What do we know about the Widow of Nain?
Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. As he approached the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow, and with her was a large crowd from the town. When the Lord saw her, he was moved with compassion for her and said to her, “Do not cry. Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers stopped. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, rise!” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Luke 7:11-15
What do we know about the Widow of Nain?
She had already grieved the loss of her husband in a time when this made her situation precarious and vulnerable.
She only had the one son.
She lived in a small town called Nain, where she had a community that knew and mourned with her.
We can presume that the death of this only son probably felt like she, too, was being buried.
Yet in her darkest moment of grief, Christ appeared. He approached, full of compassion, returning to her what was most deeply precious to her, to give her that which she would have given her life for. He brought light and life to remind them all that death is never the end of the story.
Like her, we walk in the company of many other women on our journey of faith. Sometimes we can actively bear compassion and light; sometimes all we can offer others is our presence, keeping vigil for the coming of the Light. Whichever role we play, we do not walk alone.
As one participant of our Myrrhbearing Women retreat last year said, “I had been smoldering for a long time and didn’t know how to rekindle it. Sometimes you can fan a flame yourself. But sometimes you need someone else to bring a log. I had run out of fuel. And at this retreat, I found a community of women willing to share theirs.”
Join us in walking in the footsteps of the Widow of Nain, and those who journeyed with her in the footsteps of Christ.
In this icon of the Women of the New Testament, the Widow of Nain can be found at the top left. Her name is unknown, but she walks beside us as a woman who received great love in the midst of great loss. Her life reminds us that, even in grief, we walk forward together along a road that Christ walks with us.
If you are able to support our current fundraiser, we would be deeply grateful. As a sign of our appreciation, we are pleased to offer you a high-quality 8×10 print of this icon, produced on heavyweight, acid-free cardstock with a matte finish, ready for framing. With a gift of $100 or more—or a monthly commitment of $10 or more—we will send you this icon as a reminder of the shared calling that your generosity helps sustain.