Breaking the Word

29^th Week in Ord. Time, Tuesday – 19^th October 2021 — Gospel:    Lk 12,35-38

Our Job  

Jesus calls us to be active waiters. The key here is that we are to “open immediately” when Jesus comes and knocks on the door. This reveals the disposition that we are to have in our hearts and manifest in our action. We need to open and let Jesus in without any delay, as soon as ever he comes to the door; and at the first knock, open it to him at once. Therefore, the eager servant in waiting should be in a posture of readiness and in constant expectation. Spiritually, Jesus is knocking in our hearts. He is continually coming to us seeking to come in and recline so as to converse, strengthen, heal and help. Eschatologically, when Jesus Christ shall either come and knock at our doors by death, or shall come to judgment, and sound alarm of it, we should be ready to obey the summons with the greatest cheerfulness, and meet him with the utmost pleasure. The question to ponder honestly is whether or not we are doing our job of letting Jesus in immediately.  If we fail, we have nobody to blame but ourselves for not responding to the knock.

St. Luke, Evangelist, Friday – 18^th October 2021 — Gospel: Lk 10,1-9

Compassionate Proclaimer

Luke is a learned Greek physician, artist and evangelist, who wrote the memorable two-volume works in the New Testament: the “third” Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. In the two books he shows the parallel between the life of Christ and that of the Church. He probably never met Jesus in person. Yet, he apparently had close contact with many eye witnesses and followers of Jesus, possibly including Jesus’ mother, Mary, John, Peter and Paul. He is the only Gentile Christian among the Gospel writers, who brings universalistic themes in proclaiming the Gospel. In his Gospel, he manifests the great compassion and loving mercy of Jesus for all people.

Tradition holds Luke to be a native of Antioch, and Paul calls him “our beloved physician” (Col 4,14). Luke appears in Acts during Paul’s second journey, remains at Philippi for several years until Paul returns from his third journey, accompanies Paul to Jerusalem and remains near him when he is imprisoned in Caesarea. During these two years, Luke had time to seek information and interview persons who had known Jesus. He accompanied Paul on the dangerous journey to Rome where he remained as a faithful companion. He is obviously a trusted friend who brings comfort and compassion to Paul, who writes “only Luke is with me” (2 Time 4,11).