Do not weep

 

 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 

 

Yesterday we read the final reading in the Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus told a parable:  "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 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.  My study Bible comments that this centurion, who is a Roman Gentile, is unusual in his devotion to the Jews.  It's important to note his characteristics:  he has compassion, a love for God and God's people, humility, and also great faith. 

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.   This is one of three resurrections performed by Jesus that are recorded in the Gospels.  See also Luke 8:41-56; John 11:1-44.  My study Bible suggests that 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).   It notes that there are may who have exercised authority over the living.  But only the Son of God "has power over both the living and the dead" (quoting from the Orthodox funeral service).  While Christ has power even through His word alone (John 11:43), here He also touched the coffin, which shows that His very body is life-giving.  Moreover, this event prefigures His own Resurrection.  My study Bible notes the commentary of St. Ambrose of Milan, who writes that as Mary would weep for Jesus at the Cross, yet her tears would be turned to joy by the Resurrection, here a widow's only son is raised form the dead, which puts an end to her weeping.  

In the two stories coupled in today's reading, Jesus restores to two people a person who is dear to them, a beloved one.  In the case of the first story, that of the centurion, what we're told is that this is a man of authority who clearly recognizes the authority in Jesus.  The centurion's servant, we're told, was dear to him.  The word translated as dear has as its root a word that means "honor."  That is, the servant is highly honored, valued, precious to the centurion.  In modern Greek usage, it has come to mean trustworthy, another important aspect of what it is to be a valued and precious servant.  The centurion clearly does not want to lose him.   Let's note that the centurion himself is also valued in the community, and considered honorable and trustworthy by the people, who praise that he is "deserving, for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue."  In turn, he trusts in Christ, clearly having faith in the authority apparent to him in Christ.  Jesus says, "I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!"  We remember that the word for faith has at its root the word for "trust."  These are important things to observe and understand about the centurion, and a key to how Christ views our own faith.  How do we view Christ's authority?  Do we trust in it?  The second story is about the woman called the widow of Nain.  This story appears only in Luke's Gospel.  In this case, the person at the center of the story is as far away from the centurion in terms of social status and power as one could get.  She is a widow, and not only is she a widow, but she has lost her only son, the sole source of her support in the world.  The crowd is with her, presumably mourning, and Christ is -- as He is many times in the Gospels -- moved with compassion for her.  He tells her, "Do not weep."   These actions are also found in echoes in the story of the raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-44); Jesus is moved by this weeping woman, He has compassion for her, and seeks to comfort and take away her weeping.  Notice the tender movement in this healing, almost understanding:  rather than healing from a distance or merely with a word, Jesus first came and touched the open coffin,  and only then did He give a command, "Young man, I say to you, arise."  And the sound of Christ's voice and command is truly a scene that reminds us of the ultimate, universal resurrection, when this young man sits up and begins to speak.  So we have both the universally astonishing -- and yet the tender also -- in this resurrection story, for of course, the widow has back her precious son, a deeply intimate joy.   Each one rewarded in the particular way he and she are found by Christ.  In Psalm 18, we read:  "With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; with a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; With the pure You will show Yourself pure; and with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd. For You will save the humble people, but will bring down haughty looks."   With the authoritative, He is authority; with the tender, he is merciful; but in each case restoring life and giving what is precious back to one who loves and who mourns.  "Do not weep," Jesus says to the widow of Nain.  In so doing, He gives us all cause for joy, and the recognition of His authority of life over death.

When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep"

 

 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 

 

In our recent readings, Jesus has been preaching what is called the Sermon on the Plain (as Luke tells us that He "stood on a level place").  Yesterday, we read the final teachings in this sermon, which began with a parable:  "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 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.   My study Bible comments that this centurion, who is a Roman Gentile, is unusual in his devotion to the Jews.  It takes note of his greatly worthy characteristics.  He is compassionate (his servant was dear to him), and has love for God and God's people (he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue).  He is humble in his deference to Christ (Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof).  Finally, he shows great faith in his confidence in Christ and Christ's authority and power (Jesus says, "I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!").

