Well, it is time to say “aloha” to Luke for three years. I choose “aloha” for it is a greeting of good-bye and hello. It acknowledges a change in relationship only and not a permanent one. I like Luke because he seems to give me down to earth guidance about loving my neighbor in graphic ways that I need to be aware of if I am to make a judgment about the treatment of immigrants, of allies, of partners, of myself. I learn about the kingdom of God for now as well as the future and am able to share in the visualization of the NOW if not for the future. Luke is concerned with the poor, the disenfranchised, the excluded, the exile, the Gentile, and while there are no easy answers to these questions, there are directions that will ease the pathos of the sufferer and direct us toward inclusion of the other. These are some of the important things that I will miss in our liturgical life together. What will you miss? Luke is Saint Peter’s gospel – our tutoring mission, our food pantry, our turkey gift at Thanksgiving, our clothing drive, our medical mission to Guatemala. While we do other things and not all of us do these things, all of us support these things and they define. We are concerned that people are fed and well and clothed. We are concerned that people are included. That is why I am sorry to see Luke go even for now.
