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 am also 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 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus spoke a parable to His disciples:  "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 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 am also 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.  My study bible comments on this passage regarding the focus on the centurion.  He is a Roman Gentile, and he's unusual in his devotion to the Jews.  His characteristics are notable, particularly for modern day Christians:  He has compassion (verse 2), love for God and for God's people (verse 5), humility (verse 6), and finally great faith (verses 7-9).  

 

 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 comments that this is one of three resurrections which were performed by our Lord, as recorded in the Gospels (see also 8:41-56; John 11:1-44).  They confirm the promise which was given to the prophet Ezekiel, that God will one day open the graves and raise all the dead (Ezekiel 37:1-14).  My study bible adds that many people have exercised authority over the living; but only the Son of God "has power over both the living and the dead" (Orthodox funeral service).  Note that while Christ has power through His word alone (John 11:43), here He also touched the coffin to show that His very body is life-giving.  This event is also a prefiguration of Christ's Resurrection.  St. Ambrose of Milan comments that as Mary would weep for Jesus at the Cross, yet her tears would be turned to joy by the Resurrection, so here a widow's only son is raised from the dead, which puts an end to her weeping.  

Let us note the role that compassion plays in today's reading.  There is first of all the example of the centurion.  He might not be a Jew, but he shows exemplary character, forming the characteristics of what would later typify a model Christian of the Greco-Roman world.  As my study bible points out, he first of all shows compassion in the love and care of his servant.  But we can also read compassion into the way he treats the Jews of Capernaum, reciprocated in the high regard the elders of the synagogue have for him.  His compassionate character goes hand in hand with his humility before Jesus, and also his understanding of Jesus as a Man of authority and even command.  It shows a kind of sympathy present in such a person who can so clearly see the character of Jesus.  These character traits of compassion and sympathy are closely linked to the great faith which Jesus remarks upon; they go hand in hand with it.  In the story of the widow of Nain who has lost her only son (reported solely in Luke's Gospel), we are told that Jesus is the One who expresses His compassion:  When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep."   It's a mirror of Christ's compassion at the death of Lazarus and His response to the weeping of the sisters and townspeople (John 11:32-35).  The compassion that is found both in Christ and also in the centurion is a thread necessary to our faith and to the qualities which faith is to develop in us, and upon which it rests.  We should remember that in Matthew's story of the Judgment, the parable of the sheep and the goats, it is compassion and its expression that makes all the difference.  In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus teaches the parable of the Judgment over which He will preside, and the defining characteristic of those destined to inherit the Kingdom is compassion.  Each case which Christ presents to those "sheep" who wonder how they helped Him is a case of the expression of compassion for others.  What that means is that the whole notion of our capacity for compassion becomes absolutely central to our capacity for faith, and for being the persons Christ asks us to become -- and certainly part of the picture of what it means to become "like Christ" or someone closer to "the image and likeness of God" (Genesis 1:26).   Let us remember that it does not require personal perfection to be a compassionate person, nor does it require great accounts of sacrifice and heroism to perform acts of compassion, kindness, grace:  all the things that would define the great mosaic of love in tiny pieces, small acts, seen or unseen by others, known only to the recipient and giver.  Each of these things have meaning, even when and if they are known only to God.  In today's reading, Jesus heals a servant, and He helps a widow.  The acts we do for the "small" in this world count with God.  Let us remember what we are to be about, even when the world won't shout about it.  This is how we show our faith, and how it might be expressed through us that God has visited His people.