Send Out Laborers

October 18, 2007


The Feast of Saint Luke, evangelist

But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it. 2 Timothy 4:17

The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Luke 10:2

Piety
(From the Benedictine Breviary)

Lord God, you inspired your servant St. Luke, a physician, to reveal through preaching and writing the mystery of your love for the poor and the love and healing power of your Son. Guide our feet along his path of peace. Grant that those who already confess your name may continue to be of one heart and mind with a preferential option for the poor so that people everywhere may come to see your salvation. This we ask of you through the intervention of St. Luke and your son, our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/101807.shtml

Throughout this liturgical cycle, we have been studying the Gospel of Luke, whose feast day is marked today. As the nights get longer and the temperatures drop, we know that this year will wind to a close in about six more weeks…with the feast of Christ the King on November 25. So today’s readings appropriately remind us of the two themes that St. Luke attempts to make perfectly clear.

First, the Lord will do whatever He can to open our ears to the Word of God so that we might genuinely hear the message.

Second, we must do something about it. Too often the harvest is abundant – there is so much love that the world needs from Burma to Darfur, Kabul to Baghdad, from Boston to Durham, from Kansas to the District of Columbia, from Maryland to Virginia. Yet, we must pray to the Lord to send laborers to spread charity through the world.

These messages mirror the way St. Luke teaches and preaches. He depicts Jesus as a “prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people” (Luke 24:19). Therefore, sometimes, Luke teaches by relating what Jesus said (mighty in words) so that we may absorb its true meaning. Other times, Luke tells us what Jesus did so we can model his behavior to the world (mighty in deed).

From the beginning, Luke decided, “after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you” so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received. (Luke 1:3-4). From the outset, in the story of the pregnancy of Elizabeth, we see how her husband Zechariah was stricken speechless because he did not listen to the Word of God, delivered through Gabriel the archangel. Zechariah’s doubts – and eventual obedience – contrast with the obedience and actions of his wife’s cousin, Mary.

Given back his gift of speech and his son, St. Luke established the themes for this history in the canticle (Luke 1:68-75) and foreshadowed the death of Jesus:

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and brought redemption to his people. He has raised up a horn for our salvation within the house of David his servant, even as he promised through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old: salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, to show mercy to our fathers and to be mindful of his holy covenant and of the oath he swore to Abraham our father, and to grant us that, rescued from the hand of enemies, without fear we might worship him in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

Despite the promise of “salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,” it appears that Jesus could not escape the hands of those who hated him.

Despite that, we will witness Jesus, hanging on the cross, facing imminent near death, do the one act that we find the hardest to do when we are filled with health, wealth and freedom. Forgive his neighbor. With nearly his last breath, in his words and deeds, Jesus models what he wants us to do at the moment. Unbelievers would see as his ultimate failure. Yet, in just a few syllables, he frees himself from the hand of those who want to kill him and shows mercy, holiness and righteousness to those before him.

In that nearly last scene, Luke reminds us of the encounter that Jesus had with the men crucified next to him:

Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us." The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, "Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied to him, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23:39-43)

Action

Through this feast day, let us celebrate how we have come closer to Jesus through the words given to us by St. Luke this year. The Gospel of John may be presented with more flowery and poetic language and stories and signs. The Gospel of Matthew may be more popular with the general “Godspell-generation” public. The Gospel of Mark may be more prophetic in its structure and meaning. Yet, as we have turned page after page in the Good News according to St. Luke, we have come to learn the prescription for being a good follower of Christ in a book by a poor physician that is at once both personally and spiritually enriching.

Listen to the word. Obey the commands with our deeds.

The American Catholic web site outlines the many ways we can celebrate the Gospel of Luke. These include:

The Gospel of Mercy: Luke emphasizes Jesus' compassion and patience with the sinners and the suffering. He has a broadminded openness to all, showing concern for Samaritans, lepers, publicans, soldiers, public sinners, unlettered shepherds, the poor. Luke alone records the stories of the sinful woman, the lost sheep and coin, the prodigal son, the good thief. How can you show mercy today?

The Gospel of Universal Salvation: Jesus died for all. He is the son of Adam, not just of David, and Gentiles are his friends too. How can you seek salvation today?

The Gospel of the Poor: "Little people" are prominent—Zechariah and Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, shepherds, Simeon and the elderly widow, Anna. He is also concerned with what we now call "evangelical poverty." How can you help the “little people” today?

The Gospel of Absolute Renunciation: He stresses the need for total dedication to Christ. How can you renounce the world and be totally dedicated to God?

The Gospel of Prayer and the Holy Spirit: He shows Jesus at prayer before every important step of his ministry. The Spirit is bringing the Church to its final perfection. How do you plan to grow in your prayer life to honor St. Luke?

The Gospel of Joy: Luke succeeds in portraying the joy of salvation that permeated the primitive Church. How can you share in the joy of the early Church despite its hardships, persecutions and suffering?

May these words of St. Luke bring you peace today and always.