Saint Paul’s Sermons

In Luke 7, we have the story of Jesus's dramatically intervening in the tragic grief of a widow whose only son has died. Paralleling in a way the healing of the widow of Zarephath's son by the prophet Elijah, this miracle of restoring the dead to life alleviates suffering and tragedy. The Gospels record another two such miracles by Jesus, raising Jairus's daughter and restoring Lazarus to life, and as Saint Augustine once preached we can confidently expect these were not the only miracles of raising from the dead. But this one is especially compelling because of Jesus's spontaneous, deep compassion for the widow and his intervention even without a request. We learn much about Our Lord from this account!

Fr. Francois contrasts the sorrowful funeral procession that wends its way out of Nain with the joyful procession of the Lord's followers on the way in. Jesus intervenes miraculously!

The Gospel of Luke records a healing miracle of Jesus when he was on his way to Jerusalem to die. As he passed through Samaria ten lepers called to him from a distance begging for healing mercy. Though Jesus did send them to the priests to demonstrate they had been healed, nine of the ten went their way and one only, a Samaritan to boot, returned to express his gratitude. We tend to be like that, ungrateful to God for his mercies and blessings (Rom 1:21), and we need to work on that.

Ten lepers living exiled from society cry out to Jesus for healing, their leprosy a metaphor for the need of spiritual healing.

God is always more ready to hear us, than we are to pray. More generous to bless us than anything we ask.

The Gospels record some 26 (depending on how you count) miracles of healing done by Jesus. The miracles serve many purposes. They do good for the person healed of course. They manifest the deity of Jesus and who he is, the Messiah. They display the power of God and God's response to faith. They fulfill prophecy, as in the case of man who is deaf and mute, whose healing was foretold in Isaiah's prophecy.

We mark Saint Bartholemew today, August 24. We also reflect on the forgiveness of Jesus to sinners who repent, even to his close friend and co-worker Peter, who denied Jesus three times in a dreadful and heartbreaking incident of betrayal. Luke 22 tells the story.

Jesus feeds us, whether 4,000, 5,000, or 50,000 with true food, spiritual food that only Jesus can provide.

The parable Jesus told about an ungrateful and wayward heir, "the Prodigal Son," is vivid with images of dissoluteness, repentance, and reconciliation. It also teaches us about the ugliness of bitterness and pride as the older son is not only angry and disrespectful of his father but also unwilling to forgive his brother.

In Matthew 7, Jesus teaches us not to rest on our laurels, not to forget about him or become complacent. He teaches us that there will be people who come to him at the last days thinking they are "with him," and that they're part of his team. "Lord, Lord," they will say, reciting for him all the wonderful things they enjoyed and did in his name. But Jesus will say, "I never knew you." Could there be anything more devastating to hear? Yes, we begin with our faith in him and by that alone we are saved. But it doesn't end there, as Jesus wants us to act on our faith and to deepen our relationship with him.