Saturday, December 7, 2024

Advent Reading: Luke 6

Luke 6

There are many things that can or should be said about chapter 6. Sabbath “controversy,” another version of beatitudes, followed by the “woes,” closing the chapter with the building house on the rock. What I want to point out is something that involves counting skills.

To those who pays attention (the basic meaning of “to you who hear”) Jesus lays out 16 imperative verbs (v. 27-38):

1. love your enemies

2. do good to those who hate you

3. bless those who curse you

4. pray for those who abuse you

5. to the one who strikes in on the cheek, offer the other also

6. do not withhold your tunic from one who takes away your cloak

7. give to everyone who begs from you

8. do not demand back

9. do so to them as you wish that others do to you

10. do good [to your enemies]

11. lend, expecting nothing in return

12. be merciful

13. Judge not

14. condemn not

15. forgive

16. give

 

This sets a moral and evangelism bar so high. When an adequate reality assessment kicks in, we realize that it is impossible for man to measure up to this list. Jesus did it all, He is the one who took upon Himself an obligation to tread the path of righteousness. The path we are invited, being justified, as we set the foot on the way of sanctification.

There is a need for a numerical comment. Somewhere in the middle of the list (between 9 and 10), Jesus repeats “love your enemies.” This turns a list into 17 consecutive verbs. That’s makes the list way more interesting. A sign of fulness is developed further in John 21. Remember, Jesus makes breakfast for the tired disciples who fished all night long and couldn’t catch anything. John notices that Jesus brought 153 large fish (John 21:11). 153 is triangular 17. Putting these two passages, we see that Jesus invites His disciples to consume the list of 17 imperatives of godliness, same as the LORD invited Jeremiah and Ezekiel eat the Word of God (Jeremiah 15:16; Ezekiel 2:8-3:3). When disciples are fed with the fish, Jesus tells St. Peter: “feed My lambs” (John 21:15,16,17).

Jesus first feeds us, with the Word and the Sacrament of the Altar. That brings us to the path of responsibility to feed the others, sharing the Word, our testimonies, our lives… 

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