THE WORD
1 Cor 12,12-14.27-31 / Lk 7,11-17
Soon afterward 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.
IN OTHER WORDS
An unfortunate young doctor met his death while he was working overtime in his office. A week after the burial, his mother, a devout Catholic, came to me and said; “After I lost my son, I could still feel his presence at home. I see his images inside our house.”
Like the mother here in my parish, the widow in the gospel also lost her young son. But when Jesus saw her weeping, with heartfelt compassion, he raised her son back to life to the amazement of the people.
Today we are reminded of Jesus’ words, “I desire compassion not sacrifice (Mt. 9:13).” Jesus himself is very compassionate not only to those who are weeping but to those who are in dire needs. The Scripture is quite clear that God takes no pleasure in the death of anyone (Ez. 33:11), hence, the Lord desires life, not death.
Jesus wants us to be compassionate to others. Being compassionate is not simply sympathizing but empathizing with the suffering. Whenever our neighbors suffer, Jesus also suffers. Thus, Jesus’ concern is our concern and His love is our love. In this sense, through the grace of our Lord, we as Christians, not see only and feel but do the best we can just as Jesus did for humanity.
- Fr. Nelson Barbarona, SVD | Japan
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