 

 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 tells us that this is one of three resurrections performed by Christ which are recorded in the Gospels (see also Luke 8:41-55; John 11:1-44).  It notes that these resurrection stories 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).  Many people have exercised authority over the living; but only the Son of God "has power over both the living and the dead" (quoting from the Eastern Orthodox funeral service).  While Christ has power through His word alone (John 11:43), here He also touched the coffin to show that His very body is lifegiving.  According to St. Ambrose of Milan, this even also prefigures Christ's own Resurrection.  As Mary would weep for Jesus at the Cross, yet her tears would be turned to joy by the Resurrection; here a widow's only son is raised from the dead, putting an end to her weeping.  

 

 It's interesting to note the differences in the two stories given in today's reading.  The first is that of the centurion and his servant.  This centurion is wise in the ways of the institutions of the world and their protocols.  He's a commander of men within a distinct hierarchy in the supreme military of the time, one that revolutionized the notion of order.  He is also very humble, respectful of the Jews and their faith, and also of Jesus Christ.  Let us note that the text tells us that his servant is dear to him.  Not only is he respectful of the Jews and of Jesus, he also has compassion in his relation to his servant.  This is not a man for whom those under his command or in his household are interchangeable underlings.  In short, his respect and compassion show us his regard for community, his righteousness.  But it is noteworthy that in the case of that healing, he sends emissaries, the elders of the synagogue, to plead his case to Jesus.  He is both prudent and respectful.  And if we look closely, to send the elders of the Jews to Jesus is to ask others, in this sense, to intercede in prayer for him.  This intercession by others who've been asked to do so is simply magnified by the great trust, respect, and honor that the centurion shows to Jesus subsequently.  So much so, that Jesus proclaims to all, "I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!"  But in the story of the widow of Nain, an entirely different process happens.   In that case, Jesus comes upon the funeral of the only son of a widow, and when the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her.  It's not the only time in the Gospels when Jesus is moved with compassion by the sight of women weeping over their departed.  In John 11:32-36, we may see Jesus' response to the sight of Mary (the sister of Lazarus) weeping, and all the mourners with her.  In this case, Mary is no stranger, and, as is noted in the text, Jesus loved Lazarus and his sisters.  But there is another similarity here, in that the sisters have lost their only brother -- who is presumably the male head of the household; and the widow of Nain has lost her only son.  In terms of worldly authority and power, she is among the least of the world -- and so quite the opposite of the centurion.  I think that we have to appreciate the economics of the time, for even today in the most developed of countries, despite social and economic changes, the presence of a loving male protector and provider in a household still makes a great difference to all concerned.  In this case, we can presume that she was dependent upon this only son for many things, including a place of honor in the household.  In John's Gospel, we should be sensitive to the fact that, at the Crucifixion, Jesus left His mother in care to His "beloved disciple," John, whereupon John immediately took her to his own home (John 19:25-27).   So these two healings, paired together, tell us something essential.  Regardless of how we come to Christ, whether we are outsiders or insiders, whether we are people of authority or those without any power at all, whether others are praying for us or we feel alone and abandoned, God sees us.  God hears, and God responds.  It is most essential to observe how Christ is the God who sees, because He both notices and praises the centurion for his faith, and has compassion when He sees the weeping widow of Nain.  What this teaches is that regardless of how we come to Christ, or where we are in terms of faith, whether we are great or small, or even when we think God is absent -- God is always watching.  Christ is the Lord who sees, the one whose compassion means He knows our hearts and also our sorrows.  In the text the word translated as compassion comes from the Greek word for spleen, but means a depth of feeling in the core of the body, in one's "gut," so to speak.   When Jesus is moved with compassion He is deeply affected, even physically so, and not simply a detached observer.  He is a God who feels what we feel.  Indeed, in the compassion of the saints and of our Lord we might consider that there are times when we are numb, but the One who knows our hearts feels for us what we cannot feel.  Let us remember the Lord who is with us always.

 

 

Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof

 

 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 

 

In our recent readings, Jesus has been giving what is known as the Sermon on the Plain.  Its topics are similar to the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew's Gospel (Matthew 5 - 7).   No doubt Jesus preached His gospel in many places.  Nonetheless Luke includes teachings not found in Matthew.  We began reading this Sermon in Friday's reading last week.  Yesterday, we read the conclusion:  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 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 that this centurion, a Roman Gentile, is unusual in his devotion to the Jews, and this is quite remarkable about him.  My study Bible describes his notable characteristics as follows:  he has a love for God and God's people ("he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue"); he is humble ("I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof"); and, in the words of Jesus, he has great faith.

