TITLE:
“Do Not Weep” (Luke 7: 13): In the Footstep of the Compassionate Jesus
AUTHORS:
Mary Jerome Obiorah
KEYWORDS:
Compassion, Gospel According to Luke, Women, Widow, Nain
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Philosophy,
Vol.4 No.3,
August
6,
2014
ABSTRACT: The divine image,
which every human being bears as a result of God’s benevolence at creation, attracts
us to the Divine. Human beings are religious by nature and in order to fully
realise themselves as humans they have to be and live out the divine qualities
instilled in each of them by the Creator. The opposite is often the case when
human actions are critically evaluated. One of the divine qualities, which we
ought to acquire and practice in order to enhance good human relationship, is
compassion. This singular divine feature characterised Jesus earthly ministry
in words and deeds. In this paper, the writer focuses on an episode in the life
of Jesus, as recorded in the Gospel according to Luke 7: 11-17. Jesus had
compassion on the widow who lost her only son; he consoled and restored her son
back to her. In following Jesus’ footsteps we can make our world better and be
able to bear and live with others.