+ In Revelation 4:6, four beasts
give endless praise before the throne of God: a man, an ox, a lion, and an eagle. Tradition hold that these
signify the four Evangelists. Luke is
the ox, the symbol of strength and sacrifice.
His Gospel opens with the priest Zechariah who “was chosen by lot to
enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense” (1-9). In the Temple,
Zechariah encounters the angel Gabriel, who heralds the birth of his son, John
the Baptist. Gabriel goes next to Mary to tell her that she will conceive and
bear “the Son of the Most High” (1:32).
A tradition dating to the 6th century makes Luke the first
artist to have painted the Virgin Mary.
Our entrance antiphon today from the Prophet Isaiah magnificently
proclaims the beauty upon the mountains
that the feet of him who brings glad tidings of peace, bearing good news,
announcing salvation are. These were Jesus’ feet, these were St. Luke’s
feet, these can be our feet today – feet that follow in the footsteps of the
Lord Jesus announcing the arrival of the new kingdom of God.
In the second reading St. Paul is telling Timothy that it is only Luke
who stands by him now – the announcing of the gospel separates the men from the
boys – and Luke turns out to be a man among men – a physician who understands
the entire person: made up of a feeble and wavering mind, an often times broken
down body, but a spirit that can soar like an eagle.
It is this entire person that the Lord wants to visit, lay hands on and
heal – mind, body and spirit. The parables of St. Luke are classic and
wonderful to behold, including one of the most awesome and powerful of all: The
Prodigal Son. God is ALWAYS READY to receive back anyone who comes to their senses and decides to head
home. He runs to meet us, to pamper us and throw us a big party.
Jesus in the gospel passage indeed is the primary announcer of peace! Peace seeks peace – and often causes a
challenging situation – until hearts and minds are changed, reconciled and
welcomed into the heart of the Prodigal Father. The only way our Church and our
nation can be saved from what can destroy it – both from the inside of its
governing ranks, and the outside its congregations and constituents – is to
seek and find TRUTH in both regards – as it really is – as it can be found in
Jesus on one hand, and in the democratic process as it was intended which is
his will also, on the other.
Let us stand with these resistance forces and let the Light of Christ,
the Light of Truth, the Light of Peace shine forth: St. Luke would, St Luke, the
Physician, to heal the open and now festering wounds that only our compassionate
human understanding and touch can minister to with joy and hope!
Amen.
Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious
splendor of your Kingdom.
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