 

 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 tells us that this is one of three resurrections which were performed by our Lord as recorded in the Gospels (see also Luke 8:41-56; John 11:1-44).  It notes that 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).  It says that many people have exercised authority over the living, but only the Son of God "has power over both the living and the dead" (quoting from the Orthodox funeral service).  As Christ has power through His word alone (John 11:43), in today's instance He also touched the coffin to show that His very body is life-giving.  This event prefigures Christ's own Resurrection.  Echoing the commentary of St. Ambrose of Milan, my study Bible notes that as Mary would weep for Jesus at the Cross, yet her tears would be turned to joy by the Resurrection, here a widow's only son is raised from the dead, putting an end to her weeping.

What is truly remarkable in both episodes of Christ's healing ministry in today's reading is the level of compassion that is at work here, highlighted in these stories.  There is first of all the centurion, who is notable for his own compassionate qualities.  As noted above, although he is nominally an occupying Roman commander of soldiers in this place, the locals praise him as one who "loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue."  This man has used the imperial power available to him in his position to shore up the faith of the local people and has learned to love the God of Israel.  We can see his tremendous humility, despite his worldly authority, before Christ.  He calls Jesus "Lord," and says that he is not worthy for Christ to come under his roof.  And finally, there is the display of his great faith; he understands that Jesus has power to command beyond his own, and that there are no worldly barriers to that power.  This insight arising from his faith, given all the rest that we know about him, is also deeply connected to his capacity for compassion.  And then there is the unusual story of the widow of Nain, found only here in Luke's Gospel.  Again, the emphasis here is on compassion.  It's notable that St. Ambrose of Milan would see an image of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in this story.  She is a widow who has lost her only son, her only protection and care in a difficult world.  We can't imagine her grief, I think, unless we have experienced something like it.  But the story is an illustration of the compassion of Christ in a world where sadness and loss may afflict us all; here it is the cruelty of death taking away her only son and support in the world.  The text literally tells us that Christ had compassion on her, telling her, "Do not weep."  Christ's compassion, we should note, is born of empathy, not sentimentality.  This is God emptying Himself for us, reaching out, and bringing us the gospel of the Kingdom.  Empathy reaches to solve problems, even those with difficult solutions, and is willing even to seem harsh in order to alleviate misery.  Sentimentality is a confusion of such, often simply comforting oneself.  Christ's compassion makes evident His capacity for understanding pain and suffering; it makes clear that His mission in this world against the "evil one" is all about alleviating that pain and correcting what ails us.  Just as the centurion's gracious rule is connected to his capacity for both faith and compassion, Christ's healing ministry is connected to all levels of what ails us:  body, soul, and spirit.  In the Sermon on the Plain, which we've just finished reading, the great emphasis underlying Christ's teachings was compassion.  In today's reading, we're shown what it is to live it, what it is all about.

Do not weep

 

Jesus raises the widow's son at Nain, modern icon.  20th cent.

 

 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 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 

 

 Over the course of the past three days, the lectionary has given us Jesus' Sermon on the Plain.  Yesterday we read its conclusion:  Jesus 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 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 that this centurion, a Roman Gentile, is unusual in his devotion to the Jews.  His characteristics are notable.  He displays compassion, love for God and for God's people, humility, and a great faith.  

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 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 remarks that this is one of the three resurrections performed by our Lord as recorded in the Gospels (see also Luke 8:41-56, John 11:1-44).  They serve as confirming the promise 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" (as declares the Orthodox funeral service).  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.  Also, this even prefigures Christ's Resurrection.  St. Ambrose of Milan comments that just as Mary would weep for Jesus at the Cross, but her tears would turned to joy by the Resurrection, here a widow's only son is raised from the dead, thus putting an end to her weeping.

