Luke 7

Luke 7:11

JESUS RAISES FROM THE DEAD THE SON OF THE WIDOW OF NAIM

[Luke 7, 11-17]

NOW it came to pass after this that Jesus went into a city called Naim (Fig. 73)¹, and there went with Him His disciples and a great multitude. As He drew near the gates of the

city, behold, a dead man was carried out², the only son of a widow. The poor mother³, plunged in sorrow, walked after the bier, and a number of friends and relatives accompanied her.

¹ Naim was a town of some importance about twenty miles south of Capharnaum on the main road.

² Carried out. It was the custom among the Jews to bury the dead on the day of their death. The body was carried to the grave on a bier, without a cover, the mourners following the bier.

³ The poor mother. She walked behind the bier, bowed down with grief and weeping. Her husband had died many years before, and she had not married

— 490 XXIII. JESUS RAISES FROM THE DEAD THE SON OF THE WIDOW OF NAIM.

When the Divine Saviour saw the bereaved mother, He was moved with compassion and said to her: “Weep not”$^(1)$. Then coming near He made a sign to the bearers to stop, and touching the bier, He said: “Young man, I say to thee, arise!” Forthwith the young man sat up, and began to speak$^(2)$. Then Jesus gave him$^(3)$ to his mother. And all who witnessed this great miracle were afraid, and glorified God, saying: “A great prophet$^(4)$ is risen up among us and God hath visited$^(5)$ His people.'

COMMENTARY.

The Omnipotence of our Lord. In the last chapter we heard how Jesus cured a man who was at the very gates of death. In this chapter,

a second time, so as to be able to live entirely for her son and now he, her only son, her hope and stay, on whom her whole heart was set, was torn from her by death, in the flower of his youth. The joy of her life was taken from her, and she would gladly have died also. But she was a faithful Israelite, and she knew that the time of the Messias had come. She hoped that she might behold Him before she died; and, next to her natural and maternal grief, the thought that pained her most about the loss of her son, was that now he could never hope to see the Messias. Perhaps she was trying to console herself with the thoughts of Him who was to come, when all at once the bearers of the dead body stood still, and a Voice, solemn, yet full of tenderness, said to her: “Weep not!”

$^(1)$ Weep not. “What!” she might well have said, “am I, the mother, not to weep, when my only child is being borne to the grave?” It would, indeed, have sounded like irony, if any one else had forbidden a mother to weep under those circumstances, but there was a something that made her pause. He who said to her: “Weep not!” came from the north, accompanied by a great crowd which was gazing on Him with reverence; and there was something in the tone of His Voice which brought comfort to her heart! Could this be the great Prophet of whose miracles at Capharnaum she had heard?

$^(2)$ Began to speak. A proof that his soul had returned to his body. What did he say? He had awakened, finding himself stretched on a bier! He saw the bearers and the accompanying crowd clad in garments of mourning. All is plain to him now! The funeral procession is his own! He has been dead, and is alive again! In front of him stands a Man of divine dignity, at whom everyone is gazing with wonderment. It must be He who has called him back to life! May we not take it for granted that he threw himself at the feet of Jesus and thanked Him?

$^(3)$ Gave him. She was speechless with amazement. Her son seemed to be alive again; and yet she knew not if she were dreaming or awake! But Jesus took the risen man, and, leading him up to her, gave him to her. Then tears of joy flowed from her eyes. She pressed her restored son to her heart and could not find words wherewith to thank Him who had given him back to her.

$^(4)$ A great prophet. The great prophets Elias and Eliseus had restored the dead to life, and therefore, seeing that our Lord called back men from the dead, they judged that He also was a great Prophet.

$^(5)$ Visited. God hath been gracious to His chosen people by sending among them this great and wonder-working Prophet.

