In celebrating the Easter Resurrection and heavenly Ascension, we close the book of Luke, as we read aloud Chapter 24 of his biography of Jesus. Congratulate yourself! In your reading, you have now absorbed the longest of the NT books compiled by Church leaders in the 4th century. Of the four gospels, Luke's Greek text is the closest in style and substance to the biographical genre we are accustomed to reading today.
THE BEGINNING OF THE END:
Last week our Passion reading ended with a few women leaving the tomb to properly attend elsewhere to their Passover obligations. We begin the Resurrection story with "they," the same women, returning to properly attend to the body of a loved one left in a 1st century burial tomb.
In his description, Luke distinguishes the women with names (24:10), as he has done several times earlier, scattered throughout his gospel text. From Luke, writing fifty years or more after Jesus death, we can surmise that women were then important and not just "blurs" in the life of the earliest strata of the Christian Church.
Paul, probably writing in the period between Jesus and Luke, creates in his letters the Godly standard of equality between male and female. However, by Luke's time, a generation after Paul, it appears from the extant documentation, that males were becoming more predominant in Christian communities, reverting to the gender hierarchy in place across the Roman Empire. Males, it seems, were the ancient decision makers. However, Luke noted and recognized that, behind-the-scenes, women were important as under-girders of Christian growth activity. Keep this in mind the next time you read the full text of his gospel.
THE PROOF IS IN THE OBSERVATION:
Living 2000 years after what Luke describes, we may seek our own proof about the reality of the reported events. That same feeling is shared among the original-people encountering the resurrected Jesus. While the gospel story is fascinating, can the facts be verified?
Luke's accounts of the resurrection, like the one on the Emmaus road, give the proof we need. The writing makes it clear the resurrection appearances are not to be taken casually. The resurrection is not just something to gossip about.
The resurrected Jesus is shown offering a table blessing over solid food in this painting by Caravaggio (1571-1610) of the Supper at Emmaus.
For Christians, Jesus was not an apparition or figment of the imagination. The resurrection was real, and it was fully human. The resurrected Jesus, like the babe of the Incarnation, is a solid, fleshly human being.
In Luke's stories, Jesus walks, talks, blesses bread and consumes it, along with freshly caught and broiled fish. Jesus encourages his companions to touch and discover his crucifixion wounds. Luke gives us solid proof, as he makes the resurrected Jesus present to the real world.
Yet now, Luke's post-resurrection Jesus lives in eternity, beyond human time and space. Jesus is a God-created being, who vanishes from sight at Emmaus, and who rises by ascending to reconnect earth with heaven and then vanishes from sight again.
MAKE THE JOB OF JESUS YOUR JOB:
Luke ends his gospel by stating definitively that Jesus is the complete fulfillment of the law, the prophets, and the psalms. Drawing throughout his gospel on an in-depth knowledge of the Hebrew scriptures, Luke confirms that Jesus is the ultimate Jew, the summation of all that God created humans to be.
Just before the moment of bodily ascension, Jesus completes his God-given duty with a request to those who know and love him. After opening the minds of those around him to the full meaning of God’s scriptures, Jesus asks that their knowledge now be carried promptly to others in and beyond Jerusalem, as they will be empowered by the Holy Spirit.
The text of the Gospel of Luke is finished. The command to carry to the world the story of Jesus was just beginning with those in His loving band. From that community to ours, the challenge now rests with us to spread the good news. How will you do that this Eastertide? You have been empowered. Alleluia. Christ is risen.
Women of the Diocese of the Rio Grande Study +++ March 14, 2016 +++ The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday (Year C)THE BEGINNING OF THE END:
Last week our Passion reading ended with a few women leaving the tomb to properly attend elsewhere to their Passover obligations. We begin the Resurrection story with "they," the same women, returning to properly attend to the body of a loved one left in a 1st century burial tomb.
In his description, Luke distinguishes the women with names (24:10), as he has done several times earlier, scattered throughout his gospel text. From Luke, writing fifty years or more after Jesus death, we can surmise that women were then important and not just "blurs" in the life of the earliest strata of the Christian Church.
Paul, probably writing in the period between Jesus and Luke, creates in his letters the Godly standard of equality between male and female. However, by Luke's time, a generation after Paul, it appears from the extant documentation, that males were becoming more predominant in Christian communities, reverting to the gender hierarchy in place across the Roman Empire. Males, it seems, were the ancient decision makers. However, Luke noted and recognized that, behind-the-scenes, women were important as under-girders of Christian growth activity. Keep this in mind the next time you read the full text of his gospel.
THE PROOF IS IN THE OBSERVATION:
Living 2000 years after what Luke describes, we may seek our own proof about the reality of the reported events. That same feeling is shared among the original-people encountering the resurrected Jesus. While the gospel story is fascinating, can the facts be verified?
Luke's accounts of the resurrection, like the one on the Emmaus road, give the proof we need. The writing makes it clear the resurrection appearances are not to be taken casually. The resurrection is not just something to gossip about.
The resurrected Jesus is shown offering a table blessing over solid food in this painting by Caravaggio (1571-1610) of the Supper at Emmaus.
For Christians, Jesus was not an apparition or figment of the imagination. The resurrection was real, and it was fully human. The resurrected Jesus, like the babe of the Incarnation, is a solid, fleshly human being.