I find myself so often moved by Jesus' relationships with women.  In Luke's Gospel is perhaps the most interactions with women we find in the Gospels, although the other Gospels do not contradict but also give examples of this.  Luke's Gospel alone contains the story of the widow of Nain.  In contrast to the times, Christ's interactions with women are compassionate.  We might say they show His great empathy.  And, like St. Ambrose of Milan, who is cited in his comments regarding the raising of the son of the widow of Nain, I can't help but remark to myself that they reflect something of Jesus' profound relationship with his own mother, Mary.  It is Mary who held the secrets of Christ's birth and divine origin and conception.  It is she whose intercession helped to bring about the first miracle or sign in John's Gospel, the wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11).  The kind of tenderness and understanding we seem to find in Jesus' treatment of this widow, in His first telling her, "Do not weep," is one that I find resonates through a relationship with His own mother.  If we consider Mary's position in her family -- a young wife taken into a family by an older man as she came from the temple a virgin, found to be pregnant, and raising the Son she bore, we might have some consideration of the closeness of Jesus and His mother.  To be sure, those who are called Christ's brothers and sisters in the Gospels are likely to be children of Joseph by an earlier marriage, or possibly cousins to Jesus (as cousins are still commonly called "brother" or "sister" in the Middle East).  But it doesn't take familiarity with the ancient world to understand the relationship between such a mother and her only Child, even within an extended family of many relations.  In the sense in which we can view Christ's compassionate and empathic treatment of women, including His great friendship with Martha and Mary, we might take a view on the salvation story and Mary, the mother of Christ's special place in that story, as containing this very important element of the character of Christ Himself.  The unique relationship between mother and Son is something astounding, almost startling, which stands out in the story of Jesus the Son of Man, born into the world of a human mother.  She takes on another facet of importance as we understand His human nature was taken from her.  All of these things express about our Savior than we normally might think about and consider, but they are important parts of the story of Jesus Christ.   And like everything else in the Gospels, nothing is here by accident or happenstance.  All of it contributes to the things God has manifested to us and for us.  So let us for today consider Christ's incredible compassion, found in His particular relations with women.  The same could be extended to His capacity to recognize the qualities found in the centurion in today's reading.  The centurion is part of the hated Roman occupying forces, a man in authority, and yet with all the qualities that make him someone of whom Christ can say to the crowd, "I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!"   For this man understands authority, and the proper relationship to authority.  As one in authority himself, he is humble before Christ.  In consideration of both encounters in today's reading, we could say about Jesus that He was made manifest in the small and humble, born into the world of a woman who might easily have been considered a scandal and simply put away somewhere and isolated from the society.  He is, indeed, the compassionate Lord, but He is also Lord of the meek and the humble, Deliverer and Savior of those who seek His protection, and who recognize His authority.

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!"

 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 to 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

Beginning with Tuesday's reading, we have been reading through Jesus' Sermon on the Plain (so-called as the Gospel says He was standing "on a level place."  In yesterday's reading and continuation of the Sermon, Jesus began with a parable:  "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 to 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.  My study bible comments here that this centurion, who is a Roman Gentile, is quite unusual in his devotion to the Jews.  Note that the Jewish elders begged Christ earnestly on his behalf.   It's also noteworthy that Jesus has just finished preaching the Sermon on the Plain to huge crowds from all over Israel and even areas of the coast considered to be Gentile regions; here it is a Gentile who comes to Christ in Capernaum.  In the Gospel, this takes place just after He has named the twelve apostles, who will be sent out to all the world.  My study bible calls this centurion's characteristics notable:  compassion, love for God and God's people, humility, and great faith. 

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.  There are three resurrections performed by Jesus recorded in the Gospels (see also 8:41-56; John 11:1-44).  My study bible calls them a confirmation of the promise that was given to the prophet Ezekiel, that one day God will open the graves and raise all the dead (Ezekiel 37:1-14).  Many people have exercised authority over the living, my study bible points out, but only the Son of God "has power over both the living and the dead" (Orthodox funeral service).  While Christ has power through His word alone (John 11:43), in this case He also touched the coffin, showing that His very body is life-giving.  It's a kind of affirmation that matter is meant to be united with Spirit, a hint about the full significance of the Incarnation itself, affirmed in resurrection.  My study bible notes the commentary of St. Ambrose of Milan on this passage:   that this even also prefigures Christ's own Resurrection. Mary will weep for Jesus at the Cross, but her tears will be turned to joy by the Resurrection.  So it is the same for the widow whose only son is raised from the dead, putting an end to her weeping. 

