In the course of its ninety years as Saint Luke’s Church in Forest Hills, many people have been touched-changed-sent by the Spirit of the One who accomplishes many things, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the Word. That’s why our patron, a metropolitan area medical doctor and convert to the faith, after investigating everything carefully, decided to embark on a project that is now known as Saint Luke’s Gospel. Whether on the well-traveled ancient crossroads to Rome, the one-time country corner of Dartmouth Street and Continental Avenue, or the deceptively lush and still Gardens address of 85 Greenway South, in the evangelist’s words: “ I write an orderly account for you lovers of God so that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have been informed.”
In the days of first looking for a place to worship, we hear tell of a resident who offered her apartment with room over the post office; and an architect who would design this ‘upper room’ in which we presently gather. And all the stories that have been told, still should be told, and have yet to be lived and shared—the History of Saint Luke’s Church Volume 1, and the one we need to compile Volume 2—would not amount to a solitary letter in a single word were it not for The Word made flesh—Jesus Christ.
What better reason and time, then, for us to appreciate and appropriate our namesake’s lifework: The Gospel According to Luke. Particularly instructive for us might be that our blessed benefactor, more than the other evangelists, understood that the thread of history is sewn in us with the needle’s point to the future. What it means to be the Church in changing times and how to see God’s way forward into a “new” world order is why Luke wrote, taught and preached the Gospel (godspell) 'good news': that a man, Jesus of Nazareth, full with God’s power and truth, was born, lived, died and on the third day was raised. This is the heart of the message he shared with Mark, Matthew and his good friend Paul who all had preceded him with their ministries as evangelists. With but some twenty years remaining in the first century, Luke the Physician endeavored to strengthen the gospel heart beat for a church body that was being called to go and grow in new directions. He knew the church could not be content and would not survive if it just tried to exist on its own corner—at that time a remote corner in the Middle East. Besides, no place was any longer remote; and the Church had to hear the call to find its place in a whole world more connected by the highway of commerce and culture. Jerusalem was the traditional center of a passing world. Yes, throughout Luke’s Gospel Jesus is intent on getting to Jerusalem but that is so Christ can pass his Holy Spirit onto followers who will carry his message of repentance and forgiveness, in a new century into a new world—Rome. Wherever the seat of power is, from wherever history is being made, that is where the Church should be, too. For, as Luke would teach, it is not politicians or generals or merchants or even historians who give meaning to History but God. Throughout the Hebrew Testament are the stories of God’s Spirit acting for the good of the people. In the Christian Testament is Christ full with the Spirit of God, being and giving all that all people will be embraced by God. History is the account of God doing anything to get all the people back together again; salvation history. The poor are uplifted, the blind have received their sight, captives are released, the oppressed are set free—these aren’t just scripture stories rehearsed or lyrics to hymns sung in the Sunday liturgical setting of the worshipping community. This is Luke’s Christ empowering the people of the church to go out and be The Body of Christ in the world—a world that seemed to be both emerging and tottering at the same time. But Luke reminded a people worn out by world historical events that Jesus is the center of time. In Christ is revealed the meaning of the past and the course for the future. The Cross of Christ is the intersection of world and salvation history. The Church, therefore, needs to be at the center of history and the future. Whatever highway links the world’s cities and towns, however people get from one place or idea to another, as far as the eye can see or fiber optic—that’s where the Church should be: not in a triumphal march imposing one view on all people but in a courageous pilgrimage exposing the heart, magnifying the One God who reaches out to embrace all; the One who has shown strength of arm, scattering the proud, putting down the mighty, lifting up the lowly, giving light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, guiding our feet into the way of peace.
Luke’s Christ proclaims that the Church, We, are to be flesh and blood words. The Resurrection happened, the Holy Spirit comes, so that Saint Luke’s Church will be the announcers and the doers of nativity: “Be not afraid; for behold, the Church brings you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people…”
Christmas in October? Yes. And with every dismissal hymn, apostles walking the streets from Forest Hills to Rego Park, Richmond Hill, Westbury and Manhattan.
AMEN.
©Thomas F. Reese
October 12, 2003