In Luke's stories, Jesus walks, talks, blesses bread and consumes it, along with freshly caught and broiled fish. Jesus encourages his companions to touch and discover his crucifixion wounds. Luke gives us solid proof, as he makes the resurrected Jesus present to the real world.
Yet now, Luke's post-resurrection Jesus lives in eternity, beyond human time and space. Jesus is a God-created being, who vanishes from sight at Emmaus, and who rises by ascending to reconnect earth with heaven and then vanishes from sight again.
MAKE THE JOB OF JESUS YOUR JOB:
Luke ends his gospel by stating definitively that Jesus is the complete fulfillment of the law, the prophets, and the psalms. Drawing throughout his gospel on an in-depth knowledge of the Hebrew scriptures, Luke confirms that Jesus is the ultimate Jew, the summation of all that God created humans to be.
Just before the moment of bodily ascension, Jesus completes his God-given duty with a request to those who know and love him. After opening the minds of those around him to the full meaning of God’s scriptures, Jesus asks that their knowledge now be carried promptly to others in and beyond Jerusalem, as they will be empowered by the Holy Spirit.
The text of the Gospel of Luke is finished. The command to carry to the world the story of Jesus was just beginning with those in His loving band. From that community to ours, the challenge now rests with us to spread the good news. How will you do that this Eastertide? You have been empowered. Alleluia. Christ is risen.
Thanks to Luke, we have arrived with Jesus in Jerusalem. From the very first eyewitnesses until our time today, the good news of the Bible is to be shared with others. To prepare for our coming Palm Sunday, our 20 minute assignment this week is to read aloud Luke's Passion narrative using the NRSV text. (Attached)
THE BIBLE TELLS THE STORY FOR THE CHURCH:
To truly experience hearing the Passion with the power felt by the earliest Christian groups 2000 years ago, do not do your reading in isolation. Share it with others. Reading Luke’s Passion aloud in a group brings ancient remembrances to life, making the account fully understandable today.
To help you understand it better, Luke’s text has been broken into five voices. Each voice, using a conversational approach, retells a portion of the story, as it might have been explained excitedly by actual witnesses. Reading it as a group, like telling the next generation an important family story, lets us see how Luke captured the intensity passed on by the original observers. But remember, his was an after-the-fact presentation. Like Luke, we know the rest of the story; the crucified Jesus is resurrected, and, through us, his presence is alive in the world today. That is why Good Friday is good!
Although all four gospels tell us of the Passion of Jesus Christ, Luke’s version, in this Lectionary Year C, will be read on Palm Sunday. Then the story will be reinforced by the annual reading of John’s Passion on Good Friday.
PASS YOUR CHRISTIANITY TO OTHERS:
Each of the four gospel writers used explanations to invite people into a committed connection with Christ. Palm Sunday and the Great Fifty Days of the Easter season give you a perfect conversation starter for opening a door, welcoming others, especially newcomers, to join you in sharing the peace that can evolve with the conscious acceptance of God’s love. That love is shown in the life, ministry and death of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Begin by gently asking others to join their voices with yours for your 20 minute reading of Luke’s Passion. Then reflect together, as the earliest Christians must have done, about what you heard and felt. This activity builds connections across the ages by continuing the transmission of the Passion to life today and into the future.
Explain Palm Sunday and the Holy Week that is to follow by inviting people to join you at a church service. Hand them a palm leaf. Imagine together the entry procession into Jerusalem 2000 years ago, where people gathered to celebrate the arrival of a king. Read and talk about the Liturgy of the Palms text assigned for Year C, Luke 19:29-40. Look in your Book of Common Prayer, beginning on page 270, at the special traditional liturgies to come. Prepare to shout, “The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.”
JOURNEY WITH OTHERS THROUGH HOLY TIME:
The word passion in its original Latin meant suffering. To people in the 21st century, passion usually means intense emotion: pleasure, excitement, love, or hate. When you mix together the 2000 years of meaning of this word, you are challenged to look anew at what Luke says in his Passion. It is good news. It is the gospel of truth.
And the best news of all is that by following Jesus to Jerusalem, beyond the cross, and into the resurrection, the full glory of God is revealed. Take pleasure in inviting others to share the good news of the season with you. As hearing witnesses to Luke’s Passion story, you take the single body of Christ into the growing body of Christianity today. Through the dark moments of the Passion, emerge into the brilliant light of Easter. Get ready to live your “Alleluia."
THE BIBLE TELLS THE STORY FOR THE CHURCH:
To truly experience hearing the Passion with the power felt by the earliest Christian groups 2000 years ago, do not do your reading in isolation. Share it with others. Reading Luke’s Passion aloud in a group brings ancient remembrances to life, making the account fully understandable today.
To help you understand it better, Luke’s text has been broken into five voices. Each voice, using a conversational approach, retells a portion of the story, as it might have been explained excitedly by actual witnesses. Reading it as a group, like telling the next generation an important family story, lets us see how Luke captured the intensity passed on by the original observers. But remember, his was an after-the-fact presentation. Like Luke, we know the rest of the story; the crucified Jesus is resurrected, and, through us, his presence is alive in the world today. That is why Good Friday is good!
Although all four gospels tell us of the Passion of Jesus Christ, Luke’s version, in this Lectionary Year C, will be read on Palm Sunday. Then the story will be reinforced by the annual reading of John’s Passion on Good Friday.
