God's providential care
"Soon afterward, he journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him. As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her. When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, 'Do not weep.' He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this, the bearers halted, and he said, 'Young man, I tell you, arise!' The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother." (Luke 7:11-15) This poignant account of the widow's son's raising at Nain reveals Christ's compassionate heart and the divine authority He wields over life and death. Luke's narrative artfully contrasts the two processions: one of life, led by Jesus and His disciples approaching the city gate; the other, a funeral procession led by mourners accompanying a bereaved mother. In this sacred collision,...