492 total views
492 total views The gospel reading (Lk 21:5-19) is considered a part of what is often called Jesus’ “eschatological discourse”, (21:5-36) because it deals with the “eschata”, last things, of both Jerusalem (its fate and its temple) and (what is coming upon) the world. It is also called the Synoptic “apocalyptic discourse” because it presents those
374 total views
374 total views The words of Jesus to the Sadducees in today’s gospel (Lk 20:27-38) point to the difficulty involved in imaging our future life based on our present life experience. Holding only to the Pentateuch, the Priestly Sadducees adhered to the letter of the law and refused to give weight to oral tradition. This means
377 total views
377 total views As Luke comes to the end of the travel account, we read the engaging story about Zacchaeus found only in his gospel (19:1-10). This episode can be considered the end of that section that has the “outcast” as the recipient of Jesus’ special concern, (beginning chapter 15- the lost sheep, coin, son). For
246 total views
246 total views The parable of the Pharisee and the Publican in Luke’s gospel is the second of the two successive parables on prayer. The first (read last Sunday, 18:1-8) teaches about ‘not getting weary’ or perseverance in praying; today’s gospel (vv 9-14) underlines the interior dispositions which must accompany prayer and which are captured in
245 total views
245 total views After Jesus’ eschatological instruction (17:20-37), the parable of the persistent widow, found only in Luke (18:1-8), follows to press home the point that he was making- the need for continual prayer (v1) to mark the existence of disciples until the coming of the day of the Son of Man (v8b). Jesus instructed the
295 total views
295 total views In the episode of Jesus’ cleansing of ten lepers (17:11-19), Luke begins the third part of the travel account (9:51-19:27) where v11a mentions Jerusalem for the third time as Jesus’ city of destiny where salvation is to be definitively achieved. It is only Luke who recounted this story to highlight his theological slant-
286 total views
286 total views The gospel reading presents two consecutive pronouncements of Jesus, perhaps initially unconnected but joined in Luke to underscore the power of faith, (17: 5-10). πίστις (pistis) is the common term denoting “faith” in the NT with the underlying senses of “belief, trust and conviction” in the person of God and the power manifest
