Gospel in Art: All Souls

On All Souls' Day by Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller, 1839 © Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 3 November 2025
Luke 7:11-17

At that time: Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him.

As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, 'Do not weep.' Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still.

And he said, 'Young man, I say to you, arise.' And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, 'A great prophet has arisen among us!' and 'God has visited his people!' And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

Reflection on the painting

Today we remember all our loved ones who have gone before us: parents, friends, relatives, and those whose presence still lingers in our hearts. Each name, each memory, is held in prayer as we commend them to God's mercy. Our prayers for the dead are an expression of our faith in the communion of saints, that mysterious bond that unites the living and the dead. Death may separate us physically, but it cannot break the spiritual connection we have. We continue to walk together, though on different sides of eternity.

In today's Gospel, we see a glimpse of that unbroken communion. Jesus encounters a widow whose only son has just died, as a small funeral procession leaves the town of Nain. In the time of Jesus, widows were among the most vulnerable members of society. Having already lost their husband to lose her only son meant utter desolation. When Jesus saw her, his heart was moved with compassion. That same divine compassion still reaches out to all of us who mourn today and think of someone very dear we lost. Jesus brought her son back to life and restored him to his mother. Though the risen Christ does not raise our loved ones in the same earthly way, his miracle at Nain was a sign of what he desires for all humanity: the gift of eternal life. We pray that he may bring our loved ones into the fullness of his risen life.

Since the 10th century, the Church has set aside the month of November to remember the faithful departed. Across different regions, the day took on its own local traditions: families visiting cemeteries, tending the graves of loved ones, adorning them with flowers, candles, and straw crosses as signs of love and remembrance. Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller's painting captures this spirit beautifully. It shows two women, dressed in mourning, kneeling before a well-kept, flower-covered grave. The iron cross above the grave bears the initials "I. v. R.," suggesting that this scene may have been painted as a commissioned memorial, perhaps in memory of a husband or father, whose initials the cross bears. Beneath its gentle sentimentality lies something universal: the ache of loss and the quiet hope of reunion. The two ladies are not grieving, but carry a gentle smile. One day they hope be reunited with their loved one.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-7-11-17-2025-2/