PASS YOUR CHRISTIANITY TO OTHERS:
Each of the four gospel writers used explanations to invite people into a committed connection with Christ. Palm Sunday and the Great Fifty Days of the Easter season give you a perfect conversation starter for opening a door, welcoming others, especially newcomers, to join you in sharing the peace that can evolve with the conscious acceptance of God’s love. That love is shown in the life, ministry and death of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Begin by gently asking others to join their voices with yours for your 20 minute reading of Luke’s Passion. Then reflect together, as the earliest Christians must have done, about what you heard and felt. This activity builds connections across the ages by continuing the transmission of the Passion to life today and into the future.
Explain Palm Sunday and the Holy Week that is to follow by inviting people to join you at a church service. Hand them a palm leaf. Imagine together the entry procession into Jerusalem 2000 years ago, where people gathered to celebrate the arrival of a king. Read and talk about the Liturgy of the Palms text assigned for Year C, Luke 19:29-40. Look in your Book of Common Prayer, beginning on page 270, at the special traditional liturgies to come. Prepare to shout, “The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.”
JOURNEY WITH OTHERS THROUGH HOLY TIME:
The word passion in its original Latin meant suffering. To people in the 21st century, passion usually means intense emotion: pleasure, excitement, love, or hate. When you mix together the 2000 years of meaning of this word, you are challenged to look anew at what Luke says in his Passion. It is good news. It is the gospel of truth.
And the best news of all is that by following Jesus to Jerusalem, beyond the cross, and into the resurrection, the full glory of God is revealed. Take pleasure in inviting others to share the good news of the season with you. As hearing witnesses to Luke’s Passion story, you take the single body of Christ into the growing body of Christianity today. Through the dark moments of the Passion, emerge into the brilliant light of Easter. Get ready to live your “Alleluia."
Women of the Diocese of the Rio Grande Study +++ March 7, 2016 +++ The Fifth Sunday in Lent (Year C)
In every life journey, there are transition moments when planes land, trains arrive, cars pull in, or walks come to an end. A reset for what is ahead begins our 20 minutes of reading aloud Luke 19:28-21:38 this week.
Arriving at Jerusalem, our entry, like every possibility in our lives, has been prepared for us. Everything is ready for the entry into the city, though Luke does not suggest there were Palms. As we arrive at our destination, we know the outcome of our journey through what we have previously learned in the Bible. Nevertheless, give yourself permission to set that knowledge aside and experience the rest of Luke's story as it evolves.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS:
While Jesus knew how important his teachings were, even his disciples, who heard his every word, often did not understand. Luke does not gloss over the lack of sympathy and empathy of followers of Jesus. Luke knows human nature can easily be misdirected to opt for the easy way out of situations. Watch how Luke reports that people react to guidance from Jesus.
As Jesus moves from Bethany on the outskirts of Jerusalem, he thoughtfully answers his questioners from the high and mighty or lowly and sensitive people. Careful reading reveals that Jesus has the ability not only to hear the questions, but also to understand why they are being asked. Because God gifted all human beings with free will to make personal decisions in life, Luke fairly recounts how people respond to information given by Jesus.
PEOPLE & PARABLES:
Some favorite stories in our weekly reading include the cleansing of the Temple, the widow’s mite, and the comparison of a fig tree to the message of Jesus. Enjoy them! Luke is masterful in the telling of all these stories to make reading and rereading totally rewarding. Take time to consider all the details of Luke’s rich imagery.
AWARENESS & LOVE:
Luke's biographical hero is Jesus. Though one person is central to this gospel message, the Son of Man (21:27) imagery makes it clear that, for Luke, God's love of all humanity is the reason that Jesus came to be present in our world.
Lurking within the seriously deep foreboding, warning passages throughout Luke are undercurrents that place all human life firmly in the mind and grasp of God. We can, using our free will, choose how we read and understand them. This week, we bump into presentations and predictions that can be frightening. Reflect on them. Be aware of what they say about God, and about you as a human being.
We are not controlled by God, but supported by God’s presence all around us. God is there with us every moment of our lives. God is so omnipresent, that it is easy to ignore this awareness and brush it off. That is what the people journeying along the way with Jesus were prone to do. How does the humanity of Jesus reinforce your perception of God in your life?
Luke 19:41-44 tells about Jesus weeping over Jerusalem. This traditional subject fronts the altar in the main sanctuary of the Chicago Temple (First United Methodist Church) located on the ground floor of a towering business skyscraper in the heart of the downtown Loop. By contrast, Alois Lang, in 1952, carved for the altar of the Chapel in the Sky at the top of the building this Jesus brooding over the modern metropolis.Messages of any kind, in words or illustrations echoing Luke's biographical presentation, help us understand Christ cares for us and our world enough to be ever present to brood for our sorrows and celebrate our joys. In all times and all places in the last 2000 years, believing Christians have carried forth the good news in the Gospel of Luke. Hear it and share it!
Understanding that we are made in the image of God, we can take comfort in having Jesus as our companion on our journey throughout life. May we always be aware, that God is with us in love.
