Homily for the Memorial of St. John Chrysostom

In our Gospel reading, we hear about a widow mourning her only son. In the time and place where this scene occurs, a widow would have no means to provide for herself; she would have to rely on her son. In this case, her only son has died. She perhaps mourns not only for her dead son but also for the possibly destitute life ahead of her.

 

So, Jesus’ raising her son from the dead is not simply a miracle of life after death. It is another example of Jesus’ compassion for the poor, the suffering, and those who mourn. A compassion that is often lacking in our world.

 

Let us pray that the compassion of Jesus may fill our hearts and souls, as well as our words and actions, so that His love may be spread through us as His ambassadors in our world.+