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” (Lk 7:13-14).

Jesus saw the woman who was a widow and her only son was now in a casket. In the time of Jesus, this woman would have little means to support or protect herself. Jesus’ immediate response for her was pity or compassion. The original Greek word used was splanchnizomai, meaning that Jesus was moved from the very depths of his bowels. The emotional depths to which Jesus was moved to reach out and help the widow of Nain, shows us his humanity, the healing of the son, bringing him back from the dead shows us his divinity, the entire event shows us the best of who we can be as his followers.

Instead of fear, judgment, prejudice, or indifference, may we seek to understand, to place ourselves in the shoes of those who feel vulnerable, misunderstood, and find themselves on the margins. May we be moved from the very depths of our innards with the same compassion of Jesus toward those, who, like the widow, are vulnerable, at risk, and on the peripheries. We in the Church need to be welcoming, hospitable, willing to walk with others, to share their journeys. We need to be present, be willing to listen to their needs, their pleas, and seek to find options to address those needs that respect their dignity as human beings created in the image and likeness of God.

Does anyone come to mind? Let us take time this day to pray that God may open our hearts and minds to see the vulnerable among us, maybe even in our own families, those who are in need, those needing someone to be present, to be understanding. Especially, those who we may have in the past discounted, or have come up with rationalizations of why they ought not to receive any help, even if not from us. If someone or a group of people come to mind and you are unsure what to do or how you can help, begin by praying for them, and seeing those who come to mind as human beings like the widow that Jesus had compassion for. If we can see others as human beings, with dignity, we will be moving in the direction of being able to act with the compassion of Jesus.

Image: James Tissot

Link for today’s Mass readings:

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/091917.cfm