One of the great blessings we have as a Church are the four gospels. Each of the evangelists, in the way they tell the story of Jesus, provides us with a particular perspective on how we encounter Christ. It seems clear to scholars that St. Luke had the gospel of St. Mark in front of him when he wrote the third gospel. When we see a divergence in the way Luke uses Mark’s text we should take notice. For example, both Mark and Luke have the Lord’s command to “take up one’s cross” but there is a slight variation in Luke. “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke is writing for the third generation of Christians and the intensity of the initial experience has waned. He includes the word “daily” in the saying of Jesus as a reminder that it is not so much one mighty deed that constitutes faith but rather the mundane and everyday practice of compassion, forgiveness, generosity, charity.
MARCH62025
By Church Staff
