Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Luke 7: 11-17
September 16, 2025 | Tuesday

Today’s Gospel

A little later, Jesus went to a town called Naim. He was accompanied by his disciples and a great number of people. As he reached the gate of the town, a dead man was being carried out. He was the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; there followed a large crowd of townspeople.

On seeing her, the Lord had pity on her and said, “Don’t cry.”Then he came up and touched the stretcher, and the men who carried it stopped. Jesus then said, “Young man, I say to you, wake up!” And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. A holy fear came over them all, and they praised God saying, “A great prophet has appeared among us. God has visited his people.”This news spread throughout Judea and the surrounding places.

Today’s Reflection

Some of the accounts of the life of Jesus record him raising the dead back to life. In this particular Gospel, he tells the dead young man being carried already: “Young man, I say to you, wake up.” And the young man immediately sat up and spoke. This became news throughout Judea. Jesus, until today, wakes up young men back to life. Being dead does not only mean physical dying. It may also mean spiritual, psychological, or relational. Jesus’ call to each of us brings us back to life. He gives us back our vigor in life and extends to us a mission so that we can continue living. Such is the ministerial call to all of us. In the first reading, we hear Timothy’s exhortation regarding would-be bishops and deacons in the community. These are men called back to life by Jesus and given a new life of service to the Lord and the Church. We are all commanded by God to wake up. He has breathed within us the life of the Spirit. May we not remain dead in spirit but alive and on fire with zeal to the mission, proclaiming God’s message to all.

/Vulnerasti, 2025