Women of the Diocese of the Rio Grande Study +++ February 29, 2016 +++ The Fourth Sunday in Lent (Year C)
This week our 20-minute reading aloud assignment is Luke 17:11-19:28. With Luke acting as our story-telling guide, we travel together on foot across the terrain from Galilee through and past Samaria to Jerusalem. Though this distance is only about 65 miles cross-country, the group with Jesus may have planned seven to ten days for their journey, because they expected to encounter interesting people and events along the way. With their goal of reaching the Temple in Jerusalem to properly celebrate the Passover, we surely know 2000 years later, that these pilgrims were traveling on God’s time.
People Along the Way:
For Jesus' companions, because of the prevailing Jewish viewpoint at the time, going through Samaria had risks. Inhabitants dwelling there, though they worshiped the same single God of the Jews, were thought to be tainted and contaminated in their religious belief, because the center for their rites and their "House of the Lord" was in the city of Samaria, not Jerusalem.
Human beings, leery as they are of different and unknown people, may feel compelled, with enough fear, to be repelled by people perceived as unclean and dangerous. Prayerfully reflecting on this phenomenon may provide insights into the rifts that separate Christian denominations now as well as the disconnects dividing Shia and Sunni Muslims today, even though they worship the same Allah.
As Jesus' travel begins, the first ten people at the roadside kept their distance, because they were unapproachable, untouchable, physically frightening, unclean lepers. Jesus heals all ten. Only one, a Samaritan, a single, lone religious outsider, returns to thank Jesus. Luke tells us that even the most unacceptable person, acting separate from the masses, can receive full life through faith.
Reflect, too, upon how Luke, with his experience through encounters with Samaritans, understands the crisis felt by observant Jews and reminds us of how we are to see others different from ourselves. In all good Samaritan stories, Luke points out that humans should not judge people. All judgment comes from God, and it is always merciful.
Parables Along the Way:
In Luke's storytelling, we are introduced to a collection of interesting people, who were considered by Jews of Jesus' day, to be outside the mainstream. This week's assortment of tales includes a stubborn widow, over-zealous Pharisee fundamentalists, limited-thinking slaves, active little children, and despised tax collectors. Characters of this ilk are important in all four gospels. Luke, however, is gifted at fleshing out personalities to make them a living reality, beyond mere words. Be open to the idea that Jesus' parables help us see ourselves and others, as God sees us.
In our springtime reading, Luke provides a timely emphasis upon money, taxes, and tax collectors. Now grumbling comes, as government entities funnel our personal resources for public good. In Jesus' time, extreme hatred was directed at the privatized business set-up charged with collecting tax income. Imposing a strong-arm to gather taxes went to the highest bidder, who aggressively profited by keeping any excess monies accumulated after authorities were given the expected amount. Tax collectors were generally regarded as money-grubbing agents of greed. Their touch on the lives of the people made them untouchables.
Think back to Luke's theme of lost and found from last week. Look at the determination of the sycamore-tree climber Zacchaeus, the lost chief tax collector. Jesus finds him. And Luke's story tells us that when Jesus is encountered, the unexpected happens.
Predictions Along the Way:
Imagine the path to Jerusalem taking us past farms, olive groves, and busy villages like Jericho. In this ever-evolving scene, Luke's Jesus offers insightful moments to push forward and prepare those accompanying him as to what lies ahead. Luke's travelers may not comprehend what is to come; but thanks to Luke's skillful recounting of the journey to Jerusalem, we are truly joined with Jesus.
As we begin the climb uphill toward Jerusalem, remember that this travel with Jesus, described by Luke, is set in God's time. Actual companions of Jesus could not foresee what was ahead. Luke’s writing tells us not to lose any moments in finding Jesus’ presence in our personal lives’ journeys. We are living on God's time.
People Along the Way:
For Jesus' companions, because of the prevailing Jewish viewpoint at the time, going through Samaria had risks. Inhabitants dwelling there, though they worshiped the same single God of the Jews, were thought to be tainted and contaminated in their religious belief, because the center for their rites and their "House of the Lord" was in the city of Samaria, not Jerusalem.
Human beings, leery as they are of different and unknown people, may feel compelled, with enough fear, to be repelled by people perceived as unclean and dangerous. Prayerfully reflecting on this phenomenon may provide insights into the rifts that separate Christian denominations now as well as the disconnects dividing Shia and Sunni Muslims today, even though they worship the same Allah.
As Jesus' travel begins, the first ten people at the roadside kept their distance, because they were unapproachable, untouchable, physically frightening, unclean lepers. Jesus heals all ten. Only one, a Samaritan, a single, lone religious outsider, returns to thank Jesus. Luke tells us that even the most unacceptable person, acting separate from the masses, can receive full life through faith.
Reflect, too, upon how Luke, with his experience through encounters with Samaritans, understands the crisis felt by observant Jews and reminds us of how we are to see others different from ourselves. In all good Samaritan stories, Luke points out that humans should not judge people. All judgment comes from God, and it is always merciful.
Parables Along the Way:
In Luke's storytelling, we are introduced to a collection of interesting people, who were considered by Jews of Jesus' day, to be outside the mainstream. This week's assortment of tales includes a stubborn widow, over-zealous Pharisee fundamentalists, limited-thinking slaves, active little children, and despised tax collectors. Characters of this ilk are important in all four gospels. Luke, however, is gifted at fleshing out personalities to make them a living reality, beyond mere words. Be open to the idea that Jesus' parables help us see ourselves and others, as God sees us.
