Just as the dead man was carried out of the city through the gates, so too our souls (dead in sin) are carried out through our senses. The gate of our mouths carry many dead souls out. Many blasphemies, slanders, calumnies, lies, detractions, etc. are committed through the gift of speech. We must, therefore, put a guard at this gate, lest we are carried away spiritually dead through this gate. The gift of hearing is another gate to our city. It is through this gate that we listen to evil and invite it into our hearts, and likewise are carried out dead in sin. The gift of sight is yet another gate to our cities; and through the sins of sight — looking and lusting — many are struck dead and carried out in sin. So it is with each and everyone of our senses, they are gates through which we are carried out dead in sin.
These wondrous gifts of God, are as a two edged sword. With our senses, we are able to give honor, glory, and praise to God; or we are able to destroy our souls. It is by them that we live, and it is by them that we die. We should frequently remind ourselves of the power of these gates to our souls. By them, we can be carried away in death, or we can open them up to receive and welcome Jesus — and life.
The dead man carried out today, did not provoke the compassion of Jesus; rather, it was the mother of the dead man that Jesus had mercy upon. The soul dead in sin does not deserve the mercies of God; but, God does take pity upon the mother of the sinner. We, as members of the Catholic Church know that the Church is our Mother. It is the tears of the Church that obtains for us the mercy of God and gives us another chance. Those who do not have the Church for their Mother, have no reason to hope to be restored to supernatural life, after they have fallen into mortal sin. It is only in our holy Mother the Church that we find the seven sacraments: to feed our souls, nurture and strengthen them, as well as restore them to life, if we have the misfortune to commit spiritual suicide.
If we go to Her in our spiritual illnesses, and even in our spiritual death; She is able to obtain the mercies of God and return us to life or health; because God takes compassion upon the Mother who has lost her child. He hears the prayers of the Church on our behalf. We in sin are not able to even pray or petition for the mercies of God without the help of the Church and the graces which we obtain through Her. Even those who are outside the Church become beneficiaries of Her motherly affections. She prays for those who have fallen away from Her, and those who have never known Her, so that the Will of God may be fulfilled. There are many others who must be united with the flock of God, so that they may all be one. She prays daily for the conversion of sinners, for the heretics, schismatics, apostates, pagans and infidels. They are all invited to come under Her wing and be given eternal life through Her motherly intercession. She weeps with Christ over the stubbornness and loss of so many souls who refuse the graces of God, and choose to remain in the death of sin.
May we always remember to keep a guard at every gate to the city of our souls to not allow sin and death to enter in and carry us away. We should open the gates to Jesus and allow Him to enter in and impart eternal life to us. When we have had the misfortune to fall into sin — even deadly sin — let us not hesitate to present ourselves to the Church as our Mother, so that She may weep over our loss and obtain the mercy of God. Then He will return us to Her once again spiritually alive in God's grace.