— XXIII. JESUS RAISES FROM THE DEAD THE SON OF THE WIDOW OF NAIM. 491

a still greater miracle is related, namely the calling back to life by our Lord of a young man who was actually dead. Elias, too, (Old Test. LXII) raised the dead; not, however, by his own power, but by his prayers; for we are told that he stretched himself three times on the body of the widow’s son, and prayed fervently to God, saying: “O Lord, my God, let the soul of this child, I beseech Thee, return into his body.” And at the prayer of the holy prophet God called the dead boy back to life. Therefore Elias did not of himself raise the dead, but he prayed to God, and in answer to his prayer God restored the boy to life. The raising up of the young man of Naim was quite different. Our Lord did not pray to God to raise him up, but commanded the dead man, saying: “Young man, I say to thee, arise!” and immediately the youth sat up and spoke. It was by His own Almighty word and power that He raised up this young man, and He showed thereby that He was not only a Prophet, but the Almighty Lord of life and death, or, in other words, that He was God. Elias prayed as a servant; Jesus commanded as God!

The witnesses of this miracle. Jesus performed this stupendous miracle on the public highway, in the presence of many witnesses. Two crowds of people, the one following the body to the grave, and the other accompanying Himself, heard Him command the young man to arise, and beheld the dead man sit up alive and well. Is it not foolish, therefore, of unbelievers to deny the miracles of Jesus?

The Sacred Heart of Jesus. When Jesus saw the deep grief of the mother, the Gospel tells us, He was “moved with compassion”, and worked a great miracle to console her. In all the troubles of this life, if we turn to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we shall find sympathy and consolation. Our Lord’s example teaches us that we too ought to comfort the afflicted, especially widows.

A work of mercy. To perform the last services for the dead and to pray for their souls is a spiritual work of mercy.

The love of parents for their children, and of children for their parents. The intensity of the sorrow which overwhelmed the widow of Naim proves how much she had loved her son. The love of parents for their children being as great as it is, children should not repay their love with ingratitude, by vexing and grieving them. The young man of Naim must have been a good son, or the inhabitants of the town would not have followed him to the grave.

The miracle of conversion. The fathers of the Church see in the raising to life of the young man of Naim a type of the conversion of sinners. The raising up of a sinner from the death of mortal sin is a greater miracle of divine power and love than the raising to life of a dead body. “The widowed mother rejoiced, when her son was raised

— XXIV. JOHN THE BAPTIST SENDS MESSENGERS TO CHRIST.

from the dead. Our Mother, the Church, rejoices still more over those who are raised from a spiritual death” (St. Augustine).

APPLICATION. Imagine that you yourself were dead and laid in your coffin, and that our Lord raised you from the dead. How, under such circumstances, you would thank God, and promise faithfully to love Him for ever! But, in fact, each morning of your life, God calls you, as it were, back to life. He has hitherto preserved your life, renewing it to you day by day. Have you thanked Him for this gift? Do you say your prayers every morning? Never again omit to say them! And when you say them, thank God for the new day of life which He has vouchsafed to give you; and make good resolutions, offering to Him all your thoughts, words and actions of the day.

How do you behave, when you follow a body to the grave? When you do so, pray for the soul of the person who is about to be buried, and think of your own death.

Luke 7:15

JOHN THE BAPTIST SENDS MESSENGERS TO CHRIST

[Luke 7, 15-15]

HEROD Antipas, the son of that Herod who had ordered the massacre of the Innocents, was now king of Galilee and Peræa. This Herod was living with Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, while the latter was still alive. Now John the Baptist said to him: “It is not lawful¹ for thee to have thy brother’s wife.”

This rebuke provoked the wrath of Herod and Herodias. John was apprehended, bound and put in prison². Herod would

¹ Not lawful. You were told in chapter XVI that Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee, had thrown the holy Baptist into prison, the Pharisees having delivered him up to him. In this chapter we are told the reason why Herod persecuted John. He had, in defiance of God’s commandment, taken to himself the wife of his half-brother Philip. Gently but solemnly the holy Baptist reminded the light minded king of God’s commandment, and said to him, “It is not lawful for thee to have her.”

² In prison. He was kept shut up in the fortress of Machærus, which stood on a high rock to the east of the Dead Sea. His imprisonment, however, was not a very severe one, for his disciples had access to him, and were able to tell him about the wonderful works of Jesus.

— XXIV. JOHN THE BAPTIST SENDS MESSENGERS TO CHRIST.

have put him to death, but he feared$^(1)$ the people, who considered John a great prophet.

John, being now in prison, and having no other desire than that all should believe in Jesus and follow Him, sent two of his disciples$^(2)$, in order that with their own eyes they might see the miracles wrought by Jesus, and with their own ears hear His admirable teaching.

