Breaking the Word

30^th Week in Ord. Time, Friday – 29^th October 2021 — Gospel:       Lk 14,1-6

Accepting Social Elite Honours

Luke’s gospel has a special emphasis to meal settings, in which he describes Jesus eating with everyone, whether they are tax collectors, or sinners, or religious leaders. Although Pharisees dispute with Jesus and sometimes express hostility toward him, Jesus continues to engage and dine with them. In fact, Luke 14,1 is the third dinner invitation Jesus accepts from a Pharisee (Lk 7,36-50; 11,37-43). This kind of collegiality and friendship can be difficult to understand, especially in a rigid religious and political situation of Jesus’ day. None can forget the complex relationship Jesus has with Pharisees in many instances. Some Pharisees felt that Jesus should have a distant relationship with ‘sinners and tax collectors’ that did not involve meals and foot washing (Lk 5,29-32; 7,34.36-50). Other Pharisees expected Jesus to wash his hands before all meals, not to heal desperate folks on Sabbath (Lk 6,6; 13,11), and not to allow his disciples to harvest and prepare food on the Sabbath (Lk 5,33-39; 6,1-5; 11,37-43). Yet, at times, the Pharisees were also amazed that Jesus could heal and forgive sins, and some even warned Jesus when Herod wanted to kill him (Lk 5,17-26; 13,31). Therefore, some suggest, because of the frequent invitations, Jesus must have been a Pharisee himself. Knowing that the Pharisees and the lawyers were watching him closely, of what they were thinking, and of how they will respond, Jesus accepts the invitation for a feast with the leader of the Pharisees on the Sabbath. It is an invitation he did not refuse, as it is a feast for the social elite of the hierarchy.  Perhaps this special invitation is for the wise, influential and admired Rabbis like Jesus.  However, Jesus’ primary intention was to open their hearts to see what God is doing through him. And he was focused to set free those in bondage so that all can enter into God’s kingdom and share in God’s banquet.

Feasts of Sts. Simon and Jude, Thursday – 28^th October 2019 — Gospel: Lk 12,35-38

As Ambassadors for Christ

Today’s feast honours saints Simon and Jude, called by Jesus to be his apostles. St.Jude is regarded as patron saint of desperate cases and lost causes. St.Simon is hardly mentioned but is identified as a man of great religious zeal. Sts. Simon and Jude were directly called by Jesus himself, to be part of the twelve. They responded generously to His invitation to join him in his holy and healing work. Tradition believed that they preached the Gospel in Syria, Mesopotamia and Persia, where they had been sent.

In Luke’s version of the calling of the twelve, the three terms “the disciples,” “the twelve,” and “apostles” appear in one verse (Lk 6,13). These terms are not synonymous and do not refer to the same groups. From the larger group of the disciples, he chose twelve and designated them to be apostles. The Greek word ‘apostolos’ refers to someone who is sent out, an envoy or an ambassador. Apostles are called to be Jesus’ ambassadors to people. In the Acts of the Apostles, many who were not among the twelve were called apostles. The twelve are chosen by Jesus after the vigilance of prayer. The initiative is always from God, but the response is from the human. The twelve accompany Jesus (Lk 6,17), bear witness to His work and continue His mission. In the gospel of Luke, call to follow Jesus is a call to imitate him. The disciple is a follower and admirer of Jesus. Jesus attracted large crowd of disciples (Lk 6,17). They followed Jesus in order to hear him and to be healed of their diseases (Lk 6,18).