Tuesday Gospel:

"Young man, I tell you arise!"

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 of 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. 

Michelangelo's famed "Pieta" now resides in the Basilica of St. Peter at the Vatican.  As you enter the front, you turn immediately to the right towards a side altar and there on that altar is this incredible sculpture.  Surrounded by protective glass, you can still approach near enough, if the usual crowds are not present, to get a very good look.  It is stunning in its inspired genius from this world renowned artist/sculpture who was in his mid twenties when he carved it.  It is a study in grief and loss yet there is a noted peace, beauty and dignity on the face of Mary as she sits with the dead body of her crucified Son in her arms.  Such grief only Mary would have known, yet we know it was short lived.  Three days later he would rise and we can safely assume, though not recorded in the Gospels, that the risen Lord appeared to his mourning Mother, which brought her great joy. 

Our Gospel this Tuesday is not unlike that  same event.  It is a story of great compassion for a suffering mother who has likewise lost the only child and son she had.  She too is widowed as Mary likely was at the time of the crucifixion and she too has lost an only son.  This meant that for the widow of Nain it was a desperate situation. With no other sons there was likely no one to take her in.  No social safety nets or welfare system was available.  Her fate may have been to simply beg for a living. 

What strikes me is that Jesus approaches "moved with pity" the funeral procession.  There would have been loud wailing, tears, women dressed in black.  The mother must have been rather well known since a large crowd of the city was with her in the sad procession.  

Yet, they ask nothing of Jesus.  Of his own free will, moved with a deep emotion to relieve the suffering of this widow, he approaches as he enters the town.  This shows us that God is moved by our suffering.  That death was not his will or making.  And scholars have commented that in this scene, Jesus may have seen his own approaching death and in the woman his own mother who would be found in a similar situation.  

He simply says to the corpse of the young man wrapped in a shroud, "I tell you arise!"  And so he did.  We can hear the astonishment, the fear in screams and proclamations of "God has visited his people!" all around this scene.  Perhaps a smile on Jesus' face as he lifted the now living son and returned him to his amazed mother.  

In times of our own sadness should we not turn to the Lord?  In moments of loss and sorrow let's have confidence to know that God shares in our loss and will bring us peace.  Our God who in Jesus shared totally in our human experience except for sin, knows what that feels like for us.  

Moved with pity - he stands beside us.   Peace!