The last leg of the journey to Jerusalem is relatively well used in the liturgy (For an outline of the passages, go here.). Only three of its sections do not appear in the readings and this is because those have parallels in Matthew and Mark. The Sunday readings for the XXVIII to the XXXIst week make a selection from the ten lepers (17:11-19), a lesson in persistent prayer (the widow and the evil judge, 18:1-18), a lesson in humble prayer (the parable of the Pharisee and the publica, 18:9-14) and the story of Zacchaeus (19:1-10). The rest of the section is divided into a continuous reading during the 32nd and 33rd weeks for the daily masses. (The Catholic lectionary has a fixed set of daily gospel readings irregardless of whether it is Year A, B or C. In this series, Mark and Matthew precede Luke that is why selections from Luke appear late in the year.)
The three sections in Luke which are omitted in the lectionary are 18:15-17 (the blessing of little children), 18:18-30 (a lesson on poverty for the sake of the Lord and the kingdom) and 18:31-34 (the third prediction of the passion). The Marcan and Matthaean parallels for these texts are already employed in the lectionary, mostly for daily masses. The only exceptions are two: Matthew 20:17-19 (the third prediction of the passion) which is subsumed in a longer selection (Mt. 20:17-28) and used for Wednesday of the second week of Lent on the one hand, and Mark 10:17-31 (the rich young man) read on the 28th Sunday of Year B.
The lectio cursiva for the Gospel of Luke -- which begins on the Monday of the 22nd Week -- has been so arranged that the last week before the Feast of Christ the King for Year C has the selections on the blind man in Jericho (18:35-43) Zacchaeus (19:1-10) and the parable of the gold coins (19:11-28), the lament over Jerusalem (19:41-44), Jesus cleansing the temple with his words (19:45-48) and the question about the resurrection (20:27-40). During this last week then, themes about discipleship, conversion, being trustworthy, the death and resurrection of the Lord are orchestrated leading into the celebration of Christ the King which has Luke 23:35-43 for its gospel reading: the story of the thief repenting on the cross.
For the Sunday readings from the XXVIII to the XXXi Sunday Year C, lessons on faith, prayer and conversion are taken from the last leg of the journey to Jerusalem. The OT readings associated to these somehow help us to understand how the Lucan selections are used. Below is a table that shows which Old Testament readings are linked with a text from Luke.
| Sunday | Luke | OT |
|---|---|---|
| XXVIII | Luke 17:11-19 | the story of Naaman the Leper [2 Kgs 5:14-17] |
| XXIX | Luke 18:1-8 | The Outstretched Arms of Moses [Exodus 17:8-13] |
| XXX | Luke 18:9-14 | The Humble Man's Prayer [Ecclesiasticus 35:12-14.16-19] |
| XXXI | Luke 19:1-10 | Lord, Lover of Life [Wisdom 11:22-12:2] |
We have already said something about Luke 17:11-19 here. Jesus himself highlights the fact that it was a foreigner who returned to give thanks, an allussion to the inaugural address he makes about foreigners benefitting from the work of the prophets. In that address, Jesus mentions Naaman the Syrian and how he was healed. The associations with 2 Kgs 5:14-17 is "accomodated" -- there is no pattern of promise and fulfillment here. Nor can Naaman be considered a "type" of the leper who returns to give thanks. But this association does bring out the fact that in the faith and gratitude of the one leper who returned, Luke is alluding to the kind of reception the gospel will receive among the foreigners.
The parable of the widow and the evil judge, Luke tells us, was proferred as a lesson in persistent prayer. If an evil judge would give in to the demands to a widow, what more of the good God listens to the cry of those who hope in him? The association with the story of the outstretched arms of Moses in Exodus 17:8-13 is once more "accomodated". HIghlighted in the OT story is the community dimension of prayer (Joshua helping to raise Moses' arms). The picture of Moses praying while the Israelites beat the Amalekites in battle on that longest day is a picture of those who pray for the Church as it struggles with its opponents. I will not be surprised if in some sermon somewhere, I'd find this image of Moses used as an illustration of how the saints intercede for the militant Church.
The lesson in the parable of the Pharisee and the publican is clarified by a collection of sayings from Ecclesiasticus on prayer. Divine impartiality, says Ecclesiasticus, is not carried out to the "detriment" of the poor man. Divine "fairness" does not neglect the widow and the orphan. That is why when the humanble man prays, his words pierce the heavens and God will not delay in giving response to it. The Lucan passage highlights the prayer of one who knows he has nothing else but God. Consistent with what Jesus has been saying about trusting in God, that prayer -- like that of a lost child -- will be attended to by the Father.
Finally, the story of Zacchaeus, a story of conversion, is associated with Wisdom 11:22-12:2. This is a passage which underlines how God leads sinners bit-by-bit to Himself: "Little by little, therefore, you correct those who offend, you admonish and remind them of how they have sinned so that they may abstain from evil and trust in you, Lord ." Zacchaeus in the story presented by Luke wished to see Jesus, not in the same way that Herod did, but in the manner of a man who is just looking for an occassion to bring God into his life. That day came when Jesus passed by. It is interesting how Jesus calls him "son of Abraham". St. Paul uses Abraham in contrast to Moses in order to underline the fact that rightreousness comes not from the Law but from faith. Indeed, that day, Zacchaeus experienced salvation in his own home when he responded to Jesus' invitation with a faith that is turned to the Lord.
