spicebush butterfly

September 13, 2005

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.
Jesus has raised the man from the dead. Just as Lazarus was raised from the dead, the young man of Nain returns from death to life. Jesus shows the crowd His Divinity and compassion for the mourning mother.

He must have been filled with sorrow for His own mother, Mary at the time of His own suffering. So many parts of the Scriptures foretell the coming Passion of Christ. Jesus fulfilled the Hebrew predictions of a great prophet coming and that God would visit the people.