Morning Devotion for the season after Pentecost
Monday October 18, 2021
The Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist
The Invitatory
O give thanks unto the Lord, and call upon his Name; tell the people what things he hath done.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end.
Amen.
Praise ye the Lord.
The Lord's Name be praised.
Reading: Luke 1:1-4
Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.
Meditation – Michael Palmisano
It’s a familiar trap to try and read any of the gospels like history books. That trap is made even more enticing when we read these first four verses of Luke’s gospel. By Luke’s own admission, it might seem that his primary objective was to articulate the story of Jesus in such a way that included the most salient details of his life and ministry in chronological order. Based upon these introductory lines alone, we might guess that Luke intended to “set the story straight” once and for all.
But the belief that Luke had succeeded in something – recording a “history” – which his fellow evangelists had failed in, is just another falsehood. In the lines that follow these first four, the hope that we might be receiving an unadulterated, uninterpreted history is dispelled. Could we justifiably say that Luke was privy to the hidden words of the angel Gabriel (now three generations past) for whom there had been an audience of one, humble female servant? How could Luke know that magnificent and spontaneous hymn of Mary which she exclaimed during the joy of expectant motherhood?
But Luke had little intention of recording history as we might understand it. Rather, as he says, Luke has chronicled for us how history was being “fulfilled.” This is what the entire Gospel record is all about. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are the recollection and promise of how history has been “filled up” with the glory of God in Jesus Christ. In Him, all things past, present, and yet to come have been given their ultimate reference. The eternal Creator has entered history and all temporal created things are brimming-over with His presence. All things are being disclosed their “orderly account” through Him who has set all things in order. For this history-clarifying, hope-inducing, and life-giving order has Luke written his Gospel. For you, the next Theophilus, you, lover of God, did he long to inspire.
The Lord's Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever. Amen.
Closing Prayer
Almighty God, who inspired your servant Luke the physician to set forth in the Gospel the love and healing power of your Son: Graciously continue in your Church this love and power to heal, to the praise and glory of your Name; through your Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
