The Easter Season weekday readings make particular use of two large sections of John’s Gospel. They are generally referred to as: (1) the Bread of Life Discourse, and (2) the Last Supper Discourse.
In Christian tradition, the Bread of Life refers both to the Word of God and the Eucharist. This may come as a surprise to some because of the apparent emphasis of the Catholic Church on the Eucharist. However, traditional Catholic theology considers each, in its own way, the “real presence.” The Vatican II document on the Word of God says this:
“The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures just as she venerates the body of the Lord, since from the table of both the Word of God and of the Body of Christ, she unceasingly receives and offers to the faithful the Bread of Life.” (#21)
In renovating church space, there has been a trend toward the design of the “lectern” as a table rather than the usual speaker’s rostrum. It has a flat top, smaller than the altar but similar in design…thus visually conveying the parallel: The table of the Bread of Life.
[On Sundays we’re reading accounts of people being “raised from the dead” in the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles. They are signs of the Lord’s power over death.]
Found only in Luke (7:11-17), this story is well known and needs little re-telling. It takes place just outside a small town called Naim. Jesus and his disciples are just approaching the town when a large funeral procession is coming out, headed toward the cemetery. They’re carrying the only son of a widowed mother.
This is very sad. The widow has just been deprived of her only son. And, her only means of support.
No one approaches Jesus and asks for help. The Gospel simply says that he saw this…and had pity on her. Everything that follows is at the initiative of Jesus. First he goes to the widow and says: “Do not cry.” Then he goes to the bier and tells those carrying it to stop. They do.
Picture the scene. Everyone is standing still. There is hushed silence. Then Jesus says, “Young man, I tell you, arise.”
And he does. The young man sits up and begins to speak. Luke then says, “And Jesus gave him back to his mother.”
One can only guess what went on after that. The sad tears of the widow are now a joyous flood as she throws her arms around her son, and then throws her arms around Jesus, and the townspeople dance around, and….
It’s too good for words. Just picture it and enjoy it.