---

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK
Jesus, help me remember nothing's ever too late for God - and that I'm never too big to feel my feelings! Amen. Jesus went with His disciples to see His friend Lazarus, who was sick. When they got there, Lazarus had died. Jesus cried. Then He told everyone, "I am the resurrection and the life. If you believe in me, even if you die, you'll live again." He yelled into the cave where Lazarus was buried, "Come out!" And Lazarus walked out of the tomb, alive and well.

"Big kids don't cry - and you're a big kid, aren't you?" Some grownups will say silly things like that to you when you're upset.

Luckily, most kids know that, when you're upset, the first thing to do is cry - or scream into a pillow, or say, "I'm angry!" or "I'm so scared!" When you feel your feelings, you can get through them and deal with whatever's upsetting you.

This week's Gospel (John 11:1-45) is like that. Jesus is going to visit a friend, Lazarus - but Lazarus dies before Jesus gets there.

Jesus is the Son of God, a teacher and a leader with disciples following Him everywhere and looking to Him for answers. But, first, He's a grieving person who has lost a friend.

Jesus cries, just like you do when you're upset. And no one tells Him, "Don't cry!" They understand that, if crying - right in front of all those people - is okay for Jesus, it must be okay for everyone.

Then Jesus gets through His feelings and leans on His faith. He asks everyone else to remember that they will live forever with God, even after they die - and to prove it, He brings Lazarus back to life.

Even Jesus had to feel His sadness before performing one of His greatest miracles. Don't let anyone tell you, "You're too big to cry!"[[In-content Ad]]

---