Jesus' ministry simply continues to expand, prefigured in the naming of His twelve disciples as apostles who will be sent out.  First there is the Roman centurion who seeks help for a highly esteemed servant.  There is something fascinating about the centurion's understanding about rank and hierarchy.  It is not just a simplistic and rigid sense of worldly authority or power.  Rather, the centurion's understanding of hierarchy also encompasses the true value of a person.  Although the one he seeks to save is a servant to him, he is yet highly esteemed; the word in the Greek gives the sense of one prized for interior virtue.  And although the centurion is an authority among the occupying Romans, commanding many military men under him, he's highly deferential to the Jews, not only holding their culture and spiritual heritage in high regard, but diplomatic enough that he goes to the elders of the community and asks them to approach Jesus for him.  This is a man who is not simply a soldier, but the epitome of what it is to grow into the fullness of humanity within his own position in the world.  He is the opposite of a harsh colonialist; he has built the community a synagogue.  Moreover, he is highly deferential to Christ, whom he calls "Lord," and tells that he is not worthy that Christ comes comes under his roof, a display of what no doubt was unusual humility.  This humility is the perfect foundation for the great faith that he has in Christ, as he is a man under authority who understands authority and recognizes immediately and with full confidence the power and authority carried by Jesus.   He is a remarkable example of someone who recognizes true virtue and the authority and rank which the true, the good, and the beautiful command.  He has eyes to see what so many others do not; every action is one that confers the wisdom of proper respect, a sense of true value.  Then this story is coupled with the unique story of the widow of Nain, which is found only in Luke's Gospel.  We begin to get a sense of the real foundations of what might be considered civilized standards of behavior:  Jesus' respect and compassion for the widow is akin to the centurion's understanding of true value and authority.  It is Christ who, above all, teaches us about the use of power, and grace which sets good values apart from what constitutes barbaric, ignorant, and evil abuses of power and authority.    In this example of resurrection, as well as the one in which He raises Lazarus, Christ displays His compassion for the weeping widow whose only son has died, and then presents her son -- as in the giving of a gift -- to his mother.  What we have here in Luke's Gospel, then, is the beginning of an understanding of what it is to be gracious, the foundation of what will go on to develop as notions of good behavior, good manners, true courtesy, the structure of society.  No longer is it tolerable -- in the view of the Gospels and in light of Christ -- for harsh abuses of power to constitute how authority should be carried out.  Already, of course, the Jews understood abusive power, the scandal of power as exercised by abusive or sacrilegious foreign rule, and certainly the story of the beheading of John the Baptist is an illustration of the depravity of the house of Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee at this time (Matthew 14:1-12).  But let us take a look at these stories in today's reading and their presentation in the Gospel.  The true honor shown to what is virtuous and good by the centurion is an illustration of how good character shapes perfect faith, how both humility and wisdom go hand in hand with Christian faith.  Christ's compassion on the widow, and His gracious gift and exercise of unheard-of power in service to compassion teaches us a high regard for the powerless; He restores to her the one treasure she has in life, her only son.  Certainly her own quality of life and standing in the community to a large extent depended upon the child.  All of this is to say simply that the Gospels point us not just to good behavior but true good values, what will go on to cement in place a foundation for that which is considered to be civilized, humane, virtuous.  Abuses of power are never "okay" in the Gospels; they should not be tolerated by those of us who seek to call ourselves Christian faithful and disciples of Christ.  Let us look to the examples we're given and think hard about our own lives and values.  We have a clear moral order given to us, a hierarchy and rank based on the virtuous, the true, and the good.  May we all uphold these things in every aspect of our own lives, and imitate what we see in Him and those who serve Him, no matter where they are found in the Gospels.  As the Roman centurion is in a position that can be highly abused, so we learn that no matter where we are in life, we also have this choice to be virtuous like he is.

I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!

