hello and good morning on this Friday the 18th of October which is the Feast of St Luke the Evangelist we've been working step by step towards his Feast through this last week and finding out the passages particular to him within his own Gospel and so this morning at the morning Eucharist we had two lessons and one of those we shall read in a while but meanwhile we thought that we would come away from the Divinity School and come down into East Rock Park which we know well it's a very beautiful area and I'm looking around at all kinds of birds here there's dowy woodpecker there on the side of the tree and squirrels all around him and the sound of other birds singing high up in the branches and the Sun is beautiful it's been beautiful all morning and although we're sheltered from it here uh it is the most wonderful thing to breathe the fresh air here with the sunshine of this lovely autumn day this day in the fall as the uh New England colors are at their absolute best the Woodpecker is really going great guns in that tree over there so let's begin our prayers uh and uh we're using the Friday morning office from hour by hour let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight oh Lord my strength and my redeemer the Canticle is the song to The Lamb Splendor and honor and kingly power are yours by right oh Lord Our God for you created everything that is and by your will they were created and have their being and yours by right o lamb that was slain for with your blood you have redeemed for God from every family language people and Nation a kingdom of priests to serve our God and so to him who sits upon the throne and to Christ the lamb be worship and praise and dominion and Splendor forever and forever more glory to the father and to the son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning is now and shall be forever amen instead of a Psalm this morning we're going to read an Old Testament lesson which was read at the Eucharist this morning earlier in the chapel of St Luke It's A Beautiful lesson about the freshness of new beginnings and the healing power of God and it concentrates on the image of a river hence we've come down to mil River here which is Flowing down there it's a tidal River and it's quite low at the moment but you still see the beautiful water here and the way it reflects the colors above and the blue of the sky we're reading from the book Ezekiel chapter 47 and it's a vision which Ezekiel has in Exile of what the new Temple might be like and he's being shown around it by an Angelic figure who in this lesson leads him outside the temple then he brought me back to the door of the temple and behold water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the East for the temple faced East the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple south of the altar then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east and behold the water was trickling out on the South Side going on Eastward with a measuring line in his hand the man measured a th cubits and then led me through the water and it was ankled deep again he measured a thousand and led me through the water and it was kneed deep again he measured a thousand and led me through the water and it was waste deep again he measured a thousand and it was a river that I could not pass through for the water had risen it was deep enough to swim in a river that could not be passed through and he said to me son of man have you seen this and he led me back to the bank of the River as I went back I saw on the bank of the river very many trees on the one side and on the other and he said to me this water flows toward the Eastern region and goes down into the araba and then enters the sea and when the water flows into the sea the water will become fresh and wherever the river goes every living creature that swarms will live and there will be very many fish for this water goes there that the Waters of the sea may become fresh so everything will live where the river goes fishermen will stand beside the sea from anged to anegam it will be a place for the spreading of Nets its fish will be a very many kinds like the fish of the great sea but its swamps and marshes will not not become fresh they are to be left for salt and on the banks on both sides of the river there will grow all kinds of trees for food their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail but they will bear fresh fruit every month because the water for them flows from the sanctuary their fruit will be for food and their leaves will be for healing it's a beautiful vision and it's helped by our sitting beside this stream as it flows in fresh water towards the sea eventually it it joins on to another great River first and then goes out to sea and this kind of image is one that is dear to the prophets they love picture images Ezekiel most of all so he's giving us the sense of the new Temple refreshing the whole world with healing and also with cleanliness it's a great lesson for a time when we're trying to look after the planet and make sure that all things in the planet are given a chance to breathe and live and grow and this lesson comes from centuries ago and yet here we're reading it beside the River now when we have such a responsibility for our Earth but this isn't Luke's day and Luke was interested in healing remember the leaves of the tree are for healing as a physician and he himself has been using his gospel to show how the gospel itself is a a healing medicine for those who bring themselves to the feet of the Savior so we're going to read our last lesson of this week for St Luke and it's how do Luke deals with the resurrection narrative it's quite different from the others and the story he tells is again very detailed and very lovely it's called the story on the road to EMAs it's talking about the evening of the day of the resurrection that very day two of them were going to a village named EMAs about 7 miles from Jerusalem and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened while they were talking and discussing together Jesus himself Drew near and went with them but their eyes were kept from recognizing him and he said to them what is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk and they stood still looking sad then one of them named cleopas answered him are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know all the things that have happened there in these days and he said to them what things and they said to him concerning Jesus of Nazareth a man who was a prophet Mighty inde deed and word before God and all the people and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death and crucified him but we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel yes and besides all this it is now the third day since these things happened moreover some women of our company amazed us they were at the tomb early in the morning and when they did not find his body they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said but him they did not see and he said to them oh foolish ones and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory and beginning with