Luke 7: 11-17
Soon afterwards Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. As he approached the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow; and with her was a large crowd from the town.
When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, rise!” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.
Fear seized all of them; and they glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has risen among us!” and “God has looked favorably on his people!” This word about him spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding country.
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
God Always Notices
God is always looking to accompany us. Today, we hear of a heartbreaking situation – a widow experiencing the loss of her only son. In this situation of grief and suffering, where is Jesus? Even in a large crowd, Jesus notices the woman and moves toward her. He is right at her side.
Jesus notices us, too, in this exact same way. He is always looking for ways to move closer to us. Sometimes we may feel invisible – going unrecognized at work, feeling unnoticed at home, or carrying struggles silently because we are afraid to share them with others. Amidst all these challenges, however, we are never invisible to Jesus. He sees and hears us, noticing us for who we are – his brothers and sisters called to share in his never-ending love and joy.
Are we aware of the ways in which Jesus might be making his closeness known today?
—Brian Kemper, SJ, is a Jesuit scholastic of the Midwest Province currently studying philosophy at the ITESO, the Jesuit University of Guadalajara, Mexico.
Prayer
Lord, you have searched me, you know me:
You know when I sit and stand;
You understand my thoughts from afar.
You sift through my travels and my rest;
With all my ways you are familiar.
Lord, you know it all.
—Psalm 139
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Pray with the monthly prayer intentions of the pope.