 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 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

In our recent readings, Jesus has been preaching what is known as the Sermon on the Plain.  (See the readings from Friday and Saturday for the earlier parts of this sermon.)  "And 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 is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the lank 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 the 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 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 is another example in the Gospels in which one of a group nominally hated by the common people is shown to be surpassingly righteous.  In Luke's Gospel, Jesus has already chosen a tax collector to "Follow Me" (Levi, who becomes Matthew).  Here a Roman centurion, a Gentile under whose command are soldiers of the occupying Roman Army, is unusual in his devotion to the Jews.  My study bible says that his characteristics are notable:  he shows compassion, love for God and God's people, humility, and great faith.  Even Christ marvels at his faith, which he calls greater than any He has found in Israel.

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 notes that this is one of three resurrections performed by our Lord as recorded in the Gospels (see also 8:41-56. John 11:1-44).  It remarks that these resurrection narratives 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 who have exercised authority over the living.  But only Christ, as Son of God, "has power over both the living and the dead" (Orthodox funeral service).  My study bible adds that while Christ has power through His word alone (see John 11:43), here He also touched the coffin, showing that His very body is life-giving.  This event is also a prefiguring of Christ's own Resurrection.  Ambrose of Milan comments that just as Mary would weep for her Son at the Cross, and her tears turned to joy by the Resurrection, so this widow's only son is raised from the dead, putting an end to her weeping.  This account of the widow of Nain and her son is found only in Luke's Gospel.

What is authority, and why is it important to the Gospels and to the mission of Jesus?  Repeatedly we hear the Jewish religious authorities ask Jesus by what authority He does what He does (see here, for example).  Authority becomes essential to a broader perspective on Christ's ministry, beyond the questions of the leadership regarding, for example, His cleansing of the temple.  Christ's authority is paramount over the unclean spirits, as we see right from the beginning of His ministry in Luke, such as when they appear and identify Him in the synagogue at Capernaum (see this reading).  Even before that, right after His Baptism by John, the devil tries to challenge His chain of command from the Father (in this reading).  This is followed by the outrage of His neighbors in Nazareth at the authority with which He speaks in their hometown synagogue (here).  There are constant references and challenges with regard to authority in the Gospels, and surrounding Christ.  He Himself references this authority when He speaks of Himself as the "stronger man" who can liberate people from the "strong man" Satan (11:14-23).  Just prior to this, in the same chapter, He gives us what is called "The Lord's Prayer" or the "Our Father," in which we are taught to pray for deliverance from the evil one (Luke 11:1-4), a clear reference to a liberator or redeemer who overthrows a tyrant.  Each one of these examples from the Gospels involves questions of authority within a basic framework telling us who exactly Jesus is.  Over and over again, His authority is questioned and challenged.  So important is it that this theme plays itself out even in today's reading, nominally about healing, but truly about an understanding of authority and the power that goes with it.  The centurion tells Him both that he is unworthy to have Christ come into His house (deference to a higher authority) and that in fact he did not even think himself worthy to come to Christ.  Then he adds, "But say the word, and my servant will be healed.  For I 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." The centurion's display of surprisingly great faith -- most notably in the eyes of Christ -- is tied to his understanding and experience of authority.   Christ commands the dead son to arise in the story of the widow of Nain, prompting us to ask who could possibly have such authority.  But there is an important note both to the authority with which the centurion governs and also the authority as exercised by Christ.  Both are compassionate.  The centurion's compassion is testified to by the elders of the synagogue and also by his concern for his servant.  Jesus' first command in our second story is to the widow herself:  "Do not weep."  Authority is something we may struggle with in a modern world.  Who has legitimate authority?  From where does that authority come?  What are our rights and how far do they extend in terms of how we treat one another?  But Jesus gives us the key to the highest authority in the universe, and it is compassion.  In the recently given Sermon on the Plain, Jesus tells us that the disciple must be as his Master.  He holds God the Father as the highest example of authority, and tells us, "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful."  How do we, then, show ourselves as pupils of the Master?  Is it in our compassion, our graciousness to others?  Or is it found, as some would say, in a belligerence to nominal enemies,  in the name of a more abstract concept of justice or mercy?  Which one does He call us toward?   Who is your highest authority, and what are the qualities associated with that power?  Let us observe with what quality of authority Jesus speaks His truth and conducts His life, even as it leads Him to the Cross.  So much depends on whom we truly place our faith.

