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As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who 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.”
Before we read any further in today’s gospel, it might be good to stop here for a moment and think about these lines in scripture. Actually, these verses do not cause us to think so much, as they do to feel, what the widow was going through over the loss of her only son. But we can also sense the profound love and compassion that Jesus had for this poor woman. Sometimes words can not adequately explain what a person feels. That is why they say that actions speak louder than words, and that is exactly what Jesus did. He told the mother, “Do not weep”, but what happened next is a miracle beyond anything human beings had ever experienced before. The gospel said that:
“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.”
Can you even begin to picture this? We have never personally experienced anything like this. All we can do is take Saint Luke at his word, that Jesus really did raise a young man from the dead, while he was still laying in his casket. So many people witnessed the miracles that Jesus performed, that they must be true, because these stories have been told and re-told for over 2,000 years. Nothing else has ever impacted mankind as much as the stories about Jesus that are found in the gospels, and the miracles he performed. The gospel ended today by saying:
“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.”
But, from what we can tell in today’s gospel, Jesus did not perform this miracle in order to impress anyone. He performed the miracle, of raising this young man from the dead, out of compassion for his mother. How could anyone read these verses in scripture and not feel Christ’s love and his profound compassion for the woman who was suffering so deeply? Jesus knew she had already lost her husband, and her son was the only person she had left, and then she had lost him too, when he died.
So many people get angry and blame God when a tragedy strikes, but it isn’t God’s fault. Jesus did not want to see this woman suffer, and he doesn’t like to see us suffer either. In fact, Jesus spent most of his public ministry easing the suffering in those he encountered, in whatever way he could. He had the ability to do something about the suffering that people endured, so he did whatever he could to ease their pain.
Sometimes, we are called to be like this for other people too. No matter what form of suffering that a person is going through, a small act of kindness can really make a difference in their life. A small act of kindness has been known to dramatically change a person’s life, even though the person that showed them the kindness never knew how much it meant to them. Can you still remember something small that someone did for you once, that you never forgot? We are called to be like that for other people too.
The first reading for mass today talks about the Body of Christ. We are many parts, but all one body. We have different gifts, but the same Spirit. We show love in different ways, but it is the same spirit of love. Jesus touched the young man’s coffin and raised him from the dead today, because of his compassion for the mother who was suffering. We can not perform miracles like this, but we can still perform little miracles for those who are grieving. Like simply being there with them. Your presence conveys more than words ever could. People will remember your presence at a wake or a funeral, but they won’t remember how big of a flower arrangement you sent.
It is important just to be there for people, when they need you. It takes a little effort and some inconvenience, to put aside everything else and give your undivided attention to someone who is suffering, but that is exactly what Jesus did in today’s gospel. He could have just noticed the funeral procession, felt sad, and kept going – but he didn’t. He stopped what he was doing, and did what he could to help. His kindness and compassion was just as important as the miracle that he performed that day.
The main thing we might be able to remember about today’s readings for Mass, is that Jesus does not like to see anyone suffer. He cares about what we are going through. We should never feel like we are alone in our suffering, because we aren’t. Jesus is there too. He travels with us, through every circumstance in our lives. Jesus didn’t want the mother in today’s gospel to suffer, or to spend her life alone, and he doesn’t want to see that happen to any of us either. But, if we should ever feel alone in our suffering, we should seek the Lord in prayer, for comfort and companionship, and then let others know what we are going through too. Sometimes married people, and even best friends, have difficulty talking to one another about their suffering. Words may fail us at times, but our actions speak louder than words. Just physically being there for another person means a lot.
Daily Mass Readings:
Corinthians 12: 12-14, 27-31a / Psalm 100 / Luke 7: 11-17
