Daily Reading

First Reading

1 Timothy 3:1-13

The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task.

Now a bishop must be above reproach, married only once, temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an apt teacher, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money.

He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way—for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?

He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil. Deacons likewise must be serious, not double-tongued, not indulging in much wine, not greedy for sordid gain; they must hold fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

And let them first be tested; then, if they prove themselves blameless, let them serve as deacons.
Women likewise must be serious, not slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things. Deacons may be married only once and must manage their children and their households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

Psalm

Psalm 101:1b-2ab, 2cd-3ab, 5, 6

To you, O Lord, I will sing.
I will study the way that is blameless. When shall I attain it?
I will walk with integrity of heart within my house;
I will not set before my eyes anything that is base.
One who secretly slanders a neighbor I will destroy.
A haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not tolerate.
I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, so that they may live with me;
whoever walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me.

Gospel Reading

Luke 7:11-17

Soon afterwards he 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 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 favorably on his people!” This word about him spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding country.

Reflection

Friends, our Gospel today gives us Jesus’s raising of the son of the widow of Nain. This is a prime exemplification of the key Gospel truth that everything Jesus said and did, in one way or another, is an anticipation of his Resurrection. The God of Israel, the God of Jesus Christ, is a God of life, a God of the living. He hates death and the ways of death.

The death in today’s Gospel goes beyond the tragic loss of a loved one, as awful as that is. In the context of Jesus’s time and place, this is a disaster for the widow. There is no social safety net, no insurance, no guaranteed income. Unless she finds kindly neighbors who will support her, she is lost without her husband and, importantly, her “only son.” This is why the heart of Jesus is especially moved with pity.

Notice please that the reaction of the bystanders is fear. This is the fear that comes from the turning upside down of a world. This is also the reaction of the women at the tomb on Easter Sunday morning. An evangelization that isn’t a little scary is an inadequate evangelization.