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

In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught a parable, as He finished His Sermon on the Plain (which began with Tuesday's reading):  "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 floor 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.  My study bible says that this centurion, who is a Roman Gentile, is unusual in his devotion to the Jews.  A note tells us that his characteristics are notable:  compassion, love for God and His people, humility, and great faith.  We notice the reverence with which this commander treats Jesus, as if He is truly Lord:  he sends elders fro the town to meet Him, as a sort of diplomatic gesture of great protocol.  They tell Jesus of the gift of the synagogue.  He even says that he "is not worthy" to meet Christ himself.   This story is an important one to the Gospels (repeated in Matthew, and a similar but not explicitly exact account appears in John).    But the centurion here in his actions expresses the idea that Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords.  He also has perfect faith in Jesus' power, even His power to command.  Jesus has just chosen the Twelve (Tuesday's reading) and also preached the Sermon on the Plain, the message that will go to all the world.  Here in this story immediately following, we see a supreme example of faith in this representative of the Roman Empire.

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 tells us that this is one of three resurrections performed by Christ as recorded in the Gospels  (see also 8:41-56; John 11:1-44).  It says, "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).  Many people have exercised authority over the living; only the Son of God 'has power over the living and the dead.'  . . .  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 even also prefigures Christ's own Resurrection."  Ambrose of Milan teaches that as Mary would weep for Jesus at the Cross, yet her tears would be turned to joy by the Resurrection, here a widow's only son is raised from the dead, putting an end to her weeping.

We've just finished reading through the Sermon on the Plain (similar in content to the Sermon on the Mount, although not as extensive); see the readings from Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  In His preaching, Jesus has taught the power and value of humility, of loving one's enemies, and the importance of looking to our own internal flaws rather than projecting upon others.  Just before preaching this sermon to a great gathering of followers and disciples and those who came to be healed from all over Israel, Judea, Jerusalem, Galilee, and even Gentile regions, He chose the twelve apostles.  And in His first encounter after these actions, He meets with a great representative, a centurion, of the Roman Empire.  This is a man about whom Jesus pronounces that He has not found such great faith, not even in Israel.  The message is powerful:  that even a man such as this, a man of the Roman Empire who commands legionnaires beneath him, can be a great example of the faith of Christ.  One need not be literally poor to be poor in spirit.  He has just finished preaching the "Woes" of this Sermon on the Plain, which are not found so easily in the Sermon on the Mount (again, see Thursday's reading).  "Woe," he said, "to you who are rich, "for you have received your consolation."  Well, no doubt this centurion has access to great wealth -- even greater, should he use his authority for personal gain in a corrupt way.  Certainly this would not be at all unheard of in this time and place.  But instead, what we learn about the centurion is his great faith, and great faith leads to great acts:  he cares for his servant, he respects Jesus as Lord, he has built the community a synagogue.  The great lesson here is the power of faith and its transformational effects on all of us, any of us.  We contrast this with the poor widow of Nain.  We really have to understand her destitution and the nature of what has happened to her.  While the whole community mourns with her as they head outside the gates of the city (the dead could not be buried inside the city), we have to understand how a widow in such times would be left completely dependent on extended relations with no son to help her.  She's not only bereft of the one person left in the world that she loves, she's in for a very uncertain and hard future.  She is truly one of the "poor" and she needs comfort.  Here, as in other stories of resurrection in the Gospels, Jesus shows His great compassion, His capacity for comfort.  She as poor widow with no one left in the world to give her any sort of social status -- a complete, absolute contrast with the highly honored and respected centurion -- is the recipient of His compassion and grace, in one of the more astounding miracles of the Gospels.  This is God's love and compassion for us at work.  In the Sermon on the Plain, Jesus also taught, "Blessed are you who weep now for you shall laugh."  Rather than carrying her dead son outside of the city, outside of community, community and life is restored to this widow.  Jesus preaches His sermon, His teachings, and immediately we are given visions of love in action, of the God-man we know as Christ who teaches by what He does.  There's a powerful comment on this passage, given by Fr. Lev Gillet, who has written a book on the Jesus prayer under the pseudonym "A Monk of the Eastern Church."  Fr. Lev teaches that Jesus does not perform miracles as proofs, in order to create faith in people.  Instead, miracles come from compassion, from grace.  He doesn't need to prove to anyone He is Messiah.  We see His motivation here, and it is out of love.  Love as Creator, as Son of the Father, as the One who also comforts us.  This is the attribute of God -- which we are taught also to share.  Faith should lead us to this kind of love, as it does the centurion who loves the people among whom he lives and rules.  Jesus has preached about rich and poor, but in today's reading we are truly taught about what it means to be rich and poor, and that no one is left out of God's love.  Faith leads the way to our understanding of God's power and love. Humility gives us the capacity to understand how to proceed in that faith.  God is the God of love, and our capacity for faith is to share and extend that love.

