3rd Sunday of Luke
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 9:6-11; Luke 7:11-16
The Sermon in a Nutshell
(1) Challenge
Sometimes, the world becomes so bleak that we lose sight of the big picture.
(2) Longing
Today, we met a woman who had just lost her only son. All she wanted was a connection to the world, to feel that she was a part of society. Without her only son, she felt there was no hope—she was ill and in need of healing.
(3) What happens?
As a result, she wept and fell into depression. When we also feel like we’re all alone and without connection, it’s easy for us to give up and give in to unrelenting sorrow.
(4) The Christ reversal
But Christ died for us. Through death, he enters into the darkest moments of the human experience. So, it’s not that we find Christ when we’re content, but when we’re in the dark— it’s there that His light shines the brightest.
(5) Longing satisfied
Without asking, Christ healed this woman by giving her son back to her. He restored her status in society and connected her to life.
(6) Visible evidence
This widow isn’t the only one to have faced severe ordeals. St. Paul tells us that the churches in Macedonia, who gave abundantly to the poor, were also all alone—persecuted by the world. They met Christ in their darkest moments, and their generous spirit demonstrated that they were transformed by the experience.
(7) What shall I do?
Christ is also waiting to meet us, even if we’re at our lowest. He’s waiting to turn our despair into joy. With that knowledge, our hearts are lightened and can’t help but demonstrate our transformation as the Macedonians did.
Full Text
(1) Challenge
Grief can be a funny thing. While many people talk about the five stages of grief:
- Denial
- Anger
- Bargaining
- Depression
- Acceptance
I believe that grief often transforms into a relentless force that can overwhelm us. At its most intense, it completely engulfs us, invading our every thought, offering us no respite.
During this challenging period, we may endure sleepless nights, a persistent sense of sadness, and a disinterest in things that once captivated us. Even our favorite foods may lose their appeal.
When grief has beaten us down, the world can appear profoundly bleak, causing us to lose sight of the bigger picture. This is partly because we may come to believe that nothing else matters; everything else could fade away, and we wouldn’t even care.
(2) Longing
Today, we encountered a woman who had just lost her only son, and we can feel her grief deeply in our hearts.
The entire town has come together to bury her son. We witnessed his body being carried on the shoulders of his fellow countrymen.
As they slowly and solemnly marched through the city walls’ gate to lay this young man to rest, we heard the cries of lament and despair.
Our hearts ache for the unfortunate mother. She is a widow, and the young man being buried is her sole son.
Without a husband and without a son, she will be compelled to take to the streets in search of a livelihood. She will have no place to call home and no refuge from the harsh winters.
Every meal will become a concern, and, if she is fortunate, she might secure a meager piece of bread each day to stave off hunger pangs.
Life will undoubtedly be an arduous journey for her.
All she ever wanted was a connection to the world, to feel like a part of society. Without her only son, hope seems elusive—she is ailing and in need of healing.
(3) What happens?
As a result, she will weep and fall into depression.
When we, too, feel isolated and without any connection, it becomes easy for us to give in to relentless sorrow.
At its best, it may manifest as depression, but if left unchecked, it could develop into something much more severe.
We might begin to question whether life is worth living.
(4) The Christ reversal
I’m certain that the woman had such thoughts today when something astonishing occurred.
A stranger approached the funeral procession and reached out to touch the bier of the young man.
It’s unusual because touching a dead body is considered impure. However, this complete stranger showed no hesitation.
With a single touch, the young man sat up and returned to life, not as a zombie or vampire, but infused with vitality, just as he once was.
This stranger, of course, was Jesus.
By touching death, Christ entered the darkest moment of this woman’s life. He shared in her grief and despair, drawing near to her and restoring her.
(5) Longing satisfied
Now, take notice of how Luke describes the remainder of the scene:
“The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus **gave him to his mother.”
Luke mentions that Jesus gave …
He reinstated the mother to her position in society and reconnected her with her community.
No longer will she have to worry about where she will find shelter or her next meal. She will be cared for as it is meant to be in this time and place.
In essence, what Christ did was offer this woman hope—hope that she truly belonged. Hope because the Son of God was there to provide for her.
And this Son of God is ready to do the same for us. If we allow Him, He will draw near, touch us, and share in our grief and despair.
He will come close, restore us, and infuse us with hope.
It’s not that we encounter Christ when we are content, but rather when we are in the darkest moments—those are the times when His light shines most brilliantly, and where hope can be discovered.
After all, one cannot discern that a flashlight is on in broad daylight; it becomes apparent only when it’s in the dark.
(6) Visible evidence
Throughout history, countless individuals have had to confront grief in the face of loss, persecution, and suffering.
St. Paul himself endured numerous torments, yet he clung to hope. He firmly believed that Christ would return, rectify all things, and establish a new world where everyone would find solace.
Today, we heard St. Paul speak about a “cheerful giver,” but there’s more to the story than what we heard. St. Paul was referring to the churches in Macedonia.
These churches had endured severe persecution from the world, similar to the widow we mentioned earlier. They, too, could have succumbed to grief and despair. But they didn’t.
Instead, they discovered a way to rise above their persecution—they found hope, hope in Jesus Christ, and this made all the difference. How do we know? Because St. Paul commends them for their generosity. He writes,
“… during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means, and even beyond their means, begging us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints— and this, not merely as we expected; they gave themselves first to the Lord and, by the will of God, to us …”
In their darkest moments, they encountered Christ, and their generous spirit demonstrated that they had embraced hope and had been profoundly transformed by the experience.
(7) What shall I do?
At this moment, Christ is in the shadows, ready to meet us just as He did with the widow and the churches in Macedonia.
He’s waiting to reach out and transform our despair into hope.
Understanding this, our hearts are uplifted, and we, too, can’t help but manifest our transformation, following the example of the Macedonians.
Amen.