Do not weep – God has visited his people
Introduction
In today’s gospel, Luke tries to tell us that the time of salvation has come, for with Jesus, the blind begin to see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, and yes, the dead come back to life. With him, a new era has begun – God’s era. It is the era in which we live. Do we make it an era of resurrection and life, in which our hands that reach out raise up our neighbours above their miseries? Do we make it an era in which we bring dead love back to life in Christ? Let the prophet in you arise.
1 Reading 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27-31a
Brothers and sisters:
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,
so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
Now the body is not a single part, but many.
Now you are Christ’s Body, and individually parts of it.
Some people God has designated in the Church
to be, first, Apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers;
then, mighty deeds;
then gifts of healing, assistance, administration,
and varieties of tongues.
Are all Apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?
Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing?
Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.
Responsorial Psalm 10:1b-2, 3, 4, 5
R. (3) We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
his courts with praise;
Give thanks to him; bless his name.
R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
For he is good, the LORD,
whose kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
Alleluia Luke 7:16
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A great prophet has arisen in our midst
and God has visited his people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Luke 7:11-17
Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain,
and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him.
As he drew near to the gate of the city,
a man who had died was being carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
A large crowd from the city was with her.
When the Lord saw her,
he was moved with pity for her and said to her,
“Do not weep.”
He stepped forward and touched the coffin;
at this the bearers halted,
and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”
The dead man sat up and began to speak,
and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming,
“A great prophet has arisen in our midst,”
and “God has visited his people.”
This report about him spread through the whole of Judea
and in all the surrounding region.
Commentary
“He was the only son of his mother and she was a widow.”
Did the sight of the woman and her dead son evoke the future scene of Pieta in the mind of Jesus? Perhaps it did, and he felt the pain his widowed mother would undergo when she would lose her only son. Perhaps it was this event of the future that prompted Jesus to reach out to this woman, even without being asked, and raise the son, and give him back to his mother. Was Mother Mary present with his disciples when this event happened? I hope she was, for this would have touched her heart, and when the sword would pierce her heart again at the death of her son, she would have recalled it and found peace.
God, give me a heart like that of your Son that feels the pain of people and respond to it with love.
Blessing
Young man, young woman, I tell you, get up. Let us speak these words also to people who are suffering and discouraged, for they are words of life and resurrection. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!