Daily Retreat 01/21/07
2007 Jan 21 SUN: THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Neh 8: 2-4a. 5-6. 8-10/ Ps 18(19): 8. 9. 10. 15/ 1 Cor 12: 12-30/ Lk 1: 1-4; 4: 14-21
From today’s readings: “ All the people listened attentively to the book of the law.... Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.... Now you are Christ’s body... I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received.”
Luke’s Letter to Theophilus
St. Luke begins his Gospel with aplomb, explaining to Theophilus the precise reason why he has compiled his account of the life of Jesus, “so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received!” Luke also addresses his second volume, the Acts of the Apostles, to Theophilus as well, whose name means, “Loved by God.” Since, throughout this year, the Sunday Gospel will be almost exclusively from Luke’s Gospel, now is the time to really get into the Gospel of Luke - perhaps you can set aside time to read the whole book throughout this week.
Since nothing else is known about Theophilus, some scholars have suggested that Luke penned that name as a literary device to connect with readers, all of whom would well see themselves as “Loved by God” personally after reading the good news of God’s love and mercy so convincingly presented by Luke. But regardless of whether or not there ever was an historical “Theophilus,” it’s certain that Luke wrote intending and hoping that everyone would come to hear the Gospel.
By “investigating everything accurately anew,” St. Luke makes sure that we get a close-up of the best side of Jesus-the very best of Jesus! Not that there's a “worst of Jesus,” of course, but I think we can say there is a "best of Jesus": The Jesus who is so fired up with His Messianic mission (summarized in the manifesto from Isaiah He proclaimed in His hometown), the Jesus who so loved, the Jesus who is so compassionate, the Jesus who is so forgiving, the Jesus that is so much with us - St Luke really shows best how Jesus is one with us: He's one with the downtrodden (like the Good Samaritan was, for example). He's one with those, such as lepers, who are marginalized in society, He's one with the poor (such as the widow who generously gives her last pennies), He's one with those who have done something so bad that they've been excluded by their sins from society (such as the prodigal son and adulterous woman) and He's there to bring them back and reconcile. Read the whole book, see the best of Jesus, following the Lord's own example of reading scripture right in your own home town!
Neh 8: 2-4a. 5-6. 8-10/ Ps 18(19): 8. 9. 10. 15/ 1 Cor 12: 12-30/ Lk 1: 1-4; 4: 14-21
From today’s readings: “ All the people listened attentively to the book of the law.... Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.... Now you are Christ’s body... I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received.”
Luke’s Letter to Theophilus
St. Luke begins his Gospel with aplomb, explaining to Theophilus the precise reason why he has compiled his account of the life of Jesus, “so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received!” Luke also addresses his second volume, the Acts of the Apostles, to Theophilus as well, whose name means, “Loved by God.” Since, throughout this year, the Sunday Gospel will be almost exclusively from Luke’s Gospel, now is the time to really get into the Gospel of Luke - perhaps you can set aside time to read the whole book throughout this week.
Since nothing else is known about Theophilus, some scholars have suggested that Luke penned that name as a literary device to connect with readers, all of whom would well see themselves as “Loved by God” personally after reading the good news of God’s love and mercy so convincingly presented by Luke. But regardless of whether or not there ever was an historical “Theophilus,” it’s certain that Luke wrote intending and hoping that everyone would come to hear the Gospel.
By “investigating everything accurately anew,” St. Luke makes sure that we get a close-up of the best side of Jesus-the very best of Jesus! Not that there's a “worst of Jesus,” of course, but I think we can say there is a "best of Jesus": The Jesus who is so fired up with His Messianic mission (summarized in the manifesto from Isaiah He proclaimed in His hometown), the Jesus who so loved, the Jesus who is so compassionate, the Jesus who is so forgiving, the Jesus that is so much with us - St Luke really shows best how Jesus is one with us: He's one with the downtrodden (like the Good Samaritan was, for example). He's one with those, such as lepers, who are marginalized in society, He's one with the poor (such as the widow who generously gives her last pennies), He's one with those who have done something so bad that they've been excluded by their sins from society (such as the prodigal son and adulterous woman) and He's there to bring them back and reconcile. Read the whole book, see the best of Jesus, following the Lord's own example of reading scripture right in your own home town!
posted by FrPitstick | 1/19/2007
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