THE GOSPEL OF LUKE AS GOSPEL OF PRAYER

Luke’s Gospel is often called the Gospel of prayer. How far is this description justified, taking into account the characters and teaching of this Gospel (and Acts)? Illustrate your approach by quoting and explaining the appropriate texts.

The prominence of prayer is another prevalent theme in Luke and Acts. Luke depicts Jesus as a man of prayer and the disciples as continuing this spirit of prayer. In the gospel itself, Luke makes twenty-four references to prayer. There are ten instances of Christ praying only two of which are found n the other gospels. In the Acts there are twenty-eight references made to prayer. Nine examples are found of praising and glorifying God and four occasions of breaking bread as well as that of thanksgiving God.

Lk.1:5-25 – In the Intertestamental period, people are in Jerusalem, in the Temple, praying and in Lk.24:53 – the new people of the New Testament are in Jerusalem, in the Temple, praying. St. Luke here has used Inclusion to show the importance of people, the importance of Jerusalem, the important of the Temple. This Gospel begins and ends in the settings of prayer. Jesus is circumcised and is presented in the Temple. In Jesus’ mission, the New Israel is founded on the twelve apostles, a symbolic number of Israel. In Acts, the early Church continues to worship in the Temple and Synagogue. This shows the continuity between the Old and the New Israel. Thus, while criticizing the excesses of legalism, Jesus is an Upholder of the law (16:17) and is faithful to Israel’s tradition of prayer and liturgical worship.

Necessarily, Jesus as the main protagonist, his peculiar characteristic in this Gospel is that he prays more than in any other Gospels. Indeed, Jesus’ ministry in Luke is notoriously marked by prayer. In Luke, Jesus prays habitually and especially at major turning points in his life.

Gospel of prayer:  Reading the gospel, we find three canticles of praise and three occasions of blessing of bread. Here are four parables based on prayer along with the other teaching of Jesus on prayer and the spirit of prayer.  Luke associates prayer wth the most important moments of the life of Jesus:

Lk.3: 21ff -  At the baptism: “… while He was praying, heaven was opened.”

Lk.4: 1-13 – Jesus was at prayer before the temptations in the desert.

Lk.4: 42-44 – Jesus went to pray.

Lk.5: 16ff – Before his first conflict with authorities: He would often go away in the wildness and pray.

Lk.6: 12-16 – Jesus chooses the twelve only after prayer: And it was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.

Lk. 9: 10-17 – the feeding of 5000

Lk.9: 18: Before His first passion prediction.

Lk.9: 28- 36 – Jesus was transfigured while at prayer.

Lk.11: 1- 4 - Our Father – the greatest prayer of all and the Gospel in miniature.

Lk.11: 5-8 – the persistent friend- e.i. how we should pray with persistence.

Lk.11: 9-13 - Effective prayer.

Lk.18: 9-14 – persistence pays.

Lk.18: 9-13 – Humility in prayer.

Lk.22: 32 – Payer for Peter before his denials: “…But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.

Lk.23: 34 – On the cross for His enemies: “Father forgive them…”

Lk.23: 42 – The prayer of the good thief landed him in Paradise.

Lk.23: 46 – As He died: “ And Jesus crying out with a loud voice, said Father into your hands I commit my spirit”

Lk.24: 30-31 – Breaking of bread with the disciples of Emmaus.

Other characters

Besides Jesus, other characters illustrate this prominent characteristic of prayer in Luke’s Gospel:

Zachariah and Elizabeth: Priestly division of Abijah and daughters of Aaron; both were righteous in the eyes of the Lord observing the commandments and ordinances of the Lord (Cf. Lk.1: 13: “Do not be afraid, Zachariah, because your prayer has been heard” and the prayer of Zachariah in Lk.1: 68-79).

Simeon: a righteous and devout man, the Holy Spirit was with him and he prays the Nunc Dimittis in Lk.2: 25-32.

Anna (Lk.2: 36-38): never left the temple, but worshipped night and day with fasting and prayer. She gave thanks to God.

Mary (Lk.1: 46-56): and her prayer of praise, the Magnificat.

The Centurion’s prayer to Jesus in lk.7: 1-10.

The Widow and the Judge in Lk.18: 1-8.

The Pharisees and the Tax Collector in Lk.18: 9-14.

The Blind beggar of Jericho in Lk.18: 35-43.

The Good Thief in Lk.23: 43.

SOME QUALITIES OF PRAYER

ü    Perseverance: Cf. the widow (18: 1-8) and the Blind beggar (18: 35-43)

ü    Humility: Cf. the Tax Collector (18: 9-14)

ü    Confidence: Cf. the Good Thief (23: 43)

ü    Faith: Cf. the Centurion (7: 1-10)

Also in Luke-Acts, especially in Acts, prayer has a central place in the life of the early Church and helps the first Christians to continue experiencing the life of Christ in their midst.

The book of Acts has also  the spirit of prayer. It is a community of Christians in fellowship wth Christ where prayer seems to be the heart and soul of the life of the Church. Twenty-eight references of prayer on many different occasions, for various purposes and numerous places. In this book, the prayer of the Church corresponds with the prayer life of Jesus. The disciples in fact prayed with confidence uniting their prayer with that of Jesus who taught them to pray and who had promised the Holy Spirit as the response to prayer Lk11:13; Acts1:8. Thus the post resurrection community is dedicated to share prayer.

Ø    Acts 1; 12-14: The community of the disciples, together with some women, and Mary, the mother of Jesus and his brothers, are devoted themselves with one accord in prayer.

Ø    Acts 1; 24-25: Before choosing the one to replace Judas Iscariot, they prayed.

Ø    Acts 2: 1-4: The Holy Spirit comes upon them while in prayer. They were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Ø    Acts 2: 42: Prayer is full part of the Church’s life: they devoted themselves to the preaching and the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers.

Ø    Acts 4: 23ff: The community prays for boldness in speaking the word of God.

Ø    Acts 4:24-30 People prayed for the lberatonof Peter.

Ø    Acts 7: 59-60: The prayer of Stephen and forgiveness of his killers.

Ø    Acts 10: 9: Peter prays when he has the vision.

            From what precedes, the gospel of Luke can rightly be called the Gospel of prayer. This qualification is also suitable for the life of the Church in Acts. Jesus is a man of prayer. He prays, giving hence an example of Christian life. He is here the first Christian. Prayer for Him is not simply desire for silent intimacy with the Father. Rather, it has to do with his whole life, with his mission. Thus, prayer unites him more closely with the Father. Prayer fills him with the Holy Spirit (desert and beginning his ministry and early Church). Prayer accompanies and sustains him throughout his ministry from Galilee to Jerusalem, from baptism to the cross.

Prayer bears fruits such as perseverance and patience:

Cf. Perseverance in Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem.

Cf. Perseverance of the early Christians despite persecution.

Cf. perseverance of Paul in his mission.

Prayer helps to forgive:

Cf. Jesus welcoming sinners and forgiving those who persecuted him and Good Thief.

Cf. Peter forgiving sins in the name of Jesus: Acts 2: 38.

Cf. Stephen forgiving his killers: Acts 7: 60.

            It is therefore clear for Jesus and the early Church, Christian life is a twofold dimension: Prayer/Contemplation and Action. And the best example of prayer is the one Jesus taught His disciples for it contains, as in a nutshell, all requirements of a genuine prayer. It is indeed a guide to Christian life (Lk.11: 2-4).