ACC ~ Luke 8 v49 - 56

A WORD OF COMFORT TO THE FATHER

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: A messenger from the synagogue ruler’s house met them saying, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher.” What was Christ’s answer, seeing that he possesses universal sovereignty? He is Lord of life and death. By the all-powerful detemination of his will, he accomplishes whatever he desires. He saw the man oppressed with the weight of sorrow, fainting, stunned, and all but despairing of the possibility of his daughter being rescued from death. Misfortunes are able to disturb even an apparently well constituted mind and to estrange it from its settled convictions. To help him, he gives him a kind and saving word that is able to sustain him in his fainting state and work in him an unwavering faith: “Fear not, only believe, and she shall live.” COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 46. [1]

[1] CGSL 200-201**.

DEATH IS SLEEP FOR THOSE WHO WILL ARISE IN CHRIST

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: Coming to the house of his supplicant, he quiets their funeral songs, silences the musicians, and stops the tears of the weepers, saying, “The girl is not dead but rather sleeps.” “And they,” it says, “laughed at him.” I ask you to observe here the great skill of the management. Although he well knew that the girl was dead, he said, “She is not dead but rather sleeps.” What is his reason? By their laughing at him, they might give a clear and manifest acknowledgment that the daughter was dead. There would probably be some of that group who always resist his glory who would reject the divine miracle and say that the damsel was not yet dead. Delivering from sickness was nothing very extraordinary for Christ. To have the acknowledgment of many that the girl was dead, he said that she was rather sleeping. Let no one affirm that Christ spoke falsely. To him, as being life by nature, there is nothing dead. Having a firm hope of the resurrection of the dead, we call the dead “those that sleep” for this reason. They will arise in Christ, and as the blessed Paul says, “They live to him,” [1] because they are about to live. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 46. [2]

[1] Rom 6:8.

[2] CGSL 201**.

CHRIST RAISES THE YOUNG GIRL

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA: When he came to the house in which the girl was lying dead, he took with him only three of the holy apostles and the father and the mother of the girl. The manner in which he performed the miracle was worthy of God. “Having taken her,” it says, “by the hand, he said, ‘Girl, arise’; and she arose immediately.” O the power of a word and the might of commands that nothing can resist! O the life producing touch of the hand that abolishes death and corruption! These are the fruits of faith, for the sake of which the hand of Moses also gave the law to those of old time. COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 46. [1]

[1] CGSL 201*.

THE GIRL IS GIVEN FOOD

EPHREM THE SYRIAN: When the woman was healed, our Lord said, “Who touched me?” so that she could profess her healing before everyone. Also in the case of the little girl, he said, “She is sleeping” [1] so that the spectators might testify that she was dead, and then seeing her restored to life, these who scorned would be converted into believers. The witness given by them concerning the death of the little girl and her restoration to life performed by the Lord was a witness in anticipation of his death. Those who would see that he was alive again would not deny it. COMMENTARY ON TATIAN’S DIATESSARON 7.27A. [2]

[1] Mt 9:24.

[2] ECTD 142**.

TAKING FOOD PROVES SHE IS ALIVE

AMBROSE: What shall I say about the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue, at whose death the people were mourning and the flute players were playing their music? In the belief that she was indeed dead, solemn funeral services were being performed. The spirit returned immediately at the voice of the Lord, she arose with revived body, and she partook of food to furnish proof that she was alive. ON HIS BROTHER SATYRUS 2.82. [1]

[1] FC 22:233.

LIKE THE DAUGHTER, THE CHURCH RISES TO EAT HOLY FOOD

AMBROSE: Jesus took the girl’s hand, healed her, and ordered that she should be given something to eat. This is evidence of life, so that not an apparition [1] but the truth may be believed. Blessed is he whose hand Wisdom holds. I wish that righteousness held my acts and my hands. I want the Word of God to hold me, bring me into his closet, [2] turn away the spirit of error, [3] replace it with that of salvation, and order that I be given something to eat! The Word of God is the Bread of heaven. [4] The Wisdom that filled the holy altar with the nourishment of the divine body and blood says, “Come, eat of my bread, and drink wine that I have mixed for you.” [5] What is the reason for such diversity? Above, Christ raised the son of the widow in public. [6] Here, he dismissed several eyewitnesses. I think that the Lord’s compassion is also revealed since the widowed mother of an only son did not suffer delay. He is prompt; for fear that she would be further afflicted. It is also wise that the church would immediately believe through the widow’s son, but the Jews, albeit a few, would believe through the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue. EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 6.63-64. [7]

[1] Cf. Mt 14:26; Lk 24:37-43.

[2] See Song 1:4.

[3] 1 Jn 4:6.

[4] Jn 6:51.

[5] Prov 9:5.

[6] Lk 7:12.

[7] EHG 214-15**.