As we journey through the sacred season of Lent, the Church in her wisdom presents us with readings that point to the power of God over life and death. On Feria Quinta infra Hebdomadam IV in Quadragesima (Thursday of the Fourth Week in Lent), the readings from 4 Kings 4:25-38 and Luke 7:11-16 invite us to meditate on the reality of death, the sorrow it brings, and the divine mercy of God, who alone has the power to restore life.
The Shadow of Death and the Power of God
The first reading from 4 Kings (2 Kings in modern Bibles) 4:25-38 recounts the miraculous intervention of the prophet Eliseus (Elisha) in raising the son of the Sunamite woman from the dead. This woman had received the promise of a son through the prophet, and yet, after being granted this gift, she experiences the deep sorrow of his sudden death. With unwavering faith, she hastens to the man of God, not uttering despair, but expressing her deep confidence that the prophet, as a mediator of God’s power, could help.
Eliseus’ actions in raising the child—lying upon him, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands—show a profound mystery. As St. Gregory the Great observes:
“The prophet laid his whole body upon the child, because the Incarnate Word of God came to us, condescending to our very nature, touching us with His own humanity, that He might communicate to us His divinity.” (Moralium in Job, 18.39)
The raising of the boy foreshadows Christ, who, in the fullness of time, would come not merely as a prophet restoring life to a single child, but as the very Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25).
Christ, the True Life-Giver
The Gospel for this day, Luke 7:11-16, presents us with an even greater revelation. Christ enters the city of Naim, where He encounters a funeral procession for the only son of a widow. The scene is filled with sorrow: not only has this woman lost her child, but in losing her only son, she has lost her means of support and livelihood. Her grief is total.
Yet, unlike Eliseus, Christ does not call upon God or stretch himself upon the body. Rather, with divine authority, He simply speaks:
“Young man, I say to thee, arise.” (Luke 7:14)
At His word, the dead man is restored to life. This moment of resurrection is not merely a sign of Christ’s power, but a manifestation of His very identity as God Incarnate. As St. Ambrose writes:
“Eliseus prayed; Christ commanded. He who prayed showed that he was a servant; He who commanded revealed that He was Lord.” (Expositio Evangelii Secundum Lucam, VI, 57)
The response of the crowd is telling: “A great prophet is risen up among us, and God hath visited His people.” (Luke 7:16). The people recognize the echoes of Eliseus’ miracle, but they intuitively perceive that Christ is greater. He is not merely another prophet—He is God among them, the very source of life itself.
A Lenten Call to Trust in Christ
In this season of Lent, these readings remind us that Christ alone is our hope in the face of death, whether physical or spiritual. The Sunamite woman and the widow of Naim symbolize the sorrow of the human condition, wounded by sin and death. Yet Christ comes, moved by compassion, to restore what was lost.
Just as Eliseus laid himself upon the dead child, Christ lays Himself upon us in the mysteries of His Passion, embracing our humanity even unto death. But unlike the prophet, Christ does not merely communicate temporary life—He gives eternal life to those who trust in Him.
As St. Augustine exhorts us:
“He who raised Lazarus from the tomb can also raise you from the death of sin. Believe in Him, and even now you shall pass from death to life.” (Sermo 98, De Verbis Domini)
As we prepare for the Paschal mystery, let us ask: Do we trust Christ with the dead things in our lives? Are there sins, wounds, or sorrows that we have buried, assuming they cannot be revived? The Sunamite woman ran to Eliseus in faith. The widow of Naim received Christ’s compassion. May we, too, approach the Lord with confidence, knowing that He alone can bring new life where all hope seems lost.
“God hath visited His people.” May we welcome Him with hearts open to His life-giving grace.
Collect for the Day (Feria Quinta infra Hebdomadam IV in Quadragesima):
O God, who renewest the world by marvelous sacraments beyond all telling, grant, we beseech Thee, that Thy Church may profit by Thine eternal institutions and be not lacking in temporal help. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen.