He set his face to go to Jerusalem

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him. On their way they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him; but they did not receive him, because his face was set towards Jerusalem. When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, ‘Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?’ But he turned and rebuked them. Then they went on to another village.

As they were going along the road, someone said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ To another he said, ‘Follow me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’ Another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’ (Lk 9, 51-62)

At the beginning of today's Gospel, St. Luke tells us that "as the time drew near for him to be taken up, Jesus resolutely turned his face towards Jerusalem." I think that often we do not give much importance to this information. Jesus went to Jerusalem! What is important about this fact, if Jesus went regularly to the Holy City? For me this is a very important information for this trip comes at a crucial moment in the life of Jesus, and because it casts a light on the things that would happen later, in order to understand them better.

A throw away mentality

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.  Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell. ‘It was also said, “Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.” But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. This is the Word of the Lord. (Mt 5, 27-32)

At the beginning of Chapter 5 of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus teaches the crowd and the disciples that came to him. He starts by announcing what we now call The Beatitudes proposing them as sure ways of following him and of receiving God’s blessings. Then he says two very important things that will help us, I hope, to reflect on today’s Gospel selection.

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He stopped the funeral cortège

“Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. As he approached the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow; and with her was a large crowd from the town. When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’ Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, ‘Young man, I say to you, rise!’The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus^[c] gave him to his mother. Fear seized all of them; and they glorified God, saying, ‘A great prophet has risen among us!’ and ‘God has looked favourably on his people!’ This word about him spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding country.” (Lk 7, 11-17)

St. Luke is the only evangelist to tell us about the miracle of the resurrection of the son of the widow of Nain, which the liturgy presents for our reflection today. Perhaps, Luke received information about this miracle from the "pious women" who followed Jesus and his disciples when he visited towns and villages, preaching and making miracles. Luke mentions these women in chapter eight of his gospel. Surely, they had been deeply impressed by such an extraordinary miracle, and they wanted to inform Luke in order to keep a memory of it.

What is so important about this miracle?