The miracle of Jesus raising the widow’s son at Nain is often compared to that of Elijah raising the son of the widow of Zarephath, which we have in today’s first reading (I Kings 17:17-24). Yet there are some important differences between the two. Firstly, in Elijah’s raising of the widow’s son in Zarephath, it was the woman who took her problem to Elijah. So there was some kind of solicitation or prayer. In the case of Jesus raising the widow’s son at Nain, the woman did not approach Jesus and no one else did on her behalf. No form of prayer whatsoever was involved. Secondly, in Elijah’s raising of the widow’s son in Zarephath, the woman had earlier proven her faith in the God of Elijah when her jar of meal and jug of oil were miraculously replenished. In the case of the widow of Nain, there was no evidence of faith whatsoever. And thirdly, the widow in Zarephath had done some good deed to the man of God. She had fed him and housed him. The widow of Nain had done no such good deeds that we know of. It is, therefore, easy to see why Elijah should perform a miracle for the widow of Zarephath. But why did Jesus perform this miracle for the widow of Nain? The only plausible answer is that Jesus is simply being true to his nature as God, his nature to love unconditionally, especially those who are in most need of God’s mercy.
Life in Palestine at the time of Jesus was hard, especially for women. Social and economic life was male-dominated and women had to depend on their husbands as bread winners. When a woman’s husband dies, she becomes the responsibility of her grown up son. Without a man to provide for her, a women was reduced to the status of a beggar. Now you can understand why the dying Jesus had to entrust his mother to his friend, John. As an only son, he was fulfilling his duty to provide for his mother. Nobody in traditional Jewish society was more pitiable that a widow who had lost her only son. It was a double tragedy because she was invariable going to live out the rest of her days in abject poverty, sadness and misery. By inviting himself into the situation and turning it around, Jesus is making a statement that it is not God’s will for any human being to live in abject poverty and misery. Jesus is protesting against those societal norms, cultural practices and economic policies that discriminate against women on account of their gender. By reviving her son and giving him back to her, Jesus is re-empowering her and giving her back a reason to hold her head high in the community. Jesus is restoring to this woman her personal integrity, her honour and dignity, as well as her economic and social lifeline that had been taken away by death. As he himself said, “I came that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).
Now, if God has unconditional love for all of His children and Jesus came to give us all life and joy in abundance, why is it that some people’s tears are wiped away but not those of others? Well, all of us are like people in a funeral procession. But how many of us would stand still when Jesus puts his hand on the coffin? Think of it. You know the emotions and commotions that go with a funeral procession. In fact, in many cultures, funeral processions are not supposed to stop for anybody. Other people have to stop to allow funeral processions through. But the widow of Nain cooperated in her miracle by stopping the funeral march when Jesus put his hand on the coffin and said to her, “Stop weeping” (Luke 7:11). Many of us in her shoes would shout at Jesus for interrupting our funeral song, push him aside, and continue our funeral march to the cemetery. If the woman of Nain did not stop the funeral procession, Jesus would not have been able to help her, much as he would love to.
Like the widow of Nain, everyone of us is bereft of something that would elevate us to our full dignity as children of God, physically, economically, socially and spiritually. Jesus does not like to see us live in misery and would like to turn our lives from sadness to joy. Today, Jesus asks us to halt the funeral procession and give him a chance to work his miracle of love in our lives. Shall we stop and be still before God and give God a chance to transform our lives? His word to us today is, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
