St. Luke, whose gospel we will read from now until Advent, told the story of Jesus not as history or as biography but as a call to faith. He started off telling of Jesus’ public ministry in Nazareth, his home town, but quickly shifts the focus to Capernaum which was the center of activity. Being on the lake it was much better situated to initiate a movement because of easier travel. Jesus in the gospel is shown to have power over the demons. But the demons, not the disciples, are the ones who know who Jesus is! “I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” The point for St. Luke is that knowing about Jesus is not what produces faith. Rather, it is knowing him. When we truly know Jesus he is part of our life and we heed the call to open ourselves to receive God’s love, to being willing to change to better reflect God’s mercy and compassion, to see in everyone their precious identity as children of God.