In our springtime reading, Luke provides a timely emphasis upon money, taxes, and tax collectors. Now grumbling comes, as government entities funnel our personal resources for public good. In Jesus' time, extreme hatred was directed at the privatized business set-up charged with collecting tax income. Imposing a strong-arm to gather taxes went to the highest bidder, who aggressively profited by keeping any excess monies accumulated after authorities were given the expected amount. Tax collectors were generally regarded as money-grubbing agents of greed. Their touch on the lives of the people made them untouchables.
Think back to Luke's theme of lost and found from last week. Look at the determination of the sycamore-tree climber Zacchaeus, the lost chief tax collector. Jesus finds him. And Luke's story tells us that when Jesus is encountered, the unexpected happens.
Predictions Along the Way:
Imagine the path to Jerusalem taking us past farms, olive groves, and busy villages like Jericho. In this ever-evolving scene, Luke's Jesus offers insightful moments to push forward and prepare those accompanying him as to what lies ahead. Luke's travelers may not comprehend what is to come; but thanks to Luke's skillful recounting of the journey to Jerusalem, we are truly joined with Jesus.
As we begin the climb uphill toward Jerusalem, remember that this travel with Jesus, described by Luke, is set in God's time. Actual companions of Jesus could not foresee what was ahead. Luke’s writing tells us not to lose any moments in finding Jesus’ presence in our personal lives’ journeys. We are living on God's time.
Now that we are deep in the heart of the Gospel of Luke, you are aware that parts of this complex text can be well used or sadly abused. The events described in the narratives pile up rapidly upon each other, often with little obvious transition. It can be very easy to question the meanings of isolated verses, or to dwell on them in a way that excludes the whole message. Beware!
Lost & Found in Luke:
In the 20-minute reading aloud section this week (Luke 14-17:10), you will find many verses to distract you. Don't allow any diversion to send you off on a detour, as you already have begun walking the road with Jesus to Jerusalem. Luke keeps the plot moving and expects you to travel with him.
If a theme is needed for this week, think lost and found. In the telling and retelling, using this form of reference for his thesis, Luke is trying to make a point about our relationship, as human beings, to our supreme Being, God. Taking all this week's tales together, watch the presentation unfold. Either objects or people can be lost. In the varied stories, set face value aside, and let your imagination spark what is found.
Lost & Found Gospel Stories:
Scholars think that the basic data in the biographies of Jesus may have begun with disciples sharing casual conversation about their experiences of the death and resurrection events found in all four gospels. (This Lectionary Year C, Luke's Passion story is featured on Palm Sunday.) Followers soon added their own memories of Jesus' ministry activities. In the early collection of remembrances, the spoken words of Jesus were repeated, shared, and added to the basic action story. Some scholars believe that ideas that now are contained in quotes in the Bible were ,at some point, part of a compiled "saying source" no longer existing. Bibles printed with the supposed words of Jesus in red ink are just that, supposed, as there was no precise recording of the actual words Jesus spoke.
With our personal lifetimes of hearing about Jesus, rereading the Gospel of Luke brings us to rediscover special favorites and to find them in relation to the totality of the ministry of Jesus. This week, as you look for lost and found, rethink the concern over a lost coin, a dishonest property manager, missing dinner guests, and a wayward son. In each story, consider who is lost, and who is found. Consider, too, that each story places a value, often in an unexpected way, on the presumed importance of what is lost and what is found. Your challenge is to set aside your childhood interpretations of each episode so that you may uncover the deeper meaning that Jesus is sharing with us.
Lost & Found Safety Through Jesus:
In the midst of the reading for this week is a very familiar story about a lost sheep and a shepherd. (Luke 15:3-7) The symbolism here was powerful and immediate, when Jesus explained it to the people following him in rural Galilee. While we use the words "sheep" and "shepherd" in much of our religious terminology today, we seldom encounter, observe, or interact with sheep or shepherds in our everyday lives. Thus while the meaning may seem fanciful to us, it forces us to expand our imaginations.
A thoughtful reading of this text by Luke tells just how important you, and every other human being, is to God. For Luke, and Luke's Jesus, every story of being found is a story of joy! You are not lost. You are found. You are a joy to God!
To remember this, think of the image of Jesus, the shepherd, lifting the lost sheep to safety over his shoulders. This loving, caring shepherd imagery was most important in early Christian art. Today in our churches, the symbolic shepherd, our priest, charged with safely carrying the message of God's love to us, wears a stole across human shoulders. This vestment is a reminder that in following Jesus, we are found. And we bring joy to our God!
This Good Shepherd, housed in the Pio Christiano Museum of The Vatican, dates from the third century and is thought to be the earliest sculpture representing Jesus.
Women of the Diocese of the Rio Grande Study +++ February 15, 2016 +++ The Second Sunday in Lent (Year C)
Lost & Found in Luke:
In the 20-minute reading aloud section this week (Luke 14-17:10), you will find many verses to distract you. Don't allow any diversion to send you off on a detour, as you already have begun walking the road with Jesus to Jerusalem. Luke keeps the plot moving and expects you to travel with him.
If a theme is needed for this week, think lost and found. In the telling and retelling, using this form of reference for his thesis, Luke is trying to make a point about our relationship, as human beings, to our supreme Being, God. Taking all this week's tales together, watch the presentation unfold. Either objects or people can be lost. In the varied stories, set face value aside, and let your imagination spark what is found.
