Liturgical Year C: Focus on Luke

On November 29th, 2009, we began Year C of our three-year lectionary cycle. During Year C, our Gospel readings are primarily from the Gospel According to Luke. Following is some information about this Gospel, based on material from the New Interpreters Bible and the Doubleday Pocket Bible Guide:

Luke is the longest Gospel, and its author also wrote the Acts of the Apostles. According to tradition, Luke was a physician and companion of Paul, but there is not sufficient scholarly evidence for this. As with all the Gospels, Luke’s author remains anonymous. It was written after Mark, which it seems to use as a source. It was most likely written between 85 and 90, and its author is probably a Gentile, writing for a primarily Gentile community. Luke’s author shows remarkable knowledge of Greek and a working knowledge of Jewish practices, but does not seem familiar with the geography of Palestine.

The author of Luke is an accomplished storyteller and takes pains to put Jesus in the context of historical events, such as who the Roman emperor was at the time of his birth. There is great emphasis on Jesus as universal savior. Jesus reaches out to outcasts and calls for economic justice, criticizing the rich. Luke focuses on prayer, the work of the Holy Spirit and the role of women in the church. Some of our best-loved stories are unique to Luke: the familiar Nativity of Jesus, the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son and the Road to Emmaus.