HE RESTORES LIFE
Jesus Christ understands our
human feelings and needs, for He Himself had shared these.
In today's Gospel of Luke, we hear about a
widow whose only son had died. Why is Jesus so moved when He sees the widow and
crowded funeral procession? Jesus not only grieves the untimely death of a
young man, but He also shows the depth of His concern for the woman who has
lost not only her husband, but her only child as well. Jesus must have realized
that the most difficult time for this mother was not at the moment of her son's
burial; rather, the really difficult time would come when she would return alone,
to an empty house.
His compassion goes out, not to the boy who is
dead, but to the mother who will be left alone. It is not way-out-there to
imagine that Jesus sees, in His mind, another widow about to bury her only Son.
This woman was His mother, Mary. It is no wonder that He is moved with pity and
a desire to show God's mercy and love. The high point of the Gospel today
occurs, not when Jesus raises the boy to life, but when He gives him back,
alive, to his mother!
In the Responsorial Psalm we acclaim, "I
will walk with blameless heart" (Ps 101:2). We declare God's mercy and
love with our whole heart. Jesus Christ understands our human feelings and
needs, for He Himself had shared these. We need to always remember this truth.
Like the crowd in the Gospel, we too are called to give praise and thanks to
our heavenly Father for the great gift of His Son.
For He restores our lives!