Luke 15:1-32 is a series of parables on the mercy of God. It is a mercy that seeks out the lost and gives life to those who have died in sin. We have had the occassion to write about the parable twice and both for Lent: in Year B and this year (Year C). What we are going to do in this article is to see how Luke 15:1-32 appears in the lectionary and, from the way it is paired with other readings, draw some new nuances of meaning from often recalled passages.

Luke 15:1-32 or parts of it that stress either the parables of the Lost and Found or The Parable of the Forgiving are found quite a number of times. In the Sunday/Feastday Lectionary, Luke 15:1-32 appears whole or in part in Lent and Ordinary Time of Year C. For the feast of the Sacred Heart, two selections from Luke 15 are given as one of the eight possible gospel readings for the day. In the Weekday lectionary, selections from Luke 15 are offered during the weekdays of Lent and on the Thursday of the 31st week of OT. Below is a table of these appearances.

How can one be a faithful servant of the Lord? The question assumes two things: first, that on has become a servant of the Lord, and second, that there is the real possibility that one can be unfaithful. The first assumption is taken from the way the Lord answers the question: "Does the parable apply to all of us, or just a few of us?" Peter's question is not given a "Yes" or "No" answer. The Lord wants us to understand that when he speaks of "servants" he refers to all the faithful, not just to those in-charge of them. The second assumption is rooted on a historical situation: that of the delayed Parousia. And it was because of this that Luke proposes this Gospel parable as a challenge coming from the Lord for a Church that has begun to show the signs of comfort and of stagnant faith.

 

Luke 10:1-12 is the Gospel reading for the Feast of St. Luke, "The Physician." The selection is made on the fact that Luke is numbered among the seventy-two. Though he is not one of the apostles, has been nonetheless sent -- as an evangelist -- to proclaim the Lord to the places where he is going to visit.

The gospel reading is paired with 2 Tm 4:10-17b, a note from Paul about the fidelity of Luke who has remained with him inspite of the difficulties of the moment.

In Luke, this short passage follows after the Transfiguration and the Healing of the Boy Possessed. To note is the way Luke places the second prediction of his passion within the context of the people's amazement at the healing he just performed. Luke omits here the episode where the disciples ask him why they were unable to drive away the evil spirit. Instead, he inserts the second prediction of the passion putting into stark relief the "defeat" he is going to suffer in the hands of men. The power over the demon that Jesus exercised is in contrast with his declaration that he will be handed over to the power of men. It is as if it was easier for him to vanquish demonic powers than to prevent human beings from the designs that they have in their hearts. And the disciples cannot imagine what he possibly meant since they have seen the marvels that he can perform. "It was hidden [parakekalummenon parakekalummenon] from them.".

The question that Herod asks in v. 9 is answered (Who is this about whom I hear such things?) in the accound of Peter's Confession. In Luke's version, Jesus poses the question to his disciples in an atmosphere of prayer, something characteristic of Luke who portrays Jesus as the model of prayer.

This short passage about Herod's state of mind is sandwiched between the sending of the Twelve and their return. Suddenly, the whole ministry of Jesus is placed under the shadow of death.

The Gospel of Luke does not include a narration of the death of the Baptist at the hand of Herod. But it is the only Gospel that shows Herod's open hostility to Jesus (see 13:31;23:11-12).

In Matthew (14:1-2), the powers that Jesus was displaying leads Herod to think that he is the Baptist come to life. In Luke, modifying Mark (6:14), rumour identifies Jesus with a resurrected John the Baptist, with Elijah and "one of the great prophets." To the last two, Luke has been preparing his readers since the episode of the raising of the widow's son. Later, the disciples will repeat these rumours when Jesus asks them what people say of himself (9:19).

The whole section [including the Parable of the Seed] until this point has given emphasis on the Word. From Luke 8:11 until this section, there are five occurences of "word" (vv. 11,12,13,15,21]. In these occurrences "word" is always an object of the verbs "accept/receive" "hear" and "put (it) into practice" (v.21).

The reading follows upon the Parable of the Seed and the Sower (Luke 8:4-15). In these passages, Luke follows the order already set in Mark 4:21-25), but omits Mark's verse 24 [a passage which Luke employs in two other places of his Gospel]. The words of Jesus once comprehended must be allowed to shine forth. Those in the educational sector would recognize in here the idea that the cognitive must pass on to the psychomotor level. Church language speak of witnessing, living out the Word. Here, Luke, following Mark, employs the image of the lamp. It would be totally nonsensical if the lamp is not allowed to shine. The Words of Jesus is like a flame that lights up the lamp from within; those who have accepted that flame must allow its radiance to break forth where it is needed (e.g. a darkened room).

The account in Matthew 9:9-14 appears both in Matthew and Luke (Q). The call of Matthew (v.9) is worded in a way similar to the preceding call of the fishermen (4:18-23). But while this latter shows that the response to the Word of Jesus is a response made in life (=Discipleship), the call of Matthew taken with vv. 10-13 as its immediate context, illustrates an aspect of the call of Jesus: it is addressed, not to the righteous, but to sinners.

The identity of Jesus as prophet having been established previously, calls the readers attention to an aspect of the prophet's life that needs to be highlighted:  the Word of God.  The parable of the sower and its explanation is common to all the Gospels, but in Luke we find a shorter presentation of it.  Luke places emphasis on the germination of the word in patience, something consonant with his over all insistence on Discipleship as something that is lived daily (cf. v. 15).