Lost & Found Gospel Stories:
Scholars think that the basic data in the biographies of Jesus may have begun with disciples sharing casual conversation about their experiences of the death and resurrection events found in all four gospels. (This Lectionary Year C, Luke's Passion story is featured on Palm Sunday.) Followers soon added their own memories of Jesus' ministry activities. In the early collection of remembrances, the spoken words of Jesus were repeated, shared, and added to the basic action story. Some scholars believe that ideas that now are contained in quotes in the Bible were ,at some point, part of a compiled "saying source" no longer existing. Bibles printed with the supposed words of Jesus in red ink are just that, supposed, as there was no precise recording of the actual words Jesus spoke.
With our personal lifetimes of hearing about Jesus, rereading the Gospel of Luke brings us to rediscover special favorites and to find them in relation to the totality of the ministry of Jesus. This week, as you look for lost and found, rethink the concern over a lost coin, a dishonest property manager, missing dinner guests, and a wayward son. In each story, consider who is lost, and who is found. Consider, too, that each story places a value, often in an unexpected way, on the presumed importance of what is lost and what is found. Your challenge is to set aside your childhood interpretations of each episode so that you may uncover the deeper meaning that Jesus is sharing with us.
Lost & Found Safety Through Jesus:
In the midst of the reading for this week is a very familiar story about a lost sheep and a shepherd. (Luke 15:3-7) The symbolism here was powerful and immediate, when Jesus explained it to the people following him in rural Galilee. While we use the words "sheep" and "shepherd" in much of our religious terminology today, we seldom encounter, observe, or interact with sheep or shepherds in our everyday lives. Thus while the meaning may seem fanciful to us, it forces us to expand our imaginations.
A thoughtful reading of this text by Luke tells just how important you, and every other human being, is to God. For Luke, and Luke's Jesus, every story of being found is a story of joy! You are not lost. You are found. You are a joy to God!
To remember this, think of the image of Jesus, the shepherd, lifting the lost sheep to safety over his shoulders. This loving, caring shepherd imagery was most important in early Christian art. Today in our churches, the symbolic shepherd, our priest, charged with safely carrying the message of God's love to us, wears a stole across human shoulders. This vestment is a reminder that in following Jesus, we are found. And we bring joy to our God!
This Good Shepherd, housed in the Pio Christiano Museum of The Vatican, dates from the third century and is thought to be the earliest sculpture representing Jesus.
Women of the Diocese of the Rio Grande Study +++ February 15, 2016 +++ The Second Sunday in Lent (Year C)
Halfway through reading aloud the longest Bible NT book, written by a person tradition calls Luke, the complexity of subject matter covered becomes both obvious and challenging. Luke's text bears reading over and over, with each reading uncovering new thoughts and truths. Though this study only summarizes a few of the details, do consider yourself challenged to personally explore and learn more. And each time you reread any passage, you will be enriched by finding something fascinating for your spirit.
LUKE'S LANDSCAPE:
As any fine narrative writer, Luke places the actions of Jesus in settings that give them reality. And real they are. Folk traveling to the actual sites, even after 2000 years, can sense the atmosphere of the places where Jesus walked and talked. Even today, people who cannot make the pilgrimage to the land Jesus rendered holy, can experience that land in their searches through books, films, TV, and the internet. God has placed us now in a time with resources that enable our understanding to connect with times long ago.
Luke's Gospel defines the locales. Let your imagination make it reality. Take time to walk with Jesus, as part of the presumed crowd surrounding him. Wander across the beautiful earth of Galilee. From the heights overlooking the blue sea water below, imagine a mass of people seated on rock outcroppings and soft green grass waiting patiently and hungrily for food for their bodies and heart. Let your ears hear the wind sweeping down from the heights to churn the usually gentle waves with a force capable of rocking a utilitarian fishing boat into a vessel of sure doom. Luke gives us the words; God gives us the gift of Imagination to create the necessary pictures.
LUKE'S SCENES:
The vigorous storytelling approach used by Luke keeps the action surrounding Jesus constantly on the move. Adding to the many episodes covered in the first half of this Gospel, this week read Luke 12:4-13:35 aloud. The story continues to unfold.
Last week began with Luke telling us that Jesus had set his eyes on Jerusalem. This week, after much plot development, we end with what scholars call the Lament Over Jerusalem. The words of Luke's account have begun to move us geographically and emotionally into a serious, dark period, so we may experience the internal feelings of Jesus, as he travels on the road to Jerusalem and his destiny. As we move into the fullness of Lent, we enter into the heart of Luke's account.
LUKE'S JERUSALEM:
Why Jerusalem? In the city was a mount where David had brought the Ark, or sanctuary box. It held the precious Tablets of the Law, that Moses had received from God on Sinai after the exodus from Egypt. The holiest portion of the impressive Second Temple, in the time of Jesus, housed these sacred objects. Jesus, along with many other Jews, would make a pilgrimage at Passover. Jesus, unlike all other Jews, knew his journey was not to honor the past, but to create God’s future.
Jerusalem today is not like the Jerusalem of Jesus. (Just look at the density on a Google satellite map!) Today, the only remnant of the Temple, now known as the Wailing Wall, is the holiest site for Jews. This wall shores up the land now occupied by the holiest Muslim site in Jerusalem. The holiest Christian site, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is a short walk away.
