Sunday 10 C (2016)

The gospel today starts with a life-changing tragedy.

A widow's only son has died.

In addition to her bereavement, she faces insecurity:

her son would probably have been her means of support.

We are told:

When the Lord saw her he felt sorry for her –

he felt sorry for her.

This kind of tragedy occurs the world over,

throughout time, right up to today.

There is nothing 'special' about it.

There will be women in poor countries who,

in the coming week,

find themselves in almost exactly the same situation

as the widow of Nain.

Imagine meeting one of them.

As you recognise her situation, what is going on inside you;

how do you feel,

and how would you describe it.

Does 'feel sorry for' do it justice?

A deep reaction can feel physical: in the pit of your stomach, churning you up. It can be felt deep inside.

In both Hebrew and Greek,

words for being moved by someone's situation

come from the word for a person's 'insides'.

They suggest a feeling that is so strong, it is felt physically.

This isn't easy to capture in English.

Our translation today settles for 'felt sorry for',

though many other translations go for 'had compassion for':

both of which lack the visceral undertones of the original Greek word.

Elsewhere, Jesus uses the same Greek word

to describe how the loving father feels

as he sees his estranged, prodigal son coming home.

So, when we hear that Jesus 'felt sorry for' the bereaved widow,

we should be aware of a depth of feeling.

His heart went out to her. His heart went out to her.

Jesus restores life; he gives the son back to his mother,

leading to awe and praise, with people saying:

A great prophet has appeared among us;

God has visited his people.....God has visited his people.

This is an important realisation,

though the people didn't mean it literally.

Only as this idea develops can the deepest truths about God emerge.

Jesus, in his teaching and most especially in his person,

shows God to be one whose 'heart goes out to us'.

When we are moved by a situation,

when we feel our heart going out to someone,

that is a trace of God within us,

it is part of the image of God that we are.

Jesus heart goes out to the widow at Nain. He feels for her.

His heart goes out to everyone of us; he feels for us.

In John's gospel,

another widow watches her only son die on the cross

and sees his side, his insides,

so, at least figuratively, his 'heart', pierced with a lance.

And blood flows.

In this, God establishes a new relationship with humanity.

His heart is open,

nothing can separate us from this love;

mercy is unbounded,

forgiveness is available to all.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus

feels our pains,

sorrows over our failings,

is pierced for us,

overflows with love.

Let us make today's Eucharist a heart-to-heart with Jesus.