These disciples then presented themselves before Jesus, saying: “Art Thou He who is to come?$^(3)$ or look we for another?” Jesus answered: “Go, and relate$^(4)$ to John what you have seen and heard. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are made clean, the deaf hear, the dead rise again, to the poor the gospel is preached; and blessed is he that shall not be scandalized$^(5)$ in me.”

$^(1)$ He feared. Herodias hated him, and was only waiting her opportunity to take his life. She was an ambitious and passionate woman, and could not forgive the holy man for his boldness and freedom of speech.

$^(2)$ Sent two of his disciples. John himself had no doubt whatever, that Jesus was the Messias and Son of God; for this was the burden of his preaching on the banks of the Jordan. But it was different with many of his disciples, especially those who had not seen but only heard of the works of our Lord. In order to confirm their faith, John sends them to Jesus to ask Him directly whether He was the Messias. Our Lord answers them indirectly by referring them to his works. This would confirm the Baptist’s own testimony of Jesus.

$^(3)$ Who is to come. Namely the promised Redeemer. This question shows plainly what it was that John wanted. He asked for no proof, no sign from Jesus, only a brief assertion as to who He was, which would confirm his own testimony of Him. This inquiry of the Baptist is, as it were, his final testimony that Jesus was the Messias, for he thereby declared to the whole world that one simple assertion on our Lord’s part was sufficient to command unconditional belief in Him.

$^(4)$ Relate. St. Luke (7, 21) says: “At that same hour (when John sent his disciples), He (Jesus) cared many of their diseases and hurts, and evil spirits, and to many that were blind He gave sight.” Our Lord referred John’s disciples for an answer to the works which they saw Him do. “Go”, said He, “relate to John” &c. By these words He referred to the prophecy of Isaías (Old Test. LXXII) which foretells that the Redeemer, when He came, would perform such works as these. Therefore the meaning of our Lord’s answer is this: “You see with your own eyes that I am doing the works foretold of the Messias by Isaías; therefore you can plainly see that I am the Redeemer who was promised.”

$^(5)$ Scandalized. Who does not take offence at my poverty and lowliness, my sufferings and death. The lowliness and sufferings of Jesus were also foretold by Isaías (Old Test. LXXII); but as the Jews expected a Messias who would appear with pomp and power, and would humble the enemies of Israel, His poverty and humility were the greatest hindrances to faith. The Gospel does not tell us what impression our Lord’s message made on St. John, but we can without difficulty conceive that the holy Precursor, who was well versed in the prophecies of Isaías, received our Lord’s answer with joy, and that it brought consolation to him in prison, and later on when he suffered a cruel death.

— XXV. THE PENITENT MAGDALEN. COMMENTARY.

Jesus is the Messias. The miracles of Jesus, so completely coinciding as they do with the prophecies of Isaias, are conclusive evidence that Jesus was the promised Redeemer.

Candour and fortitude of St. John. He exercised his office of preacher of penance not only to the multitude, but to the great and powerful as well.

To admonish sinners is a spiritual work of mercy.

APPLICATION. Do you try, as St. John the Baptist did, to prevent sin as far as you are able? If your brothers or comrades desire to do anything wrong, you too should say: “It is not lawful- it is a sin.”

Luke 7:37

THE PENITENT MAGDALEN

[Luke 7, 37 to 8, 3. Cf. Mat. 26, 7. Mark 14, 3. John 11, 2 and 12, 3]

IN those days a Pharisee named Simon invited Jesus to a banquet¹ (Fig. 74). Jesus went into the house and sat down to table. Now there was in the city a woman² called Mary Magdalen, who, having been a great sinner³, had recently been converted by the preaching of Jesus. When she heard that our Lord was in the house of Simon, she resolved to honour her Divine Benefactor.

She brought an alabaster-box of precious ointment, entered the house, passed through the dining-room unmindful of the guests, fell down⁴ before our Lord without speaking a word, and, breaking the vase, she poured the ointment on His feet. Then, filled with repentance, she began to kiss His feet, and to wash them with her tears, and to wipe them with the hair of her head. And Jesus was pleased.

¹ A banquet. At which several other guests were present.

