‘Luke Live!’

WEST MILFORD  Paulist Father James DiLuzio stood in front of a group of Advent retreat-goers on a recent Wednesday evening at St. Joseph Parish here, helping prepare them for Christmas — the beginning of Christ’s saving work on earth — by singing in a deep, melodious voice an appropriate hymn, “This is a Day of New Beginnings.”

“Christ is alive and goes before us to show and share what love can do,” sings Father DiLuzio, a missionary and former professional actor from New York City, on the final night of his three-part dramatic presentation of the Gospel of Luke, called “Luke Live!” “This is a day of new beginnings; our God is making all things new,” the priest sings.

The notes of that final verse of “This is a Day of New Beginnings” — the last song of the Dec. 4-6 retreat — echoes in St. Joseph’s parish center, where the evening sessions for the event were held. The insightful words of Father DiLuzio echoed in the hearts of parishioners, such as Priscilla Toye, who called the retreat “beautiful and joyful.” Retreatants heard the priest proclaim Luke the way early Christians shared those Gospel stories — handed down from memory through oral tradition — interspersed with his reflections, dramatic presentations and singing of songs.

“First, Luke emphasized the Incarnation — Jesus coming down to Earth,” Father DiLuzio said at the retreat, which followed a Mass in the parish center, which he concelebrated with Father Aleksander Bialas, pastor. “We depend on God, who feeds us and gives us everything we need. We also are interdependent, sharing God’s love and forgiveness — and our gifts and talents — as part of the ongoing story [of salvation],” he said.

For the retreat, Father DiLuzio performed his one-man show, acting out Luke, which he committed to memory and then pausing to give attendees time to reflect on each Scripture story and how it relates to their own lives. For the three days at St. Joseph’s, he offered sessions, following the 9 a.m. Mass in the church and again at 7 p.m. in the parish center. The first night focused on the birth of Jesus, the teachings of John the Baptist, Jesus’ temptation, his calling the Apostles and the Sermon on the Plain. The second centered on healing, reconciliation, hearing the call and “The Lord’s Prayer.” The final evening examined Jesus’ parables and miracles. In early November, the priest brought “Luke Live!” to Our Lady of the Magnificat Parish, Kinnelon.

Father DiLuzio started the final night by introducing retreat-goers to the great disappointment that Jesus experienced in Luke 4. Christ reads a passage from Isaiah in a synagogue, followed by his proclamation, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Christ’s statement causes those there to ask, “Who does he think he is?” and they drive him out of town, the priest said.

“Everything about Jesus’s life tells us something about our lives,” said Father DiLuzio, who noted that — like Jesus — we all have finished projects that fill us with fulfillment only to have people disparage them. “Sometimes you should stand your ground and sometimes you should leave. Christ calls us to a new love and forgiveness. It’s not a matter of success or achievement. God loves the sinner as well as the saint. Our lives have value just because we are here as children of God,” he said.

Also in Luke, Jesus heals Simon’s mother-in-law and spends time curing people and rebuking demons. After telling the story, Father DiLuzio imagined Jesus’ healing spirit, while singing the ballad, “Not While I’m Around” with the lyrics, “No one’s gonna hurt you. No one’s gonna dare.” He also said Luke also emphasizes that Jesus engages in the battle between good and evil, which includes the choices that we make daily to live a God-centered life or a self-centered life.

Luke finds Jesus preaching in Simon’s boat to people on shore before he asks Simon and his fellow fishermen to launch the boat into the deep and drop their nets. They catch so many fish that their nets are tearing. Father DiLuzio drops to his knees like Simon might have done, proclaiming to Jesus, “I am a sinful man.” Jesus replies, saying, “Be not afraid. I will make you fishers of men.” When they return to shore, the fishermen leave their boats to follow Christ.

“Like the fishermen [who depended on focusing on the weather and sea conditions for their livelihood], we should live in the present, enjoying each and every moment,” said Father DiLuzio, who then sang “Fishermen Song” by Judy Collins. “Pay attention to the songs and other things that you like. It’s all part of the way you are feeling and the dialogue you have with the Holy Spirit. Things are in God’s hands, yes, but he invites us to get involved. It’s not about getting what we want. It’s about having a deeper relationship with Jesus and about sharing God’s love and forgiveness — bringing hope that people can change.”

After Father DiLuzio ended the third night of “Luke Live!” by singing “This is a Day of New Beginnings,” Deacon Harry White of St. Joseph’s told the presenter, “Thank you for a wonderful retreat. It was a wonderful way to start Advent.” The deacon challenged the retreat-goers to “go forth and spread the Gospel.”

Toye called the experience “beautiful and joyful. Father Jim had a wonderful presentation. He really loves music. Each night, I had a deep joy leaving here. It shows how much he loves our Lord, as do I. We have to trust in God,” she said.

[Information www.LukeLive.com.]