Funeral

Luke 7:11-17 (The Message)

Not long after that, Jesus went to the village Nain. His disciples were with him, along with quite a large crowd.

As they approached the village gate, they met a funeral procession—a woman's only son was being carried out for burial. And the mother was a widow.

When Jesus saw her, his heart broke.

He said to her, "Don't cry." Then he went over and touched the coffin.

The pallbearers stopped. He said, "Young man, I tell you: Get up." The dead son sat up and began talking. Jesus presented him to his mother.

They all realized they were in a place of holy mystery, that God was at work among them.

They were quietly worshipful—and then noisily grateful, calling out among themselves, "God is back, looking to the needs of his people!" The news of Jesus spread all through the country.

This is a fascinating scripture for me to read on this day.

I've been to a funeral today. In fact, I helped conduct it. I've seen pallbearers and a mourning family. I've felt loss and celebrated life. All of us will miss Maggie Green, and our lives are better for having known her.

Jesus encountered this funeral procession and heard the weeping. He saw the widow, who had lost her only son.

His heart broke. He touched the casket and the pallbearers stopped. That scandalous act dissolved into amazement as the boy sat up, alive again.

What does all of this mean for us?

Well, I think it means that Jesus' heart breaks for us all when we weep and mourn in loss and grief.

It means that there is hope. The funeral procession does not mark the end for any of us who believe in him. The witness of our worship at SOTH today was that we will see our loved ones again.

"I died," Jesus said, "and behold I am alive forevermore. And because I live, you shall live also."

What is the hope of ressurection? "A holy mystery."

But I know it's true.

Let's be "quietly worshipful," and "noisily grateful" in the rest of this life...and the one that's yet to come.

Prayer: God, our Father, we thank you for a heart that breaks, overflowing with compassion and love. When we need you most, we know that you will never fail us.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.