Daily HOMILY for September 16, 2014: Tuesday of the 24th Week of Ordinary Time

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In 2014, I am facilitating a 12-week interactive online course in contemplative prayer and action for priests with Saint Luke Institute.  Please visit SLIconnect.org to learn more:  https://www.sliconnect.org/product/living-god-program-contemplative-life-2/

Tuesday 24^th Week OT

St. Luke’s Institute

September 16, 2014

LUKE’S DRAMA ++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  Jesus enters the town of Nain & comes upon a funeral in progress

Ø  It’s a drama that Luke has staged for Jesus to show him as Giver of life, encountering death

Ø  Point? J confronting death results in unexpected & life-altering changes in deceased & viewers

Ø  Woman at funeral of only son & she’s a widow

Ø  J, disciples & others entered gates of city Nain

Ø  Meet woman in procession & many w/ her

Ø  She’s lost all hope / nothing left to rejoice about

Ø  About 2 bury all she had in the world & runs into J

RECURRING DRAMA +++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  Life’s filled w/ disappointments & heartbreaks

Ø  I’d suggest Jesus has way of reversing conditions & attitudes, encountering R own “funerals”

Ø  ~ Gospel 2 entities, J & us standing in juxta-position 2 each other

Ø  2 entities on same “street” going in 2 different directions

Ø  2 entities, 1 living out a dirge, other, extra-ordinary healer & teacher

Ø  This encounter, then as now, ripe 4 a miracle

Ø  But in midst of hopeless & hurting situation, she runs into Jesus

Ø  W/ 2 words J restores her hope

JESUS AND US +++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  Notice this is 1 of those miracles performed by J when recipient of miracle does not actively seek it

Ø  Luke says, “And when the Lord sees her, he has compassion on her, and says to her, ‘Weep not.’”

Ø  G’s grace = operative when human initiative not a factor

Ø  4 widow’s resigned self 2 her pitiful predicament

Ø  Life 4 her’s lost its meaning & hope is all but gone

CONCLUSION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  Someone here probably going thru painful & hopeless sit. & needs 2 hear J is on UR corridor

Ø  The reason we’re here today is run into Jesus

Ø  He is here rt now; he’s in vicinity of UR pain; he’s in vicinity of UR problem; He’s in vicinity of UR predicament, UR, UR failure, UR crisis

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++