I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!

 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

 Over the past few days, we've been reading Jesus' Sermon on the Plain.  (See earlier readings Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God, and Love your enemies.)  Yesterday, the Gospel reading completed the Sermon:  And He spoke a parable to them:  "Can the blind lea 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 says about this story that the centurion, who is a Roman Gentile, is unusual in his devotion to the Jews.  His characteristics are notable:  he bears compassion, love for God and his people, humility, and great faith.  These are all character traits to emulate!

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 says, "This is one of three resurrections performed by our Lord 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).  Many people have exercised authority over the living; only the Son of God 'has power over both the living and the dead' (funeral service).  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 also prefigures Christ's own Resurrection.  As Mary would weep for Jesus at the Cross, yet her tears would be turned to joy by the Resurrection, here a widow's only son is raised from the dead, putting an end to her weeping (Ambrose of Milan)."

In addition to the things that my study bible notes about today's reading, there is something else common to both stories -- and that is the restoration of something (or someone) precious that has been lost to these people.  In the first story, the centurion is an exemplary foreigner, a Gentile, a member of the occupying power.  He supports the religion of the Jews, even building a synagogue for the local population.  He "loves our nation" according to the local elders.  But like the widow, the centurion is losing someone -- even a servant -- who is dear to him.  So, one thing that links the widow and the centurion is their love for someone else.  Although lesser in stature in both cases (in the first, a servant; in the second, a son), both are individuals upon whom the other depends.  What is restored to both the centurion and the widow are people whose worth to them is valued above any substitute, someone who is loved.  In the first case, Jesus marvels at his faith, and in the second, he feels compassion for the widow.  Consistent in His portrayal in the Gospels, Jesus responds to the woman's weeping, just as He did to Mary at the death of Lazarus.   But it's the restoration here, in both cases, that we focus on.  This restoration is a kind of justice; it's justice as a form of grace and mercy.  What was lost has been restored, found again -- the loss replaced.  And I think this is a very important aspect of what Jesus does in His compassion and His willingness to listen and understand.  The centurion, a man of power, seems to understand Jesus in some way a little better than everyone else does; he realizes what power is and what commands are, and what is possible.  And so, for him, the restoration happens from "another space," so to speak, already completed when his friends return home.  The weeping widow touches his compassion.  But in both cases, it is restoration that is the end result.  In our own lives, these exemplary healings also can be signals for God's restorative powers.  We may not find the exact thing we lost -- although that can often happen!  But if restoration doesn't take place exactly as we envisioned or without a replacement of the precise object that is lost, we just may find that through prayer, restoration happens although it takes a different form than what we lost.  How many people, through prayer, even in sadness at loss, eventually find a kind of restoration that is eventually seen to be better than what was lost.  There were times in my life I thought I'd lost something I loved that was irreplaceable:  a particular job, for example; or the pursuit of a kind of study.  But eventually, those things were to be replaced with something else that gave me a different and better direction, something that placed me more directly on a path toward God.  I know countless others who can tell me the same thing.  It's important that we understand we turn to Christ in our losses.  We may not find an exact replica of what or who we've lost, but we also may find something new, something that places us on a surer path to Him that comes our way.  A loss can even be an opening, clearing the way for something new and better for us, even surprisingly so.  One way or another, restoration is part of God's love and mercy, and thereby God's justice for us.  We should always remember these stories, and learn to place our loss in the hands of Christ.  And then it is time to keep our faith strong, to open our hearts, our minds, and our eyes to what may be restored in our lives -- even the gift of a new direction not previously understood nor considered.  God's grace becomes something that works with our patience.  His love is what we must hold in our hearts.  And there in that love we find, also, the communion that includes beloved ones who may be deceased -- to whom we also will be restored in "another place."