Reclaiming Jerusalem after 2000 years requires imaginative reflecting on Luke's words. Across the centuries, Christians have tried in their minds to bring into being both this holy city and the part of life, that Jesus had in Jerusalem. Each recreation comes from a prayerful act of faith.
LUKE'S INSPIRATION:
The Gospel of Luke can trigger our imaginations today, just as it did 444 years ago in the work of Georg Braun (1541-1622) and Frans Hogenberg (1535-1590) of Cologne, Germany. In 1570 they produced a map with a bird's eye town plan of Jerusalem at the time of Jesus as they thought it to be. This extraordinary original engraving, from the 1572 Volume I of the Civitates Orbis Terrarum atlas, can be seen and studied at our diocesan Cathedral of St. John in Albuquerque.
Jerusalem is where Luke encourages us to celebrate Passover, Holy Week, and Easter. Follow Jesus. Repeat Psalm 118:26 and Luke 13:35b. "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.”
LUKE'S LANDSCAPE:
As any fine narrative writer, Luke places the actions of Jesus in settings that give them reality. And real they are. Folk traveling to the actual sites, even after 2000 years, can sense the atmosphere of the places where Jesus walked and talked. Even today, people who cannot make the pilgrimage to the land Jesus rendered holy, can experience that land in their searches through books, films, TV, and the internet. God has placed us now in a time with resources that enable our understanding to connect with times long ago.
Luke's Gospel defines the locales. Let your imagination make it reality. Take time to walk with Jesus, as part of the presumed crowd surrounding him. Wander across the beautiful earth of Galilee. From the heights overlooking the blue sea water below, imagine a mass of people seated on rock outcroppings and soft green grass waiting patiently and hungrily for food for their bodies and heart. Let your ears hear the wind sweeping down from the heights to churn the usually gentle waves with a force capable of rocking a utilitarian fishing boat into a vessel of sure doom. Luke gives us the words; God gives us the gift of Imagination to create the necessary pictures.
LUKE'S SCENES:
The vigorous storytelling approach used by Luke keeps the action surrounding Jesus constantly on the move. Adding to the many episodes covered in the first half of this Gospel, this week read Luke 12:4-13:35 aloud. The story continues to unfold.
Last week began with Luke telling us that Jesus had set his eyes on Jerusalem. This week, after much plot development, we end with what scholars call the Lament Over Jerusalem. The words of Luke's account have begun to move us geographically and emotionally into a serious, dark period, so we may experience the internal feelings of Jesus, as he travels on the road to Jerusalem and his destiny. As we move into the fullness of Lent, we enter into the heart of Luke's account.
LUKE'S JERUSALEM:
Why Jerusalem? In the city was a mount where David had brought the Ark, or sanctuary box. It held the precious Tablets of the Law, that Moses had received from God on Sinai after the exodus from Egypt. The holiest portion of the impressive Second Temple, in the time of Jesus, housed these sacred objects. Jesus, along with many other Jews, would make a pilgrimage at Passover. Jesus, unlike all other Jews, knew his journey was not to honor the past, but to create God’s future.
Jerusalem today is not like the Jerusalem of Jesus. (Just look at the density on a Google satellite map!) Today, the only remnant of the Temple, now known as the Wailing Wall, is the holiest site for Jews. This wall shores up the land now occupied by the holiest Muslim site in Jerusalem. The holiest Christian site, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is a short walk away.
Reclaiming Jerusalem after 2000 years requires imaginative reflecting on Luke's words. Across the centuries, Christians have tried in their minds to bring into being both this holy city and the part of life, that Jesus had in Jerusalem. Each recreation comes from a prayerful act of faith.
LUKE'S INSPIRATION:
The Gospel of Luke can trigger our imaginations today, just as it did 444 years ago in the work of Georg Braun (1541-1622) and Frans Hogenberg (1535-1590) of Cologne, Germany. In 1570 they produced a map with a bird's eye town plan of Jerusalem at the time of Jesus as they thought it to be. This extraordinary original engraving, from the 1572 Volume I of the Civitates Orbis Terrarum atlas, can be seen and studied at our diocesan Cathedral of St. John in Albuquerque.
Jerusalem is where Luke encourages us to celebrate Passover, Holy Week, and Easter. Follow Jesus. Repeat Psalm 118:26 and Luke 13:35b. "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.”
Women of the Diocese of the Rio Grande Study +++ February 8, 2016 +++ The First Sunday in Lent (Year C)
Let the Gospel for to the First Sunday in Lent, Luke 4:1-13, set the tone for the forty days we begin on Ash Wednesday. For Luke, the Holy Spirit is in control; and Jesus is full of the Holy Spirit. He tells us how that empowers us, too. We are to “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.” For Lent and for life, Jesus challenges us to “not put the Lord your God to the test.” Dwell on that idea. Make it part of your Lenten discipline.
TIME TRAVEL PLANS:
As we enter into Lent, our twenty minutes of reading Luke 9:51-12:3 aloud this week thrusts us into greater intensity, as Jesus sets his eyes firmly on his journey to Jerusalem. In the care of God the Father, Jesus is sure of the destiny that is coming.
