Articles

Tuesday September 15

Tuesday of 24th Week of Ordinary Time

YOUNG MAN, GET UP

Introduction

In today’s gospel, Luke tries to tell us that the time of salvation has come, for with Jesus, the blind begin to see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, and yes, the dead come back to life. With him, a new era has begun – God’s era. It is the era in which we live. Do we make it an era of resurrection and life, in which our hands that reach out raise up our neighbors above their miseries? Do we make it an era in which we bring dead love back to life in Christ?

Opening Prayer

Loving Father,
your Son Jesus Christ spoke a human language
and filled it with new meaning.
He put his fingers on people’s ears and lips
and they could hear and speak
words of life and goodness.
Continue in us the work of your Son.
Allow us to change with him
darkness into light, sadness into joy
and death into life,
that with him we may also enter
your life and joy that last for ever.

Reading 1 1 COR 12:12-14, 27-31A

Brothers and sisters:
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,
so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

Now the body is not a single part, but many.

Now you are Christ's Body, and individually parts of it.
Some people God has designated in the Church
to be, first, Apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers;
then, mighty deeds;
then gifts of healing, assistance, administration,
and varieties of tongues.
Are all Apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?
Do all work mighty deeds? Do all have gifts of healing?
Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.

Responsorial Psalm 10:1B-2, 3, 4, 5

R. (3) We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
his courts with praise;
Give thanks to him; bless his name.
R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
For he is good, the LORD,
whose kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.

Alleluia LK 7:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A great prophet has arisen in our midst
and God has visited his people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 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.

Commentary

In the spiritual order the church is a living organism. St. Paul sees it as a body composed of many parts, with Christ as the head. In addition we have been given certain functions to perform, no two of which are the same, yet all contribute to the well-being of the whole. There is no reason for jealousy, since we all benefit from each of the functions. The greater gift for which we should strive is developed in the next chapter of the letter: the gift of love. No gift surpasses that, and it is capable of being shared by all of us.
Jesus gives little heed to the many gifts that will come to represent the church. Although he would not deny their importance, it is the virtue of love to which he points repeatedly. This is evident as he comes upon the woman burying her son in today’s Gospel. Without being asked, he notes the widow’s grief and moves in the direction of alleviating her pain. Not a word is spoken. Jesus restores the son to his mother; the crowd is amazed. Jesus continues on his way.
How frequent it is that we meet human need. It may be severe depression, lack of money or food, a devastating illness, unemployment—misfortune comes in many forms. We may well feel inadequate in such circumstances. But there is usually something we can do. A Christian does not walk away from someone who is suffering. The greatest gift is love, and all of us can extend that.

Points to Ponder

The many functions in the body of Christ
The supreme gift of love
Jesus’ immediate response to the grieving widow

Intercessions

– God of mercy and compassion, keep your Church forgiving and patient with its members who err or rebel, we pray:
– God of the sad and the sorrowing, fill us with Christian empathy for those who suffer and make us bold enough to tell them: “Do not weep. The Lord loves you,” we pray:
– God of those who are sick in any way, bring your healing power to them through people who visit them and cheer them up, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

God, your gifts to us of bread and wine
enable us to live and to enjoy life.
We bring them before you to fill them
with the higher life and the deeper joy
of your Son Jesus Christ.
Let them be a life and a joy
which, even in the uncertainties
and the trials of life,
can never be taken away from us.
Let him lead us to your everlasting life and joy.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Faithful God,
you promise us life and joy
if we have the courage
to listen to Jesus’ words
and put them into practice.
Let your Son fill us here
with a love that is stronger than death,
that we may speak words that uplift
and that we can break for one another
bread that gives life.
Grant us this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Blessing

Young man, young woman, I tell you, get up. Let us speak these words also to people who are suffering and discouraged, for they are words of life and resurrection. May almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.