Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Homily)
June 05, 2016 11:00 am · Deacon Rick Nevins
Today's readings focus on the healing power of God and ultimately Chris's victory over death. While performing the miraculous is certainly beyond our ability, the compassion that moved Jesus to heal the sick, give sight to the blind and even to raise the dead, is a virtue that all of us can and should strive to grow in each and every day. When the Lord saw her, He was moved with compassion for her.
Both the first reading and today's Gospel chronicle the death of an only son and the mother who would be left all alone if not for the actions prompted by a compassionate heart. Move by compassion for the widow, Elijah interceded on her behalf and begged God to restore not only the life of her son, but his concern was also for her faith in God. The Lord of course heard the prayer of Elijah and did just that. For the fervent prayer of a righteous man is powerful indeed. In today's Gospel we have an encounter that is said to be a convergence of two processions. One is the profession of death it's going out of the city, and it accompanies a widowed mother who is taking her only son out to be buried. Her sorrow is compounded by the fact that she has no where to turn, with her husband and son gone she fares and unknown and lonely future with no means of support or protection. Coming from the opposite direction we have the procession of life. It enters the city and accompanies Jesus. The two meet at the town gate, seeing what is taking place and moved by compassion for the grieving mother, Jesus approached her with tender concern and interceded on her behalf.