We follow a Lord who raises the dead

INTRODUCTION

Sisters and Brothers in Christ, the resurrection of the dead is a ministry exclusively to Jesus. He alone can raise the dead out of the compassion of his heart. This is not just a good news but a dumbfounding news, one that evokes hoy fear. It is however, not our ministry to resurrect dead people but to proclaim that Jesus himself is risen from the dead. It is our ministry to proclaim the Good News to lead people not to die to sin.

St. Robert Bellarmin eloquently fought for the Church and advocated important milestones in the Church like the healthy correspondence with Galileo Galilee and defended the Church against anti-clerical sentiments of his time.

For the many times we failed to became life-giving and failed to be compassionate, let us beg the Lord for his mercy and pardon.

HOMILY | 1 Timothy 3:1-13 | Luke 7:11-17

Resurrecting a dead person is a ministry unique in Jesus. Many demigods in many other literatures claim they could heal sicknesses, drive out demons, and make lame walk and give sight to the blind, but never resurrecting a dead person.

There are at least 4 people in the whole Bible who were able to raise dead into life. The Prophets Elijah 1 King 17:17-24 and Elisha 2 Kings 4:18-37 in the old testament, Peter in Joppa Acts 9:36-42, Paul in Troas Acts 20:7–12, and of course Jesus in many instances including Lazarus, The Daughter of Jairus, and today’s story. That of Elisha and Elijah were meant to prefigure the resurrection of Christ, and at the same time it is to be the foundation of the Sadducees’ belief in the resurrection of the dead. Paul himself was a sadducee. Paul and Peter’s resurrection of the dead members in Troas and Joppa respectively are to link the authority of Jesus to the disciples and to his church.

We ourselves, followers of Christ, cannot resurrect dead people into life, but we can liberate them from the bondage of sin which brings eternal death. We were given the task to proclaim that Jesus raises the dead, heals the sick and the blind. St. Paul reminds us of the differences of the ministry in the Church, he mentions the ministry of Bishops and of Deacons, and how they will speak eloquently of the Christian faith with authority like Jesus in resurrecting the dead. It is Christ who is our credibility as religious.

But in order for us to assume the authority to preach the Good News, we have to follow what Christ had in his very person. He was always moved with pity. In Greek, splankna or splanizomai means “to suffer with” “to put my heart in your heart.” The Gospel narrates and enumerates the unfortunate circumstances of the widow:

• She is a widow

• Her son died, and she is without financial support.

Jesus pitied the widow, not the dead son. The widow herself. Imagine the helplessness which surrounded her. She is now helpless but Christ came into the way to restore her and her son back into life.

Jesus can do the impossible out of compassion. He can raise the dead because he is compassion and mercy himself. We cannot raise dead people but we have a ministry to lead people to die in Christ and not to sin, to die with hope and faith; faith in where we are going, that our death is not oblivion but an entry to new life.