Young man, I tell you, arise!

18 SEPTEMBER (Lk 7,11-17)

The Holy Scripture reveals us the extraordinary simplicity of Jesus in the resurrection of some people whose soul had already left their body. It also reveals us the complexity or difficulty of Elijah and Elisha in giving life to a body without a soul.

Some time later the son of the mistress of the house fell sick, and his sickness grew more severe until he stopped breathing. So she said to Elijah, “Why have you done this to me, O man of God? Have you come to me to call attention to my guilt and to kill my son?” “Give me your son,” Elijah said to her. Taking him from her lap, he carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed. He called out to the Lord: “O Lord, my God, will you afflict even the widow with whom I am staying by killing her son?” Then he stretched himself out upon the child three times and called out to the Lord: “O Lord, my God, let the life breath return to the body of this child.” The Lord heard the prayer of Elijah; the life breath returned to the child’s body and he revived. Taking the child, Elijah brought him down into the house from the upper room and gave him to his mother. “See!” Elijah said to her, “your son is alive.” “Now indeed I know that you are a man of God,” the woman replied to Elijah. “The word of the Lord comes truly from your mouth.” (1Kings 17,17-24).

“Gird your loins,” Elisha said to Gehazi, “take my staff with you and be off; if you meet anyone, do not greet him, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff upon the boy.” But the boy’s mother cried out: “As the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not release you.” So he started to go back with her. Meanwhile, Gehazi had gone on ahead and had laid the staff upon the boy, but there was no sound or sign of life. He returned to meet Elisha and informed him that the boy had not awakened. When Elisha reached the house, he found the boy lying dead. He went in, closed the door on them both, and prayed to the Lord. Then he lay upon the child on the bed, placing his mouth upon the child’s mouth, his eyes upon the eyes, and his hands upon the hands. As Elisha stretched himself over the child, the body became warm. He arose, paced up and down the room, and then once more lay down upon the boy, who now sneezed seven times and opened his eyes. Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite.” She came at his call, and Elisha said to her, “Take your son.” She came in and fell at his feet in gratitude; then she took her son and left the room” (2 Kings 4,29-37).

The simplicity of Jesus is the fruit of his most high holiness, which is most pure obedience to his Father. Higher, greater, more complete, perfect, without gaps is our obedience to God and more immediate is the obedience of creation to our command of love and for love, of compassion and for compassion, of piety and for piety.

Soon afterward he 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 sees this woman. He sees her in her affliction. She remained alone. She no longer has any one on whom she can confide. He has mercy on her. His heart is moved to compassion. He approaches. Touches the coffin. Orders the child to get up. He returns him to his mother. The miracle is always the result of Jesus’ great love for man. Love itself is the greatest miracle that a man can do. It is always a great miracle, especially when it is a constant, and universal love, that lasts a lifetime.

People see the miracle. It is a true sign of the presence of God, who again came to visit his people, to bring to it his blessing. People see God in Jesus Christ. They see him as his instrument, his prophet, his mediator of truth, grace, goodness, and mercy. If we think that every disciple of Jesus is presence of Christ in the world and the world does not even notice it, we must confess that we are little mediators and too little saints. God does not visit his people through us. He wishes he could.

Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels, and Saints make us presence of God.