² A woman. It is a tradition that she was called Mary Magdalen, or Mary of Magdala, a city on the Lake of Genesareth

³ A great sinner. Every person in the town knew that she had led a bad life. She must have been rich, as she had with her, we are told, an alabaster-box of precious ointment.

⁴ Fell down. She did not speak a word, but performed her work silently and weeping. Her tears betrayed what was in her heart, namely, a deep contrition for her sins.

— XXV. THE PENITENT MAGDALEN.

Now Simon, seeing this, spoke within himself: “This man, if He were a prophet, would surely know¹ who and what kind of woman this is who toucheth Him, that she is a sinner.” Jesus, reading his thoughts, said to him: “Simon, I have something to say to thee.” But he answered: “Master, say it.” Then our Lord

said: “A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed him five hundred pence, and the other fifty. And whereas they had not wherewith to pay,

he forgave them both. Which, therefore, of the two, loveth his master most?” Simon replied: “I suppose that he to whom he forgave most.” Jesus answered: “Thou hast judged rightly.“²

Then, pointing to the woman, He said: “Dost thou see this woman? I entered into thy house; thou gavest Me no water for My feet; but she hath washed My feet with tears, and dried them with her hair. Thou gavest Me no kiss³; but she, since she came

¹ Would surely know. Being full of self-satisfaction, and hard of heart, the Pharisee despised the poor sinner, and did not think it possible that a prophet of God could accept any service from such a one. And because our Lord did accept the service from her, Simon decided that He could not know she was a sinner, and could not, therefore, be either prophet or Messias. But Jesus now showed him that He was able to see into his heart, and read his most secret thoughts, and that therefore He knew perfectly well what sort of woman she was whose service of love He had accepted; at the same time He wished to show the Pharisee why He had thus accepted it.

² Judged rightly. By the debtor who owed five hundred pence (about £ 17 of our money) is to be understood the poor sinful woman, while our Lord intended the man who owed fifty pence to represent Simon, who considered himself ten times as good as the woman. Simon, not perceiving the gist of the parable, answered at once that that debtor would love his creditor most, to whom most had been forgiven.

³ Thou gavest Me no kiss. In order to understand our Lord’s interpretation of the parable, it is necessary to know that among the Jews it was an act of common courtesy to bestow a kiss on guests and give them water to wash their feet. The heads of distinguished guests, to whom it was desirable to show special honour, were anointed with oil. Simon had paid no such honour to Jesus, and

— XXV. THE PENITENT MAGDALEN.

in, hath not ceased to kiss My feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint; but she with ointment hath anointed My feet. Wherefore, I say to thee, many sins¹ are forgiven her, because she hath loved much. But to whom less is forgiven, he loveth less.“²

Then turning to Magdalen, He said: “Thy sins are forgiven thee. Thy faith³ hath made thee safe⁴. Go in peace.“⁵

COMMENTARY.

The Divinity of our Lord. In this story our Lord manifested His Divinity in several ways. He showed His Omniscience by His knowledge of Simon’s secret thoughts, and of the loving repentance of the poor sinner. He is the creditor to whom all sinners owe a debt, which none of us are able to pay, and from which we can only beg Him to release us. He is the Holy God whom our sins offend, and He forgives us by His own power, which only God can do.

The Compassion of Jesus. He also manifested Himself as the gentle and merciful Redeemer who came not to judge but to save, and who does not thrust sinners from Him, but draws them to Him by His grace, and pardons those who are contrite. He did not reproach the penitent woman; He defended her against the harsh judgment of the Pharisee, praised her works of penance, and by His words of absolution poured balm into her wounded heart.

had even neglected the most common duties of hospitality, probably considering, in his pride, that an invitation to his house was, of itself, quite sufficient honour for the poor, low-born Jesus of Nazareth. Then our Lord made plain to the Pharisee his want of courtesy and respect by contrasting it with the very opposite treatment he had received from the woman.—He had withheld ordinary water; she was lavish with the water of her tears. He had bestowed no kiss on his guest’s face, but she showered countless kisses on His feet. He did not anoint Jesus’ head with even common oil; she poured the most precious ointment over His feet.

¹ Many sins. The woman had showed a great love, because her many sins were forgiven her.

² Loveth less. Like the Pharisee, who, in his self-satisfaction, thought that God had very little to forgive him.

