There was a slightly lower attendance this week - a little strange because we had put the clocks back last night giving every an extra hour! There were prayers for Shiobhan Day who sadly died during the week. Please pray for her mother Maureen and all who mourn her. Also, congratulations to Pat McGreevy, one of the founding members of our parish, who will be 90 years old this week.
Wednesday is a special day for the UCM who will be celebrating their 30th anniversary with a Mass and shared table from 7pm. Bruce Kent will be visiting the parish on Thursday to give a talk in our Living Faith series. Tickets are still available from 810886.
Tickets are selling well for the parish concert on November 7th. About 60 tickets have been sold so far, with more on sale after both masses next weekend.
The icon of peace will remain in the church for a few more days. Please try and get to see it.
Sunday, 25 October 2009
Sunday, 18 October 2009
Icon of Peace visits Sacred Heart
Here are some images from the Pax Christi Icon of Peace which is currently visiting Sacred Heart Church. The icon was created at the Monastery of St John in the Desert near Jerusalem and was given to Pax Christi in 1999. Prayer cards and information are available from the church. The icon is very impressive (much better than these pictures suggest!).
Sunday, 11 October 2009
The Gospel of St Luke
Luke’s Good News of Reconciliation
A. Background on Luke
• His Gospel was probably written just before 70 AD at Antioch (some 40 years after the resurrection of Jesus). Then a second book (Acts). [According to some scholars Acts came first]. Some argue for an earlier date; others put it even as late as 80 AD.
• He draws on Matthew(Aramaic), Sayings, but especially Mark.
Meanwhile Matthew(Greek) wrote his Gospel at same time in Palestine.
• Luke was a cultured Greek-speaking Gentile (the only NT non-Jew). He tells his story in a world context (rather than Jewish). He is a great & stylish story- writer.
• Other NT writers had some contact with Jesus first and then saw the Church emerge. Luke comes to know Jesus through his experience of Church (Acts); he discovers Jesus (just as we do). In this sense Luke is closer to us than the other NT writers.
• Luke was a travelling physician (who accompanied Paul), was aware of the world and diagnosed it as seriously sick. Healing is by stimulating something within (to a large extent the body heals itself). Jesus is seen as someone who affirms goodness where-ever he finds it.
• Luke is amazed by communities he meets living an alternative lifestyle: he discovers the ‘Spirit of Jesus’ (Acts 16:7) – as we do – in ordinary people, living in communities formed around the memory of Jesus. Individuals experience the Spirit of Jesus in their lives, empowering them to overcome evil. Hence the joy.
• But he is also aware of failure. Out of 32 sinful situations in the Gospels & Acts he has 27 – but the emphasis is on the goodness in people and reconciliation possible for everyone.
• The Gospel has been variously described as ‘the Gospel of the Poor’, ‘the Gospel of Universal Salvation’, ‘the Gospel of Women’, ‘the Gospel of the Spirit’. Luke describes many meals and there is joy everywhere (50 times). While Luke’s Gospel mentions kingdom 38 times and church not at all, Acts has church 19 times but not kingdom.
• Luke's Gospel gives a good idea of his character as one who loved the poor, who wanted the door to God's kingdom opened to all, who respected women, and who saw hope in God's mercy for everyone.
• The two books of Luke have ‘journey’ as a central theme: Jesus’ journey up to Jerusalem (Gospel); the journey of the Church from Jerusalem to ‘the ends of the earth’ (Acts). Acts ends with the Gospel being proclaimed in Rome, the end of the known world.
B. Peace & Reconciliation
Luke 1&2. The Infancy Narrative is not primarily stories to entertain children, but a prologue (using midrash) with deep theological meaning to all that follows. God visits his people, which is good news to the poor and brings joy to the world. It ends with the ascent to Jerusalem where the Christ must suffer to enter his glory with the Father.
Luke 3. The Baptism of Jesus is quite unlike the other accounts. The ‘Spirit ‘ comes to Jesus, not while being baptised, but afterwards while privately at prayer. Luke indicates how everyone can discern that Spirit. [cf. JPII: Dominum et Vivificantem].
Luke remains faithful to his ‘pagan’ roots: he traces Jesus’ ancestry back, not just to David and Abraham, but to ‘Adam, son of God’. The Gospel outreach is universal.
Luke 4. Jesus reads from Isaiah 61 in the synagogue of Nazareth, his hometown. They knew “the lord’s Year of Favour” meant Jubilee (Leviticus 25). Jesus makes clear: the message of liberation (for the poor, the blind, the oppressed...) was being fulfilled there and then ie he proclaimed ‘Jubilee’. According to Luke, he won the approval of all – even though it refers to his being anointed (ie Christ) & the spirit being given to him. Yet the same congregation a few verses later wanted to put Jesus to death. So what had happened? Jesus had referred to God’s favour outside of Israel. Jubilee is for everyone, not just for them but for all humankind; and for all time. They just couldn’t accept this message of universal peace &reconciliation.
Ultimately the issue is about how far God’s Spirit is accessible to everyone. Jesus’ final conflict is with the priestly caste and he dies for this.
This passage (4:16-21) amounts to a programme, like a political manifesto.
Luke addresses both rich and poor
(a) Good News for the poor; grim news for the rich
• He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away. (1:52-53)
• How happy are you who are poor: yours is the kingdom of God (6:20)
But alas for you who are rich; you are having your consolation now. (6:24)
• For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
And the man who humbles himself will be exalted. (14:11 & 18:14; cf. 13:30)
• Dives and Lazarus (16:19-31)
(b) Jesus doesn’t condemn riches as such (7:36, 11:37, 14:1&7). He tells us what to do with riches (8 times). The rich are condemned for greed and unwillingness to share.
He accepts help from the rich 8:3, 5:10, 23:50-53
But money can be a hindrance: It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. (18:25)
(c) Luke mentions the abuse of ownership by the powerful 18 times.
The poor or miserable (πτοκοι) are mentioned15 times. In Acts these are called needy (ενδηας) and the community responds to their need.
(d) Luke’s solution is for the rich to befriend the poor and eat together (great equaliser).
Jesus is shown at meals with the rich (5:29-32, 7:36-50, 14:1-24, 19:5-10).
He also hosts meals (9:10-17, 22:14-20, 24:13-35, 24:36-42).
Luke 15. The Prodigal Son – maybe should be called The Prodigal Father
This is the wonderful story of a father’s unconditional love. We might have expected it of a mother but even more powerful of a father. And the attitude of the other son makes it even more of a human story. The son’s motives are mixed but the father forgives before he hears a word. It is all about love, reconciliation and joy.
Luke 19. Zacchaeus – the humorous story of Z’s conversion – written off by others (and maybe by himself). He is amazed that Jesus wants to be his guest. Jesus flushes out the goodness left in him, saying: he too is a son of Abraham, causing Z to go over the top in his conversion and consequent promises.
Luke 23. Jesus dies, though he had done no wrong, quite simply because he was a good man (cf. the witness of the good thief and the centurion). He dies to bring about the dream of bringing all nations together; through him we are reconciled with the Father. [Luke formulates a quite different redemptive theology to that of Mark, Matthew and John].
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