Moses and all the prophets he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself so they Drew near to the Village to which they were going he acted as if he were going farther but they urged him strongly saying stay with us for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent so he went in to stay with them now when he was at table with them he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them and their eyes were opened and they recognized him and he vanished from their sight they said to each other did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road while he opened to us the scriptures and they arose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem and they found the 11 and those who were with them gathered together saying the Lord has risen indeed and has appeared to Simon then they told what had happened on the road and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread it's the most beautiful Resurrection story and found only in St Luke's gospel and Luke must have loved the fact that the scriptures which he has been expounding for us were being expounded to these disciples one of them Cass as they went along the road by Jesus himself so that prophecies were shown to be fulfilled and all that had happened was clearly in fulfillment of prophecies and it's the most lovely thing that as they get to their home they say those words abide with us for it is toward evening and the day is far spent we use that in compin as one of the sentences asking the Lord's presence in the evening abide with us for it is toward evening and the day is far spent and he goes in with them and sits at table with them and then his hands take the bread and bless it and break it and give it to them and in that act the breaking of bread Jesus is known to them their eyes are open scales fall away if you like and they realize what has happened and as in so many of the Resurrection narrative that was their Resurrection moment Jesus then leaves them and they're left talk looking at each other and they had been weary coming all the way from Jerusalem back to their home that weariness is now gone with the good news so they instantly go outside and I imagine as fast as they can get to Jerusalem on foot and arrive at the probably the upper room and find that the disciples are saying the Lord has appeared to Simon risen from the dead and appeared to Simon It's a Wonderful J deposition of stories Luke doesn't tell the story of Simon's visit in fact Simon's visit is not recounted anywhere it's a clearly a a private thing to Simon himself but this visit is really recounted in great detail and we're glad of it because it it shows light on the Eucharist how this morning as the bread was broken in the St Luke's Chapel in the early morning sunshine and we received the the bread we were receiving the Lord and that is something that comes directly not only from the Lord's command at the Last Supper do this as often as you eat it in remembrance of me but also this wonderful scene with just the three of them in the EMA's house and the bread being broken at the end of the day abide with us well Jesus did more than go to abide with his promise is to abide with any who call on him and this Resurrection narrative truly is a wonderful Resurrection narrative for those who break bread in any place to remember the Lord all so simple and then the water of the river the water which heals and sweetens and freshens coming from the sanctuary the gift of God the gift of God in the Eucharist the gift of God in baptism the gift of God in healing and the gift of God in the fact that his people are receiving the gifts of creation and are bidden to look after them so that they may Thrive wherever the water went all creatures lived and they flourished we give thanks for both those wonderful images on this day of St Luke the Evangelist but also the doctor of human medicine who was constantly trying to look for people who needed his help and then he was given a new medicine to give with his own medicines which was much greater for it went from this life and on to the Beyond so we're now going to read the lesson that was here for today in the hour by hour and then say our prayers and then we shall um use the collect for the day and uh then um have a blessing the lesson is from Philippians chapter 2 and being found in human form Jesus humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death even death on a cross therefore God also highly EX exed him and gave him the name that is above every name so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend in heaven and on Earth and under the Earth and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the father so we remember in our hearts and Minds all those who need our prayers at this time those caught up in Desperate wars in the Holy Land in Ukraine in other parts of the world those caught up in Desperate weather conditions and storms which have torn down their homes and we also think of All Those whom we ourselves know and want to pray for so that we can keep silence and have them very near us in the context of our prayer you will know those who need encouragement today you will know those who are going through some sickness which needs healing and you will know those who are gradually departing from this life and we give thanks for them and B God bless them on their Journey so in silence picture for a moment those as the river passes by us refreshing all things Our Savior has taught us so we pray Our Father who art in heaven Hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven give us this day our daily bread and for forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but Deliver Us from Evil for thine is the kingdom the power and the glory forever and ever amen almighty God whose most Dear Son went not up to Joy but first he suffered pain and entered not into Glory before he was crucified mercifully grant that we walking in the way of the Cross may find it none other than the way of life and peace through Jesus Christ your son our Lord amen glory to God whose power working in us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine glory to him from generation to generation in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever and the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and Minds in the knowledge and love of God and of his son Jesus Christ Our Lord the blessing of God Almighty the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit be upon you upon those whom you love and would pray for today and always well thank you for joining us in this little Adventure by the riverbank and uh in the sunshine this morning I think the day is going to be a really fine one here a day to enjoy enjoy the trees and a day to enjoy the birds who are noisy all around us I think a flock of geese or something went over while we were actually saying our prayers and it's a wonderful place just to experience God's creation with these tall tall trees around us but the the sun gleaming through them in all directions and Shining off the water say God bless you today and have as good a day as possible