What Is the Gift of Tears?

Pope Francis has spoken a few times about the “gift of tears” or the “grace of tears.” He uses these expressions when speaking about appreciating great blessings or understanding great tragedies.

If we think about when we experience tears, we see that they come at the two extremes of life: great joy and great sadness. If someone can say he has never had tears, that means he has experienced neither great joy nor great sadness. Such a person surely has lived a life devoid of personal connections and empathy.

It’s one thing to intellectually understand each person is a gift from God; it is quite another to appreciate that in our heart and soul. It is also one thing to intellectually understand that we have sinned; tears because of our sins mean we truly understand that we have sinned against him who is deserving of all our love.

Tears are a sign that we have loved, been loved, appreciate the preciousness of life, and can empathize with another human person’s suffering.