³ Thy faith. In Me, the Redeemer.

⁴ Safe. Has given you the hope of pardon, and moved you to contrition and penance.

⁵ In peace. Thus our Lord, for the consolation of this poor woman, pronounced the words of that forgiveness, which her love had already gained for her. At these words of our Lord a heavenly peace took possession of the heart of the penitent sinner. She had obtained that which she had so earnestly desired, viz. pardon and grace. These gracious words none but a God, and a God of infinite mercy and goodness, could have spoken. They have been ever since, and will be to the end of time, a source of hope and consolation to repentant sinners.

— XXV. THE PENITENT MAGDALEN.

A model of penance. Magdalen is a model of a true penitent by her conversion, contrition, confession, satisfaction and perseverance. She was a woman given over to the vanities and pleasures of this world, who led an evil and frivolous life. She heard of our Lord’s miracles; and, full of curiosity, she joined the crowd which followed Him, in order to see and hear Him. She saw the wonderful cure of the leper; she gazed on our Lord’s countenance, and her heart was touched; she heard His words: “Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” and she opened her heart to His words. She listened to the Sermon on the Mount; she saw what real goodness meant, and she saw the depth of her own wickedness. The reproaches of her conscience became stronger, and her fear of the judgment greater. She believed in Jesus, and she longed for pardon. She had heard how He had forgiven the sins of the palsied man; she knew that He could forgive her sins as well, and she hoped that He would. As she prayed and thought over the words of Jesus, and the miserable condition of her own soul, there grew within her a greater horror of sin, and a love for our Lord which was full of hope. At last, she found the long waited for opportunity to approach the Holy One, and open her heart to Him. But when she stood before Him, she could utter no word; and then, sobbing, she fell at His Feet and bathed them with her tears. She had loosened her beautiful hair, her cherished adornment, and with it she wiped our Lord’s Feet. She broke her vase, and poured the precious ointment over them, to testify her veneration and love. She abased herself as far as she could, and did penance in public, because it was in public that she had sinned. “Her heart was so full of inward shame, that she minded not the outward shame in the eyes of men” (St. Gregory). Her tears were her confession; her abasement and service of love were her satisfaction. Magdalen was converted and renounced for ever the vanities of the world. We shall find her at the foot of the Cross, and at the feet of the risen Lord. She did severe penance to the end of her life, and is venerated by the Church as a great Saint.

Faith is, as we see in the case of Magdalen, the root of justification. Our Lord therefore said to her: “Thy faith hath made thee safe”; because from her faith had proceeded perfect contrition.

Love and the forgiveness of sin. Many sins were forgiven to this woman, because she loved much (for perfect contrition proceeds from perfect love); and after she had received forgiveness of her sins, she loved in proportion to the amount of forgiveness she had received. How could it be otherwise? If any one wishes to receive pardon of God for the sins which he has committed, the first thing he must do is, by the help of God, to conceive a hatred of his sins, and he must make, at least, an attempt to return to God, or, in other words, to love God. Thus, with even the most imperfect contrition there must be united some spark of the love of God. But it is only when a sinner’s heart turns with perfect love to God, that He will impart to him the grace

KNECHT, Commentary. 3. ed. — 498 XXVI. JESUS HEALS THE MAN LANGUISHING THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS.

of justification and sanctification. This grace of justification enables man to love God still more. Thus love is, at the same time, the cause and the effect of the forgiveness of sins.

The Pharisee’s pride and hardness of heart. It is a great and noble thing to repent of and acknowledge our sins. The proud Pharisee, however, despised the penitent woman, and was unmoved by her tears of contrition. And because Jesus showed Himself to be a true Saviour, and had compassion on the penitent sinner, Simon refused to believe in Him. Thus, even the divine love and compassion of Jesus served as a pretext for unbelief.

APPLICATION. Magdalen was not ashamed to do public penance, and in the midst of a joyous banquet to come forward as a penitent sinner. And yet are not you ashamed to own your sins in secret to God’s representative, who is bound to silence, and make a good and sincere confession? Where is your contrition? You should say with St. Alphonsus: “Oh that I could weep for ever to think that I could have sinned against Thee, O God—to think that I should be faithless and ungrateful—to think that I should be a traitor!”