A large crowd approaches the gate of Nain. A grieving widow is burying her only son. Then Jesus comes forward and touches the bier. “Young man,” he says, “I say to you rise.”  Miraculously the dead man sits up and begins to speak.

It’s a wonderful scene, but what is the story about? The grieving widow doesn’t fall on her knees and beg Jesus to raise her son to life, so the story maybe isn’t about faith. There is no hint that the mother and son lived their lives differently after the miracle. Actually they probably did live their lives differently, but the story doesn’t offer any evidence so the story isn’t about praise or living life gratefully.    Maybe the point of this miracle is that sometimes God’s grace pours into our lives totally      unearned.

The really exciting point of this story comes when the villagers, quickly coming to terms with the initial shock of seeing a dead body sitting up, glorify God saying, “God has looked favourably on his people!” Notice that the villagers do not say, “God has looked favourably on the bereaved mother or the dead son,” but “God has looked favourably on his people!” That means all of us!

The story gives hope to all of those who suffer in circumstances from which they can see no way out. Jesus shows the bereaved mother from Nain unbidden,         unearned compassion …. We’re all eligible!