Tuesday of the Twenty-Fourth Week of Ordinary Time

Lectio

   Luke 7:11–17

Meditatio

“Jesus gave him to his mother.”

   As is customary, the men of the village lead the way, followed by the stretcher bearing the body—the body of her son. She shuffles along behind the bier, head down and tears dripping into the dust of the road. Behind her walk the other women of Nain. The music of flutes and the wailing of professional mourners fills the air. It had all happened so suddenly. Of necessity the body has to be buried on the same day her son died. She can’t wrap her mind around it: the form on the stretcher, with the white cloth over his face, is her own dear boy, the only survivor of his siblings. He is also her sole support—her provider and protector. Or rather, he had been all this. The full import of what is happening washes over her, and she almost stumbles.

   She realizes that someone is walking beside her. “Don’t cry,” says a deep voice. She looks up, blinks back the tears, and meets the compassionate gaze of—who? The man touches the stretcher, and the bearers stop. Then the unbelievable happens. He tells her son to get up; the young man sits up straight. Someone removes the cloth from his face, and he begins to ask: “What’s happening? What am I doing on this …?” Meanwhile, the itinerant rabbi takes the mother by the arm and brings her to her son.

   Thinking about this, I realize that something hasn’t changed since that time. First-century Israel had its marginalized people, which included widows and orphans. Twenty-first century North America has its own marginalized people—a list too lengthy to enumerate. We might have opportunities to help some of these fellow human beings materially, but there’s something else we can always do. We can remember them in prayer.

Oratio

   God, my Father, today I ask you to especially bless these people whom I do not know but you know: the marginalized teenager in the nearest high school; the new immigrant family in town; the lonely widower in the most poorly run nursing home in our area; the neglected child in our school system; the needy, unwed mother in this county. Grant to these persons the grace and courage they need to deal with their situations. Inspire men and women to reach out to them in Christian compassion, bringing each of them the possibility of a brighter future. I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Contemplatio

   O God, visit your people again!

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ORDINARY GRACE Weeks 18–34: Daily Gospel Reflections (By the Daughters of St. Paul)