When He was here on earth, Jesus experienced almost everything that we do. I say almost because He did not experience life as a privileged person. He did not experience wealth or power. However, He did experience friendship, good food and drink, and celebrations. He also experienced hunger, thirst, betrayal, pain, and ultimately, death.
While we know about his suffering and death, we do not know much about what it was like for Jesus to be dead in the tomb. I believe that he experienced death in a manner similarly to how all humans do because in John’s gospel He told Mary Magdalene that He had not yet ascended to the Father.
Was He aware from the time He was laid in the tomb until He rose? Again, we do not know, but it makes me believe that He experienced the human condition from birth, through childhood, the awkward teenage years, working as a day laborer, His ministry, and finally, death.
When we pray, we can never say, “You don’t understand.”
Jesus, to use the vernacular, has “been there and done that.” When we ask for help He truly understands, although He may not provide the particular answer we wish. But I believe that His answer is the best one.
sfnowak 