The Feast of St Luke | Wednesday 18 October 2023

Today is Wednesday the 18th of October, the feast of St Luke.

The Cape Town Camerata sings, Onse Vader; the Lord’s prayer in Afrikaans.


Ons Vader wat woon
In die hemel
Geheilig sy
U naam
Laat U ryk kom
U wil geskied
Soos in die hemel
So ook op die aarde
Gee ons vandag ons dag se brood
En vergewe al ons skulde
Net soos ons vergewe
Dié wat teen ons sondig
Laat kom ons
Nie in die versoeking, maar verlos ons van die bose
Want U is die ryk
En die sterkte
En die Here
Vir ewig en ewig
Amen

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke.


Luke 10:1-9

After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house!” And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the labourer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.”

We hear clear, detailed instructions from Jesus to seventy of his followers as he sends them out to prepare the ground for his own arrival on the scene. It’s going to be far from comfortable, far from easy. They will be vulnerable. They are to travel with nothing. And with all of that, they are to bring a message of peace. What kind of people do you think Jesus chose?


He sends them out in pairs. What is your experience of walking alongside someone on a journey of faith? There are both joys and challenges, aren’t there?


As you hear the passage again, listen intently to the words. Place yourself in the scene. Watch how Jesus’ instructions are received by the seventy faithful few. Where are you amongst them?

As this prayer time draws to a close, talk with the Lord, as one friend to another. You might want to talk about instructions you need on your journey of faith.


Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.