Tim Francis

Gospel – Luke 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.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

646 Christ’s Resurrection was not a return to earthly life, as was the case with the raisings from the dead that he had performed before Easter: Jairus’ daughter, the young man of Nain, Lazarus.  These actions were miraculous events, but the persons miraculously raised returned by Jesus’ power to ordinary earthly life.  At some particular moment they would die again. Christ’s Resurrection is essentially different.  In His risen body He passes from the state of death to another life beyond time and space. At Jesus’ Resurrection his body is filled with the power of the Holy Spirit: he shares the divine life in his glorious state, so that St. Paul can say that Christ is “the man of heaven.”

From “The Great Crusade of Love” Testimony of Catalina Rivas (CL-91:4)

UNITE YOURSELVES TO ME AS I AM UNITED TO YOU

4) I became man precisely because you and everyone had to see that I, like you, wanted to experience the common sorrows as well as My personal ones.  Remember My trembling upon passing the funeral procession of Nain; remember Lazarus already buried; reflect on the crowd that followed Me to the mount and had nothing to eat; reflect on the apostles’ condescension about their material needs.  Reflect, especially, how I took great pains to give My Mother a son that would take My place, even if materially, since I was leaving Her alone in the world.  It is true that in each of these actions I based Myself on affirming high concepts, Divine truths, supernatural power, and My ultimate mission; yet the truth remains that I acted as man before I acted like God, as Redeemer.

Each week we will be presenting a portion of the following Sunday’s readings, and linking it to relevant parts of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and messages from the Testimony of Catalina.  Pay special attention to the italicized underlined sections. We hope this is inspiring and educational. Any comments you have are certainly welcomed.