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| Jesus raises the son of the widow of Naim. |
- Brian Mendonca
Today's gospel speaks about Jesus healing the son of the widow of Nain. (Luke 7:11-17) In the painting by German painter Gerung Mathias in the middle ages, Jesus is seen on a road stepping forward to raise a dead person to life for the first time.
Jesus seems not to be as well-attired as the rest, and is depicted in a robe of deep brown, with his shins showing, like a mendicant. Yet he is the one who has the power to bring a person back from the dead. He is the outlier.
The colour he wears is a tint away from the black of the casket containing the dead body. Among all the vivid colours, it is the dynamic of brown and black that stands out. It is as though Jesus is in between two worlds, for what he is about to do is to merge both - life and death. The brown on the left and the black on the right provide balance to the painting. They suggest that amid the riot of colour, one must ultimately be prepared to confront black - the colour signifying death.
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| Lucas Cranach (1515-1585) |
An elderly person (in white) seems to be whispering something in Jesus' ear, perhaps telling him to desist. But Jesus is unmindful of his counsel. The younger of the two seems more prepared to bring about positive change. The older person would prefer to maintain the status quo.
The figures are in the foreground with a
beautiful landscape in the background. In the centre of the painting a path leads through the meadow to the sea in the distance. The painting is spare. There are no crowds, commotion, or ostantatious wailing as is seen in other artists depicting this scene. This perspective provides relief and divides the painting into two. To the right stands the citadel with its earthly woes and mortality. To the left is the life-giving tree.
Interestingly, the first reaction of the people with Jesus is not joy, but fear. (The NIV has 'awe.') Even when good happens one is uncomfortable. Being the first miracle of this kind of Jesus, they had not seen anything like this before.
Jesus is full of pity for the mother, her face covered in a white cowl. Grieving for a friend who passed on recently, I realize what a noble gesture His was. In a distant way, one can feel Jesus comforting us as He comforted the widow of Nain (in current-day Israel).
We welcomed Saibinn to our home in the evening. Mother Mary also lost her son Jesus. She can teach us to grieve with faith.
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'Resurrection of the Widow's son from Nain,' altar panel by Lucas Cranach the Younger, c. 1569, in the Stadtkirche Wittenberg. Photo (below) courtesy Francisco Barretto. Updated 21/9/25.
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