We hear the story of Jesus acting with great compassion to a widow in the city of Naim, by raising her only dead son to life. Human experience shows that death causes pain; closer the bond, greater is the pain experienced. The event in the Gospel describes that a widow lost her only son. Having lost her husband earlier, now having lost her only son too, the woman’s future is dark. The social condition of a widow in a Jewish society was very pathetic. Understanding her situation, Jesus is moved at her plight and acts with great compassion. He touches the coffin and commands: “Young man, I tell you arise!” The dead man sits up and begins to speak and Jesus gives him back to the mother. This miracle speaks louder than his words making the people understand the power of Jesus over life and death. Consequently, the reaction of the people around is one of awe and admiration saying, “A great prophet has risen among us and God has visited his people”.

This story of raising the deceased man to life must help us to look at our own situation, reflecting on how much we are really alive. What happens within us is that we fail to live our present fully, reflecting regretfully our past and dreaming about our future. Keeping this in view, one of the Catholic authors, John Powell, wrote a book called “Fully Human, Fully Alive”. He explains that one can be fully alive only in so far as he/she allows Jesus Christ, the Son of God to live within him/her. By taking a human birth, he has shown us what we are called to be and we can live that life fully in him. Hence he gave us his Holy Spirit, in order to enable us to live our life fully. John Powell explains this reality that one can become fully alive only by living in Jesus Christ. Hence one must allow the Holy Spirit to act within him/her in order to make him/her to be fully alive in Jesus Christ.

Let us commit ourselves totally living out fully the life which God has given to us by allowing the Holy Spirit to enable us.

God bless you,

Fr. Arul Joseph V


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