God has visited His people

 Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum.  And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die.  So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant.  And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving, "for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue."  Then Jesus went with them.  And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, "Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof.  Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You.  But say the word, and my servant will be healed.  For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me.  And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."  When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, "I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!"  And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick."

Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd.  And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow.  And a large crowd from the city was with her.  When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep."  Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still.  And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise."  So he who was dead sat up and began to speak.  And He presented him to his mother.  Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has risen up among us"; and, "God has visited His people."  And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.

- Luke 7:1-17

On Tuesday, we read that Jesus chose the twelve disciples who would become apostles, and then began what is known as the Sermon on the Plain (similar in content to the Sermon on the Mount).  Yesterday, we read the conclusion to the Sermon:  He spoke a parable to them:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall into the ditch?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that it is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye.  For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.  But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great."

Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum.  And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die.  So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant.  And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving, "for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue."  Then Jesus went with them.  And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, "Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof.  Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You.  But say the word, and my servant will be healed.  For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me.  And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."  When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, "I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!"  And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick."   This centurion is a Roman Gentile, and he is unusual in his devotion to the Jews.  He is a professional soldier of the Roman Empire, a commander over dozens of other soldiers.   In this role, his characteristics are notable:  he has compassion, love for God and God's people, humility, and great faith.  In fact, he sets an example for faith for all of us, and is extraordinarily praised by Christ.

Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd.  And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow.  And a large crowd from the city was with her.  When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep."  Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still.  And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise."  So he who was dead sat up and began to speak.  And He presented him to his mother.  Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has risen up among us"; and, "God has visited His people."  And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region.  My study bible points out that this is one of three resurrections that were performed by Christ as recorded in the Gospels (see also 8:41-56; John 11:1-44).  They confirm the promise given to the prophet Ezekiel that God will one day open the graves and raise all the dead (Ezekiel 37:1-14).  There are many, such as the centurion in the previous verses, who have exercised authority over the living, but only the Son of God "has power over both the living and the dead" as the Orthodox funeral service declares.  Christ, who is the Word, has power through His word alone (John 11:43), but here He also touched the coffin to show that His body is life-giving.  This event, of course, prefigures His own Resurrection.  St. Ambrose of Milan writes that Mary would weep for Jesus at the Cross, but her tears were turned to joy at the Resurrection.  So it is with this widow's only son who is raised from the dead, putting an end to her weeping.

Jesus is clearly the author of life, and in Him is eternal life.  But what we are to understand about this life is myriad and multiple.  When Christ the Word intersects with us in our lives, there is no telling what may be opened up and renewed.  In these examples in today's reading, there is first of all the centurion.  A man with military power, he would normally be one who is feared.  But he is a gracious figure, and a righteous one.  He respects the God of the Jews, he's dedicated to the nation with love (as the elders testify to Jesus) and he has built their synagogue.  But the centurion, as a man of military authority, understands authority himself.  And perhaps better than do the Jews, he understands that the word of the Lord is like the word of the Emperor; whatever is done in His name, He is present.   He has so much faith and confidence in Jesus, that he does not demand Jesus go to his home to heal the servant, and this is great faith indeed, such that Jesus hasn't found even in Israel.  Jesus' very life, working through the faith of the centurion, opens up for us what faith and our life may truly be about, in ways unique to this man and his position.  The story of the widow of Nain is found only in Luke's Gospel.  It displays some of the tenderness in Luke we find toward various women, and as my study bible points out, it opens up a reflection on Mary and the experience she will go through.  But it displays the great compassion of Christ, who cares that she is weeping.   His words, "Do not weep," are the comfort His love brings.   It teaches us that the life that is in the Creator is also love, and that this is the great characteristic of the energies of God, God's work in the world.  He restores to her her life, the very thing most precious to her.   In the Epistle of James, we read, "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world" (James 1:27).  In this story of the widow of Nain, Jesus, as He taught in yesterday's reading, shows Himself - as Teacher - as the example to which all of His disciples must aspire, in His care for widows and orphans.  It is the Mother of Christ who has declared that God "has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly" (see Luke 1:46-55).  It is through compassion and love that the very life and power of God works in the world.  This is what His ministry brings to us, the truths of the Kingdom, and it is how we understand that which we aspire to be a part of, and in which we can participate.  As we see in the stories, each detail of every life brings out the possibilities of the life in abundance that Christ is here to bring:  the centurion in his particular place and time and circumstance, and the widow of Nain in hers.  What do we ask of Him, and how do we participate in His life and discipleship?  In Revelation 21:5, the Lord literally says in the Greek, "Behold, I am always making all things new."   The Evangelist is told, "Write, for these words are true and faithful."  And so they are.  We don't know how that will work for us in our lives, but it is God's work that is always unfolding and showing us what is new, and what it means for life to be renewed.