“When Jesus had finished all these sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capernaum. The next day Jesus came to a city called Nain; and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, a widow; and many people from the city were with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” And he came and touched the coffin. And those who carried it stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise!” And the dead man sat up and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother. And they were all afraid, and glorified God, saying, “A great prophet has appeared among us, and God has visited his people.” LUKE 7:1, 11-17
Jesus was in Capernaum and he is going towards Nain.
This biblical passage describes a funeral ritual that differs considerably from the one we observe today. In our time, funerals are marked by solemnity and respect, marked by our respectful silence towards the grieving family. However, in this passage, the funeral ceremonies were quite different. The funerals were accompanied by musicians playing flutes and tambourines in the procession. In addition, people were paid to mourn the deceased. These professional mourners, called mourners, were hired specifically to weep aloud, screaming and wailing, making this profession a notable aspect of the funeral culture of the time.
A multitude, bathed in tears, follows the funeral procession, advancing slowly towards the cemetery. Meanwhile, another crowd advances in the opposite direction, a joyful and excited crowd following an extraordinary man, witness to unimaginable miracles and wonders. Every day, this crowd celebrates its victories. The two crowds converge on a central point: the grieving widow, but above all Jesus, the pivot of this unexpected encounter.
Jesus is then in the midst of a crowd that is filled with joy and also suffering. Here we have a perfect representation of what the church is, where Jesus is at the center of the people who are in joy and those who are suffering.
Which part are you in today? Among those who are in joy or those who are suffering?
If you are one of those who suffer, today Jesus comes to meet you, as He came to meet this widow .
She was a widow and had just lost her only son.
The pain of losing a child is often compared to a full stop in a sentence, because it marks an abrupt stop, a moment of incomprehension and despair.
This woman has lost everything. She has lost her husband, and also her son. She finds herself with nothing.
It was not just his son's funeral that was being celebrated here, but also the funeral of his future.
BUT…
“ And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not!” Luke 7:13
Jesus noticed her, He paid special attention to her. There is a difference between seeing and paying attention.
He also notices you today, you do not go unnoticed in the crowd. So maybe you tell yourself that no one pays special attention to you, that your parents or your husband or wife no longer pay attention to you, Jesus pays special attention to you today. He sees your suffering, your loneliness, every tear that runs down your face, your illnesses, your fears, your worries. Jesus sees you as he saw this widow, He is interested in you and has compassion on you.
At that moment, no one had yet shared this woman's story with Jesus, yet He already knew about it.
Jesus is heartbroken for those who have no hope.
Do you have no hope today?
"The lovingkindness of the LORD never ceases, neither do his compassions fail." Lamentations 3:22
Wait on God today!
His love for you is greater than you can imagine!
Here, the widow did not ask Jesus for anything, she was just crying, and Jesus came to see her, Jesus seeing her heart, approached her and said a shocking sentence that should not be said at a funeral: “DON’T CRY!” He did not say: “Don’t cry anymore, where is your faith???”. It was rather: “Don’t cry anymore, I am here now! I am here for you” .
Then Jesus began to approach the coffin and touched it.
Indeed, nowadays it is common to touch the coffin during funerals, thus marking a last physical contact with the deceased. However, in the context of the time, such a gesture was strictly forbidden. It was considered impure, almost comparable to touching a leper, which was taboo and socially unacceptable.
To experience a miracle in your life, don’t expect Jesus to act logically or according to your thinking. He always goes beyond our expectations, because there is no limit to what He can accomplish through His infinite compassion toward us.
As the crowd gasps in surprise at what Jesus is doing, the widow's son gasps for life . Oxygen has returned to his lungs, life has returned to his body, the dead man has come back to life. The son has returned to his feet.
And the widow who had lost everything, who was crying and who had no more hope, was able to dry her tears. Jesus gave her back her son, but in addition to that, Jesus gave her hope, a new life, a future... and all it took was a touch from Jesus and a sentence from Jesus .
Everything that seems lifeless to you can be brought back to life with just a touch and a word from Jesus. Just one glimmer of divine compassion can restore your hope, rekindle your faith, and allow a divine miracle to blossom in your life.
Jesus can bring back to life what is dead today.
“Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” John 11:25
Indeed, Jesus holds everything in His hands, and He will never let you down.
If you feel like God isn't interested in you, know that Jesus is on the way.
Jesus was in Capernaum, and it was a day's walk to reach Nain, the town where the miracle happened. It was a small, insignificant town, home to about 200 people. But Jesus set out to go to Nain. He knew in advance that the widow would need Him.
Even before you experienced the situation that makes you cry, Jesus was already on His way. Even before the tears began to flow down your cheeks, Jesus was on His way to reach out to you. Jesus is not late today. You matter to Him. He does not conform to our schedule, and perhaps you do not understand it today, but Jesus has not forgotten you, and He desires to reach out to you. He feels deep compassion for you.
It is no coincidence that you are reading this article today.
He longs to meet you, to touch you, especially for you, because you matter to HIM, because HE loves you deeply.
In Jesus there is always hope.
Believe firmly that your God is a God of miracles!!!