We know the story, including the rest of the story. That knowledge allows us to read and listen carefully, as Luke gives us the most complete biographical account in the Bible of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
TIME TRAVEL COMPANIONS:
Luke’s Gospel is filled with an abundance of people. These include the unnamed masses, the specifically identified groups, the generally described individuals, and named persons. Luke was obviously a people watcher. How blessed we are that his writing skills, well used, connect us with humanity 2000 years ago.
This week, we have the opportunity to meet the increasingly growing crowds, inhospitable Samaritans, the seventy laborers sent to provide God’s harvest, and the sisters from Bethany. Each has a part to play. Watch for the active presence of the Holy Spirit. Muse on the people considered in each account of the text.
The Good Samaritan story this week is a favorite. While ingrained in our memories, it gains depth when told with the surrounding context Luke presents to us: The richness of compassion from a person who might not have been perceived as a person of compassion.
TIME TRAVEL THOUGHTS:
Part of the fun of reading Luke aloud, in large sections, is finding and voicing many phrases and stories that we, unexpectedly, encounter in various parts of our everyday lives. Luke’s magnificently constructed, ancient text provides the source for ideas that inspire our Christian lives today.
Luke has Jesus emphasize the true vitality and practicality of the law: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself. (10:27) The good news is in Luke’s text for how we, as Christians, are to live our lives.
As you read Luke aloud this week, you will set in context the most important, timeless thoughts that you already repeat frequently: The Lord’s Prayer. (11:2-4) You also will find confirmation for this prayer tradition in Matthew 6:7-15. Both these entries, written by two different authors, to inform two different communities about Jesus near the end of the first century, reveal to scholars the importance of The Lord’s Prayer at the very beginning of Christianity.
TIME TRAVEL RECOVERIES:
When the Bible was written, few people could read. That situation persisted through most of Christian history. In the first centuries of written Bible texts, all who read them, read them aloud, either alone or to an audience of others.
In modern times, after the habit of silent reading evolved, the way people could connect with Bible texts changed, too. Bibles of all kinds, ranging from printed paper to electronic transmission, have become abundant. Competition from other communication sources and time pressures have diverted many people away from concentrated Bible contact. As a result, Bible exposure, for some people, has diminished to hearing short readings during worship or searching for word-focused literal meanings in study.
Christians today need to hear the full story. Experience the ancient method of reading the text aloud. Today, understand God’s good news, as Luke, 2000 years ago, expected us to. The Ash Wednesday prayer calls us to “have a holy Lent by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.” Let your strong voice be heard!
TIME TRAVEL PLANS:
As we enter into Lent, our twenty minutes of reading Luke 9:51-12:3 aloud this week thrusts us into greater intensity, as Jesus sets his eyes firmly on his journey to Jerusalem. In the care of God the Father, Jesus is sure of the destiny that is coming.
We know the story, including the rest of the story. That knowledge allows us to read and listen carefully, as Luke gives us the most complete biographical account in the Bible of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
TIME TRAVEL COMPANIONS:
Luke’s Gospel is filled with an abundance of people. These include the unnamed masses, the specifically identified groups, the generally described individuals, and named persons. Luke was obviously a people watcher. How blessed we are that his writing skills, well used, connect us with humanity 2000 years ago.
This week, we have the opportunity to meet the increasingly growing crowds, inhospitable Samaritans, the seventy laborers sent to provide God’s harvest, and the sisters from Bethany. Each has a part to play. Watch for the active presence of the Holy Spirit. Muse on the people considered in each account of the text.
The Good Samaritan story this week is a favorite. While ingrained in our memories, it gains depth when told with the surrounding context Luke presents to us: The richness of compassion from a person who might not have been perceived as a person of compassion.
TIME TRAVEL THOUGHTS:
Part of the fun of reading Luke aloud, in large sections, is finding and voicing many phrases and stories that we, unexpectedly, encounter in various parts of our everyday lives. Luke’s magnificently constructed, ancient text provides the source for ideas that inspire our Christian lives today.
Luke has Jesus emphasize the true vitality and practicality of the law: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself. (10:27) The good news is in Luke’s text for how we, as Christians, are to live our lives.
As you read Luke aloud this week, you will set in context the most important, timeless thoughts that you already repeat frequently: The Lord’s Prayer. (11:2-4) You also will find confirmation for this prayer tradition in Matthew 6:7-15. Both these entries, written by two different authors, to inform two different communities about Jesus near the end of the first century, reveal to scholars the importance of The Lord’s Prayer at the very beginning of Christianity.
TIME TRAVEL RECOVERIES:
When the Bible was written, few people could read. That situation persisted through most of Christian history. In the first centuries of written Bible texts, all who read them, read them aloud, either alone or to an audience of others.
In modern times, after the habit of silent reading evolved, the way people could connect with Bible texts changed, too. Bibles of all kinds, ranging from printed paper to electronic transmission, have become abundant. Competition from other communication sources and time pressures have diverted many people away from concentrated Bible contact. As a result, Bible exposure, for some people, has diminished to hearing short readings during worship or searching for word-focused literal meanings in study.
Christians today need to hear the full story. Experience the ancient method of reading the text aloud. Today, understand God’s good news, as Luke, 2000 years ago, expected us to. The Ash Wednesday prayer calls us to “have a holy Lent by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word.” Let your strong voice be heard!