FROM THE PASTOR Dear Friends of Saint Kevin, In the spectacular events recalled in today’s Gospel, we see God’s power at work in the raising to life the son of the widow Nain. Luke describes the events with great simplicity and surprisingly few words. Jesus, enters the city and there encounters a funeral cortege. Presumably it is like any other funeral cortege, mourners carry the deceased followed by family members. It is a familiar scene; yet, it is somewhat different too, for here the chief mourner is a widowed mother and the deceased is her only son. To better understand the importance of these details and a reason why Jesus ultimately does what he does, we need to remember that under Jewish law special care of widows was always taken because in a world before welfare and life insurance a widow was often left to rely on the generosity and charity of others. This was especially true of a widow without children to take care of her. Here, this widow is now all alone and vulnerable. It is this vulnerability that moves Jesus to pity and causes him to intervene in such a miraculous and even spectacular manner. In doing so, Jesus shows his very heart and the depth of his compassion to all who grieve and are in need. In the midst of great sadness and pain, He turns the very laws of nature upside down; one who is dead is restored to life and restored to family and community. It is no surprise that the response of the people is one of great rejoicing, mixed with even greater fear. How else would one react to an event such as this? Yet one can equally imagine the questions that were voiced: Who is this Jesus? By what power did he do this? And yet as we know, this was not the first time that someone acting in God’s name had performed such a great miracle. Our first reading from Kings recalls how Elijah prayed to restore to life the son of the widow Zarephath, preserving her from the fate of being left alone to fend for herself. Indeed, as we survey the history of God’s people we see many moments where God has miraculously intervened in the life of his people. Sometimes those interventions are as miraculous as the raising of the dead. Others are less spectacular and yet not less life changing. Paul himself experienced a life changing encounter with Christ along the road to Damascus, one that changed him from a persecutor of the early Church to one of its greatest Apostles and evangelists. Perhaps as we heard these readings proclaimed today we might have reflected on how we need that gentle, life changing touch of Christ in our own lives. Where do Christ’s great compassion and concern need to touch our lives and to bring its healing to our sometimes tired and weary spirits? What part of our lives needs to be revived? The compassion that Jesus demonstrates in today’s Gospel is the same compassion that he extends to each one of us every day. God is indeed with his people offering us a share in his eternal life. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all those who will be or have graduated from grade school, high school or college. May the new endeavors you will be experiencing be ones of joy and hope. Sincerely in Christ Father John C. Moloney REMEMBER YOUR CATHOLIC CHARITIES APPEAL FOR THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA.
Posted on: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 10:23:06 +0000
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