Introduction

I have continued to read the Gospel of Luke over the past month, and I am still studying this book, along with the Acts of the Apostles, in my Scripture class. While weighing up what to write for this post, I began mentally to list what themes are commonly attributed to Luke’s Gospel: prayer, concern for the poor and oppressed, the healings, the Holy Spirit. But then I stopped myself; although lectio can be supplemented and influenced by our studies and our reading, it is primarily about what Holy Scriptures are saying to me, now. So, this post is not to be a description of finding the traditional themes of the Gospel in my lectio, but about what themes spoke to me.

Lectio

At this time I am preparing for one of the most important days of my life – next month I will make my Solemn Vows as a Benedictine nun; this is a lifetime commitment to follow Christ in the way of St Benedict. So, it is not surprising that I have homed in on verses that concern discipleship and faithfulness:

I will follow you wherever you go (9:57).

… then come, follow me (18:22).

This discipleship is not easy; it comes at a cost, including both renunciation of possessions:

You cannot be the slave of both God and money (16:13),

and taking on the difficulties entailed in the imitation of Jesus Christ, our master:

Anyone who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple (14:27).

At this point it is easy to become disheartened and turn away. I wonder how I am possibly able to do these things, to follow under such radical conditions and uncomplaining undertaking such hardships and I am likely to give up, full of self-disgust.

But recall another theme in Luke’s writings – the Holy Spirit, and this moment of testing is an opportune moment to pray, in humility, for the help of the Holy Spirit.

Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the man who humbles himself will be exalted (18:14).

Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you (11:9).

When performing healing miracles, Jesus seems to consider it important to elicit an act of faith either by, or on behalf of, the person to be cured:

… Stand up and go on your way. Your faith has saved you (17:19),

and before restoring his daughter to life, Jesus says to Jairus:

Do not be afraid, only have faith and she will be safe (8:50).

In the Parable of the Sower (8: 5-15) we see that it is possible for people to hear the word of God, and even welcome it with joy, and yet soon fall away from practicing it, as is the case of the seeds that fall on the rock and in the thorns. The seeds that mature and yield a good crop are likened to those who persevere. Likewise, it is those who persevere or stand firm in their faith through trials who attain to eternal life:

Your endurance will win you your lives (21:18).

As the day of my Profession draws near, I give thanks to the Lord for what faith I have and for the years that I have persevered in this life until now, and pray for the grace to continue the journey which I have begun.

Prayer

Lord God and Father, as we read in the Gospel of Luke of your compassion to the weak and the poor, and taught by the words and actions of your Son, grant us, we pray, the grace to imitate him in love, to walk your ways in faith, and so to attain the eternal life you long to give us. Amen.