Day 37
I intended to read John before Luke. I know, going out of order! But Luke is volume one of a two volume work — the second being the Book of Acts. Anyone that went to seminary knows this. If you paid attention in Sunday school, you might know this, too.
Every Gospel has its strengths, unique stories, and elements that I enjoy. Luke is my favorite. It is thorough. Detail-oriented. Methodical. You get a solid collection of miracles and parables. You get Jesus’ directness along with his kindness. That isn’t to say the Jesus of Mark wasn’t kind, but he was far more sassy. You get pretty much everything you’ve come to expect from a telling of Jesus’ life here in Luke — from birth narrative to post-resurrection appearances.
In the midst of the miracles are the teachings. I can appreciate the brevity of Mark, but there’s far more explanation here. This was a book written for a movement taking shape. The second volume, Acts, gives credence to that thought.
So far, in reading the Gospels, I keep wondering where Christianity went wrong. How did evangelicals, mega churches, conservatives, and the list goes on — how did they fall into the very deception that Jesus warns about? How did they come to worship wealth? Prosperity? How did they come to ignore the poor? The oppressed? How did they make their bed with the devil?
The salvation Jesus speaks of here does have hints of an afterlife. But at its heart, it’s about living a just life. Even the “Paradise” he promises to one of the criminals crucified with him hearkens back to the earthly paradise of Eden. Luke reminds me of all the theology books I read that concerned themselves with the here and now. The kingdom is now. That’s a difficult concept to imagine since we’ve been taught that the kingdom Jesus speaks of is one we must wait for. But…what if it could be here? Now? That’s the prophet I’m journeying with as I read these books.
Luke features another well known story — that of the Good Samaritan. In case you’re unfamiliar, here it is. From Luke 10:25-37:
Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”
But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.
It’s a story our world needs. How often do you see videos of people, well, taking videos of someone else’s misfortune and suffering? How idly do people stand by in the face of injustice? What goes left unsaid when bullies, tyrants, and those who would destroy life or liberty harm others? Don’t think I’m sitting here on some high horse. I leave things unsaid. I choose inaction over justice. I am not the Good Samaritan as often as I would like to be…i’m the haughty priest riding by on the other side of the road. Americans are not conditioned to be Good Samaritans.
Refugees wait in limbo. Children are locked in cages at our borders. Black and brown Americans are murdered. Politicians ignore the plague of gun violence. LGBTQ+ people fear not just for their safety, but for simple dignity. Do you know how long this list could go? We are a nation of priests passing by on the gilded roads of capitalism, patriarchy, and white supremacy.
I want to be like the Good Samaritan. Sometimes I have my moments where I can, with joy, embody that ethic. But..for all the times I passed by…
This post is part of a lager series where I read the entirety of Hebrew & Christian scriptures in 45 days. Take a look a the original post for more info, as well as links to other reflections on this journey.