who is Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

I would generally say that I am not a big fan of the Book of Revelation. Of course it is our Scripture. It has an important and valid place in our tradition. It is just not one that generally speaks to me in my own spiritual journey. Until today. As usual the Holy Spirit has done that thing the Holy Spirit does. Provided just what I needed to hear:

“They will hunger no more, and thirst no more;

   the sun will not strike them,

   nor any scorching heat;

for the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd,

   and he will guide them to springs of the water of life,

and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”

God will wipe away every tear. Yes. Please. God, there have been so many tears in recent days and weeks and months. Yesterday in Chapel we read 34 names of people who had died. And those are just the ones close to us. We know there are thousands more. Those who have died of the virus and those who have been victims of violence and brutality. Those who have been persecuted and martyred for who they are or what they believe, like Bernard who we remember today. Dear God we are so very aware of death and loss in this time. Our souls are parched. We are longing for relief, for healing, for justice, for the water of life. 

Indeed I do believe God is guiding us to the water of life. God is present with us in the midst of our pain and suffering. I think there is an important distinction to make here, and it is something that is making me appreciate this passage from Revelation all the more. It is important to note that the passage does not say there will be no tears. It says that God will wipe them away. 

If you have ever had the blessing of having your tears wiped away, you know what a gentle, intimate act that is. It is a very tangible way for someone to say, “I love you. I am here. You do not have to endure this alone.” That is perhaps one of the most powerful things we do for each other. We bear one another’s burdens. We stay with each other through suffering. Right? That is how we know who our true friends are. The loved ones who will sit with us when things fall apart and all we can do is cry. The ones who will wipe away our tears. 

It is a false hope and a false expectation to think that life will be free from tears. Nowhere are we promised a life free from suffering. Our Gospel from Luke today even tells us to expect suffering. What we are promised again and again in our Scriptures is that we will never be alone in the midst of it. 

The reality of suffering is at the forefront of our minds and our hearts in this time. But it does not need to be all encompassing. We cannot let it overwhelm us. God is here. God is in our midst, guiding us to the water of life. 

God is here in this holy online space where we gather to pray. God is in our work in the ways in which we empower the Church to be Christ’s hands and feet in the world. God is in all the people whose eyes have been opened and who are standing up for justice, for what is right, for a future that looks so different from our past and our current reality. God is in the selfless acts of kindness we see everyday. God is in the gentle touch of all those who wipe away tears. 

So my friends, take heart. Be alert to all the ways God is present in the world and in our lives. Cultivate the connections with those who matter most. Let them wipe your tears away. And on the days when you feel strong, be that gentle presence for someone else. There will be tears. That is the truth. And we need never cry alone. Thanks be to God. AMEN.