Tag Archives: Gospel of Luke

Empowered to love

Gustave Doré (1832-1883) The Fall of Satan Illustration for John Milton’s “Paradise Lost“ engraving, 1866

Gustave Doré (1832-1883)
The Fall of Satan
Illustration for John Milton’s “Paradise Lost“
engraving, 1866

God’s Spirit of love gives me the power to practice patience with those who aggravate me, visit someone who is lonely or ill, give food and clothing to those in need.

God’s Spirit of love gives me the power to say no to injustice, speak out against racism and prejudice,  practice simple living in a society where money and possessions have become more important than integrity, humility, and kindness.

God’s Spirit of love gives me the power to be a willing servant  of God’s mercy, compassion, and forgiveness as I go about my daily responsibilities.

Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.  Behold, I have given you the power to ‘tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:18-20

Coming home

James Tissot (1836-1902) Il allait par les villages en route pour Jérusalem opaque watercolor over graphite on gray wove paper, between 1886 and 1894 Brooklyn Museum

James Tissot (1836-1902)
Il allait par les villages en route pour Jérusalem
opaque watercolor over graphite on gray wove paper
between 1886 and 1894
Brooklyn Museum

Jesus enters into the lives of the people to teach us about the love of God, to touch us with healing compassion, to walk with us in our suffering.

Every encounter I have with Jesus is like coming home. For that time, I can rest. I let go of conflict, obsession, worry, and grief. From these moments of respite, I gather courage and strength and willingness to follow the example of the Compassion of God in my interactions with others.

As they were proceeding on their journey someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” Luke 9:57-58

Suffering is real

Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669) Christ Healing Peter's Mother-in-Law pen and wash, ca. 1650-1660 Paris, Fondation Custodia

Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669)
Christ Healing Peter’s Mother-in-Law
pen and wash, ca. 1650-1660
Paris, Fondation Custodia

Suffering is not an option. It’s a difficult, mysterious, devastating part of the human condition.

Jesus understands suffering. Turn to him when the pain—mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual—is too much for you. He will raise you with him.

[Jesus] said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and on the third day be raised.” Luke 9:22

Heart to heart

Luba_Lukova

Luba Lukova
Mary of Bethany

Sometimes there are no words to express the sorrow, the shame, the guilt, the enormity of the burden, the desire to be healed.

So the Lord works with me in the silence. I seek his presence. I offer him my failings, weaknesses, fears, shortcomings, pain. I show him my heart.

And he shows me his heart of infinite understanding, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, and love—and I am made whole again.

Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment. Luke 7:37-38

The miracle

"...looking upon Mount Tabor from the summit of the Hill of Moreh or Little Hermon. That village in the middle of the view is Nain, where, on one of his journeys, Jesus raised to life the only son of a widow." By OSU Special Collections & Archives : Commons [No restrictions], via Wikimedia Commons

“…looking upon Mount Tabor from the summit of the Hill of Moreh or Little Hermon. That village in the middle of the view is Nain, where, on one of his journeys, Jesus raised to life the only son of a widow.”
By OSU Special Collections & Archives : Commons [No restrictions], via Wikimedia Commons

Awareness of the Lord’s presence. Faith in the Lord’s care and concern for me and all of the human family. Trust in the relationship I am building with the Lord through prayer and meditation and study of Scripture. Compassion for all those who bear the burden of suffering.

This is the miracle the widow of Nain shares with me.

When the Lord saw [the mother], he was moved with pity for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Luke 7:13-15

Blessed and satisfied

A print from the Phillip Medhurst Collection of Bible illustrations in the possession of Revd. Philip De Vere at St. George’s Court, Kidderminster, England. By Philip De Vere (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

A print from the Phillip Medhurst Collection of Bible illustrations in the possession of Revd. Philip De Vere
at St. George’s Court, Kidderminster, England.
By Philip De Vere (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0],
via Wikimedia Commons

Lord, when I want to withhold my possessions, money, energy, time, or creativity from those in need, help me to remember you bless and multiply every loving action I take. With you in charge, there is always enough to go around—and plenty left over.

Then taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, [Jesus] said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. They all ate and were satisfied. And when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets. Luke 9:16-17

Emptied

Rembrandt (1606-1669) The Three Crosses drypoint and burin on paper, 1653 Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum

Rembrandt (1606-1669)
The Three Crosses (third state)
drypoint and burin on paper (III/IV), 1653
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum

Today I pray for the grace to be emptied of arrogance, fear, and self-seeking, and to be filled with humility, love, and generosity to those in need.

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself. Phillipians 2:6-7a

Today’s choice

Düsseldorf, Germany. Catholic church St. Lambertus, main portal with bronze door created by Ewald Mataré. Detail: Return of the prodigal son. Photo by Beckstet, 2010

Düsseldorf, Germany. Catholic church St. Lambertus, main portal with bronze door created by Ewald Mataré. Detail: Return of the prodigal son.
Photo by Beckstet, 2010

I may identify with either the prodigal son or his resentful older brother, but in this parable Jesus is calling me to be like the compassionate father.

How ready am I to forgive? To let go of resentment? To welcome the lost? To be a peacemaker? To show compassion to those who are poor, ill, or different from me in culture, ways of thinking, acting, being?

Today I will choose compassion over indifference and acceptance over judgment.

While [the younger son] was still a long way off,
his father caught sight of him, and was filled with compassion. Luke 15:20b

Never too late to bloom

James Tissot (1836-1902) Le vigneron et le figuier opaque watercolor over graphite on gray wove paper, between 1886 and 1894 Brooklyn Museum

James Tissot (1836-1902)
Le vigneron et le figuier
opaque watercolor over graphite on gray wove paper, between 1886 and 1894
Brooklyn Museum

Rooting ourselves in prayer, meditation on God’s Word, and conscious awareness of God’s presence in each moment and in all of creation, we allow God, the Master Gardener, to cultivate our hearts and minds to bear the fruits of peace, joy, forgiveness, compassion, justice, acceptance, and love.

[Jesus told them this parable:] “[The gardener] said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’” Luke 13:8-9

 

 

Bedazzled

Икона, Преображение Господне, 15 в. Новгород Icon, Transfiguration of the Lord, 15th c., Novgorod

Икона, Преображение Господне, 15 в. Новгород
Icon, Transfiguration of the Lord, 15th c., Novgorod

Prayer transforms, bedazzles, transfigures, inspires, transfixes, awes. May I climb the mountain of prayer today in the company of Jesus and listen to what he has to say.

Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up the mountain to pray. While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. Luke 9:28b-29