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Contemplating today's Gospel

Today's Gospel + homily (in 300 words)

Tuesday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
View 1st Reading and Psalm
1st Reading (1Tim 3:1-13): Beloved, this saying is trustworthy: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. Therefore, a bishop must be irreproachable, married only once, temperate, self-controlled, decent, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not aggressive, but gentle, not contentious, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, keeping his children under control with perfect dignity; for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of the Church of God? He should not be a recent convert, so that he may not become conceited and thus incur the Devil's punishment. He must also have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, the Devil's trap.

Similarly, deacons must be dignified, not deceitful, not addicted to drink, not greedy for sordid gain, holding fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. Moreover, they should be tested first; then, if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. Women, similarly, should be dignified, not slanderers, but temperate and faithful in everything. Deacons may be married only once and must manage their children and their households well. Thus those who serve well as deacons gain good standing and much confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.
Responsorial Psalm: 100
R/. I will walk with blameless heart.
Of mercy and judgment I will sing; to you, o Lord, I will sing praise. I will persevere in the way of integrity; when will you come to me?

I will walk with blameless heart, within my house; I will not set before my eyes any base thing.

Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him will I destroy. The man of haughty eyes and puffed up heart I will not endure.

My eyes are upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me. He who walks in the way of integrity shall be in my service.
Versicle before the Gospel (Lk 7:16): Alleluia. A great prophet has arisen in our midst and God has visited his people. Alleluia.
Gospel text (Lk 7:11-17): Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, "Do not weep." He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, "Young man, I tell you, arise!" The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, "A great prophet has arisen in our midst," and "God has visited his people." This report about him spread through the whole of Judea and in all the surrounding region.

“Young man, I tell you, arise!”

Fr. Joan SERRA i Fontanet (Barcelona, Spain)

Today, two processions meet. One procession that accompanies death and another that accompanies life. A poor widow, followed by her family and friends, was taking her son to the cemetery and suddenly sees the crowd that was following Jesus. The two processions cross paths and stop, and Jesus says to the mother who was about to bury her son: "Do not weep" (Luke 7:13). Everyone stares at Jesus, who does not remain indifferent to the pain and suffering of that poor mother, but, on the contrary, takes pity on her and restores her son's life. To find Jesus is to find life, for Jesus said of himself: "I am the resurrection and the life" (Jn 11:25). Saint Braulio of Saragossa wrote: "The hope of resurrection encourages us because we shall see again those whom we lose here below."

Reading the Gospel passage that tells us about the resurrection of the young man of Nain, I could emphasize the divinity of Jesus and insist on it, saying that only God can bring a young man back to life; but today I would prefer to highlight His humanity, so that we don't see Jesus as a distant being, as someone so different from us, or as someone so overly important that does not inspire in us the trust that a good friend can.

We Christians must know how to imitate Jesus. We must ask God for the grace to be Christ for others. May everyone who sees us behold an image of Jesus on earth! Those who saw Saint Francis of Assisi, for example, saw the living image of Jesus. Saints are those who carry Jesus in their words and deeds and imitate his way of acting and his goodness. Our society needs saints, and you can be one of them in your community.

Thoughts on Today's Gospel

  • “Christ is the definitive incarnation of mercy, its living sign.” (Saint John Paul II)

  • “What moved Jesus in all of these situations was nothing other than mercy, with which he read the hearts of those he encountered and responded to their deepest need.” (Francis)

  • “Jesus links faith in the resurrection to his own person: ‘I am the Resurrection and the life’ (Jn 11:25). (…) Already now in this present life he gives a sign and pledge of this by restoring some of the dead to life.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Nº 994)

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