The Year of Luke
By Father Paul Turner
Every third year most of the Gospels at the Sunday Eucharist come from Luke. In Ordinary Time, we hear many passages about Jesus’ ministry in sequence. During Advent, Christmas and Lent we hear sections that accent the themes of those seasons.
Luke excelled in quantity and quality. As the writer also of Acts of the Apostles, he composed nearly a third of the New Testament. The most eloquent of all the evangelists, Luke includes in his Gospel the beautifully crafted stories of the Annunciation to Mary, the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son. Without his work, we would have no knowledge of those stories.
The author’s identity is a mystery. The original work probably dates to 80-85 AD. But the Gospel itself never identifies the name of its author and the earliest editions assigned no author’s name to the Gospel’s title. Paul’s Letter to Philemon lists someone named Luke among his co-workers (24). At the end of the second century, Irenaeus of Lyon reported that Luke, the companion of Paul, wrote the third Gospel, and it has been called “Luke” ever since. Nevertheless, it cannot be proved that Paul’s companion is also the author of this Gospel.
Legends have grown up about Luke. The Letter to the Colossians calls him a beloved physician (4:14), causing a tradition that the evangelist was also a doctor. In the Middle Ages, physicians and painters belonged to the same guild so stories formed that Luke had also created works of art.
Luke’s Gospel stresses several important themes: God’s necessary plan for salvation, prayer in the life of Jesus, the role of the Holy Spirit and the dignity of the poor. Among the evangelists, Luke is symbolized as an ox, a sacrificial animal that foreshadows the sacrifice of Christ.
This bulletin insert originally appeared in Ministry & Liturgy magazine, a pastoral planning resource used by the worship leaders in your community as an aid for better liturgy. Copyright © 2014 Resource Publications, Inc., 5369 Camden Ave., #260, San Jose, CA 95124, (408) 286-8505. Paul Turner is pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Kansas City, Missouri. A priest of the diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, he holds a doctorate in sacred theology from Sant' Anselmo in Rome.
This bulletin insert originally appeared in Ministry & Liturgy magazine, a pastoral planning resource used by the worship leaders in your community as an aid for better liturgy. Copyright © 2014 Resource Publications, Inc., 5369 Camden Ave., #260, San Jose, CA 95124, (408) 286-8505. Paul Turner is pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Kansas City, Missouri. A priest of the diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, he holds a doctorate in sacred theology from Sant' Anselmo in Rome.
The Advent Wreath
By Father Paul Turner
An Advent wreath symbolizes our longing for the coming of Christ. The wreath is a circle of evergreen branches into which are set four candles. Traditionally three candles are violet and one is rose, but four violet or four white candles may also be used.
The wreath symbolizes many things. Evergreens signify God’s enduring promise of redemption, evident like green branches in the midst of snow. The circle signifies our hope for the return of Christ, whose kingdom will have no end. The colors of the candles match the traditional colors of the vesture for the four Sundays of Advent. Violet garments signify our penitent hope for salvation. The rose color, which may be worn on Advent’s Third Sunday, signals that the season is nearly over – joy is at hand!
The wreath’s most luminous symbol is its growing light. One candle is lit on the First Sunday of Advent; two on the Second, three on the Third and all four on the Fourth. In the northern hemisphere, Advent comes at a time when the days decrease to their shortest length. As the hours of darkness increase, we light more candles on the wreath. The wreath, which symbolizes the coming of Christ, grows in intensity as the anniversary of Jesus’ birth draws near.
The Advent wreath may be used at home or at church. It should be blessed on the First Sunday of Advent after the homily at Mass, at evening prayer Saturday night, or during a prayer service including biblical readings and Advent songs. At home, the wreath could be blessed by a family member and lit during the evening meal, to remind everyone of the true meaning of this holy season.
Copyright © 2006 Resource Publications, Inc., 160 E. Virginia St. #290, San Jose, CA 95112, (408) 286-8505, . Paul Turner is pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Kansas City, Missouri. A priest of the diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, he holds a doctorate in sacred theology from Sant' Anselmo in Rome.
The Advent Prefaces for the Eucharistic Prayer
By Father Paul Turner
As the new liturgical year begins, people will hear one of two Advent prefaces to start the Eucharistic prayer of every Mass. Both of these prefaces were newly composed after the Second Vatican Council in order to enrich the community’s prayer. Earlier, there were no special prefaces for Advent. The first option is prayed until December 17 each year, when the second preface takes over.
During the Liturgy of the Word at Mass, Advent opens with New Testament readings about the second coming of Christ, and the first Advent preface repeats this theme. It speaks of the coming of Christ in human flesh and his return in glory and majesty. It looks for the day when the faithful may inherit the great promise for which they hope. It calls to mind many Scripture passages, such as Romans 8:19, which says that all creation eagerly awaits God’s revelation.
The second Advent preface accompanies the final period of the season, the last full week before Christmas. At daily Mass, the Liturgy of the Word includes Gospel readings that tell of the events leading up to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. The second Advent preface tells about the prophets who foretold his coming and the longing that Mary had for him. It even mentions John the Baptist, whose birth, preaching, and death foreshadowed Jesus. It says we rejoice so that Christ may find us watchful in prayer when he comes. The second Advent preface calls to mind passages such as 1 Peter 4:7, which warns that the faithful should be serious in their prayer, as the end of all things is at hand.
The entire eucharistic prayer offers thanks to God, and the Advent prefaces announce how grateful we are at the coming news of our salvation this Christmas.
This bulletin insert originally appeared in Ministry & Liturgy magazine, a pastoral planning resource used by the worship leaders in your community as an aid for better liturgy. Copyright © 2014 Resource Publications, Inc., 5369 Camden Ave., #260, San Jose, CA 95124, (408) 286-8505. Paul Turner is pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Kansas City, Missouri. A priest of the diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, he holds a doctorate in sacred theology from Sant' Anselmo in Rome.
The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe | December 12
Under this title we honor Mary, the Patroness of the Americas. Most parishes with Hispanic membership honor Our Lady with a novena (nine days) of prayer. culminating with a big celebration on Dec. 12. Often, the liturgy includes a procession with children at the beginning and the story of Saint Juan Diego and his encounter with the Blessed Mother. She sent him to the bishop to ask him to build a church in her honor. This resulted in a miraculous display of roses in his cloak when he needed a sign to convince the bishop. Along with the roses was the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe which we have replicated in many churches today. The original is still displayed in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.
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