Did you know that there are only seven resurrection stories contained in Holy
Scripture?  You will find three in the Old Testament: 1) the son of the widow of Sarepta in III Kings 17, 2) the son of the Sunamitess in IV Kings 4 and 3) the one raised by the remains of Eliseus in IV Kings 13.  God raised them according to the prayers of the holy prophets.  Then
in the New Testament Our Lord raises three in this order:  1) the daughter of the ѕуηαgσgυє ruler in her home, 2) the son of the widow of Naim on the road to burial and 3) Lazarus who was in the grave four days.  The Seventh resurrection event took place in the Passion of Our Lord when the tombs of the saints opened and they entered the city.

The final resurrection took place on Easter with the Lord rising on and through His own divine
power.  God has a propensity for lifting up our sagging spirit with these miraculous events not
that we might marvel at the miracle but that we might be lifted up in our faith.  St. Paul reminds us that our faith is in vain if the Lord did not rise on the third day.  Why we would be the most foolish of all fools if the resurrection were not a reality.  

Today the widow is the Mystical Body of Christ whose spouse was crucified on Calvary in order that the cause of our death, sin, might be destroyed.  Mother Church weeps in prayer for all of
her only sons, each of us.  For if we were the only soul in this world the Son would die for each of us singly.  This widow mother pleads for the sinful soul of her sons.  What does she plead?
She pleads the very blood of her spouse given through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  Her blood is His.  Her unique Blood purchased each and every one of us for the faith that draws us to heaven.  We must be lifted up because we lost our life through the senses (the gates which
this boy passed through).  Through the senses come the deadly sin which will not be conquered without the words of our Lord.

Rise up in the word of God and restore the dignity that is yours as adopted sons of God.  What a treasure we hold within this temple that God has formed for us.  How we must look to the kingdom of God for the resurrection from the effects of sin.  Let us love the plan of God which
allows us to wander in the playground of this world and uses every mistake we make to sanctify us if we will humble ourselves and confess our sins.  Sin is not the worst thing in the world, good Bishop Sheen said, "the denial of sin is the worst thing in the world because it
rejects our need for our Redeemer."

Rise and love the light of God's forgiveness.  Never be discouraged and never complain for the
Providence of God rules the world and all its shananigans.

In the hearts of Jesus, Mary and Joseph,

Fr. Richard Voigt