Tuesday - 26th Week of OT 2017 - Divine love shining through perfect humanity

Luke is the favorite gospel of many people. In fact, it has been called "the most beautiful book ever written". In elegant and articulate style, Luke gives the reader a powerful and emotional picture of  Christ. St. Luke presents Jesus as the Great Physician, healer of body and souls. More than any other Gospel writer, Luke calls Jesus “the Son of Man”, and not so much deemphasizes Jesus’ divinity, rather, shows Jesus’ divine love shining through his perfect humanity. Luke repeatedly shows Jesus’ compassion for the poor, the needy, the sick, the sorrowing, the sinful women rejected by society, the despised Samaritans, tax collectors, beggars, lepers, and even the dying thief, crucified at his side.

In the early infancy narratives, Luke sets the tone for much of the Gospel: Jesus’ birth is met by thanksgiving, rejoicing, and prayer by some, yet there is also clear foreshadowing, that Jesus will be rejected and will suffer.

After the infancy narratives, after years of the hidden quiet life in Nazareth, Jesus embarks on his public ministry, announcing the coming of the kingdom of heaven, which is marked by miracles of healing and powerful preaching. Today’s short passage is the turning point in the Gospel. From his public ministry through Galilee, Jesus resolutely turns to journey to Jerusalem, he sets his face to journey to suffering and death.

For the rest of the Gospel, much of what Jesus says and does is in reference to what will happen when he gets to Jerusalem, the meaning and importance of what he does there.

And, there in Jerusalem, Jesus fulfills the prophecy we heard in the first reading from the prophet Zechariah: “Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem”. That prophecy is fulfilled in the celebration of the Mass, where men and women of every race and tongue stream to Jerusalem, to the foot of the cross, where the love of God and the goodness of God are made manifest. The divine physician brings healing at the Eucharist, “the Son of Man’s” divinity shines through his perfect humanity in his self-giving on the cross and in the Eucharist.

It is at the Eucharist that compassion is shown to the poor, those rejected by society are gathered in, the repentant sinner is shown mercy. The celebration of Holy Mass is the gathering of all nations on that Holy Mountain, at which the Lord wipes away tears from all faces, who gathers and mends all of broken humanity, and feeds the hungry with the richest of foods.

Let us turn resolutely to the Lord who goes to the cross for us, who embraces suffering and death for us, who feeds us with his body and blood, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the holy Church of God, that the Lord may graciously watch over her and care for her.

For the peoples of all the world, that the Lord may graciously preserve harmony among them.

For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may graciously grant them relief, especially the victims of the mass shooting in Las Vegas and their families.

For Pope Francis’ prayer intention for the month of October: That all workers may receive respect and protection of their rights, and that the unemployed may receive the opportunity to contribute to the common good.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased clergy and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. We pray.

O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain.