The Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

“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. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, crying out “A great prophet has arisen in our midst,” and “God has visited his people.”

Arise. It's a word Jesus uses a lot in his ministry to others. He tells it to the people he heals, from the paralytic to the dead. This is because he wants all of his children to arise from their afflictions. He wants us to overcome our failings and imperfections and arise to callings. He wants us to rise from the ground when we stumble and fall. He wants us to be resurrected on the last day and spend eternity with him. He does not want us to blinded by tears of sadness or bound by our fears. He wants to set us free from all that holds us back from doing His Will. The only thing we have to do is listen for his calls to arise and answer them each time by getting to our feet and walking the path God has prepared for us.

Are we weeping or sorrowful about something in our lives? How can we arise to the challenges before us and live our lives as Jesus wants us to? What can we do to stand with Jesus and walk his way?

O Lord, let us answer your call and arise to every occasion.

Amen.