Feast of Saint Luke, evangelist
Lectionary: 661
Reading 1
2 Timothy 4:10-17b
Beloved:
Demas, enamored of the present world,
deserted me and went to Thessalonica,
Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
Luke is the only one with me.
Get Mark and bring him with you,
for he is helpful to me in the ministry.
I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas,
the papyrus rolls, and especially the parchments.
Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm;
the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
You too be on guard against him,
for he has strongly resisted our preaching.
At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf,
but everyone deserted me.
May it not be held against them!
But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18
R. (12) Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Making known to men your might
and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Alleluia
See John 15:16
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you from the world,
to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Luke 10:1-9
The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples
whom he sent ahead of him in pairs
to every town and place he intended to visit.
He said to them,
"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.
Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter,
first say, 'Peace to this household.'
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
for the laborer deserves payment.
Do not move about from one house to another.
Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,
eat what is set before you,
cure the sick in it and say to them,
'The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.'”
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
Evangelizing the World
The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Luke 10:1–2
Saint Luke, whom we honor today, was a true evangelist. As an evangelist, he followed the inspiration from our Lord and was used to bring God’s saving message to the ends of the earth. And there is little doubt that his ministry will continue to have a transforming effect on the lives of many until the end of the world. Tradition states that Saint Luke became a martyr, being hanged on an olive tree. He is identified in the New Testament as a physician and as a disciple of Saint Paul. Both the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles are attributed to him.
Saint Luke is often spoken of as an evangelist to the gentiles. His Gospel was written in such a way that it didn’t presume a full understanding of the Jewish faith and customs. Therefore, it is believed to have been primarily written for those who are not of Jewish origin. Thus, the life and mission of Saint Luke must remind us that the Gospel needs to be shared with all people, especially with those who do not have a deep and sustaining relationship with God.
In today’s Gospel from Saint Luke, we read that Jesus sent seventy-two disciples “to every town and place he intended to visit.” Only Luke mentions the larger scale sending of seventy-two disciples. The other Gospels only mention the sending of the Twelve. Though many of these seventy-two disciples would have gone to Jewish territory, some would have unquestionably gone to non-Jewish territory. The mission of these seventy-two was to prepare everyone they encountered for the preaching of Jesus and for the establishment of the Kingdom of God.
As we honor Saint Luke today and read this passage from his Gospel, we are reminded that we are all sent by our Lord. We are sent to those who share our faith, such as family, friends and fellow parishioners. We are sent to love them and do all we can to help deepen their faith and love of God. But we are also called to share the Gospel with those who do not yet know Jesus as their Savior. There are so many people we encounter every day who have never truly met our Lord. Are there people in your life that God is calling you to reach out to? Who do you know that God may be calling you to share the Gospel with?
Reflect, today, upon the fact that the Gospel is meant for everyone. Speak to our Lord and tell Him that you are ready and willing to be used by Him to bring His saving message to others. As you do so, wait on the Lord, listen to His inspiration, and respond when He calls. If someone comes to mind whom you sense God is calling you to evangelize, begin to pray for that person. Pray for them every day and be attentive to any inspiration God gives you to share His love and saving message with them. Do not be afraid to be an evangelist like Saint Luke. Doing so might make an eternal difference in someone’s life.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
BRING THE GOSPELS
“I have no one with me but Luke. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he can be of great service to me.” —2 Timothy 4:11
St. Luke was “with” St. Paul (2 Tm 4:11). Luke, a physician, accompanied Paul on parts of several missionary journeys. Paul suffered from multiple physical ailments (see 2 Cor 11:23-27) and could have benefitted from having a doctor with him. When writing the Acts of the Apostles, Luke’s narrative changes from “they” to “we” in several places (Acts 16:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1—28:16). This is considered by scholars as evidence that Luke was with Paul at those times (2 Tm 4:11).
Luke can be with you also. You can have Luke with you by carrying a Bible with you. That way, you will “get Mark” also (2 Tm 4:11), as well as John and Matthew. Like St. Paul, bring the “parchments” (2 Tm 4:13), on which were written the Scriptures. It is easier than ever to bring Luke with you. Bring your Bible to church, to work, to the park, to your friends, to meals.
Now consider that Luke not only gave us a Gospel, but also the Acts of the Apostles. Jesus and the Father poured out the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and the Spirit is with us always. Luke urges us to receive the Holy Spirit and operate in the gifts and power of the Spirit.
Today, on this feast day of St. Luke, spend at least fifteen minutes reading from the Gospel of Luke or the Acts of the Apostles. Let Luke be “with you.”
Prayer: Father, give me the grace to hunger for Your Word more than for daily meals (Mt 4:4).
Promise: “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.” —Ps 145:18
Praise: St. Luke “carefully traced the whole sequence of events” in the life of Jesus and the growth of the Church. Because of his care and discernment, we know about the Annunciation, the prodigal son, the good Samaritan, the good thief, Pentecost, and the growth of the Church. Praise You, Jesus, for the life of Luke!
Reflection 3
By Fr. Martin Hogan
This morning we celebrate the feast of Saint Luke, one of the four evangelists. He is the only evangelist to have written a second work, the Acts of the Apostles. Between his gospel and the Acts of the Apostles Luke is responsible for one quarter of the New Testament. In this morning’s first reading, Paul, at a time of great personal vulnerability laments the fact that all his companions have deserted him, with the exception of Luke. ‘Only Luke is with me’, Paul says. Luke is portrayed in that reading as the faithful companion to Paul. Towards the end of that reading Paul repeats that ‘everyone of them deserted me’, but then goes on to declare that ‘the Lord stood by me and gave me power’. ‘Only Luke is with me’; ‘the Lord stood by me’. Paul seems to be saying that the Lord stood by him in the person of Luke, that Luke revealed the Lord’s faithfulness to him. That is the calling we have all received from the time of our baptism, to reveal something of the Lord’s faithfulness to each other. The Lord stands by us in and through those who are faithful to us when we feel vulnerable and weak. In the gospel reading Jesus sends out seventy two as his labourers and he calls on them to ask God to send out even more labourers into the harvest. We are all called to be labourers in the Lord’s harvest and part of our labour is to make tangible the Lord’s faithful presence to all who are struggling in any way.
Prayers
My saving Lord, You sent Your disciples on a mission to share Your saving message with all. Today I especially thank You for the life and ministry of Saint Luke. Please use me, dear Lord, to imitate his wonderful example and to share Your glorious life with others. Please lead me and inspire me to especially reach out to those whom You have put into my life. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus, may the joy and truth of the Gospel transform my life that I may witness it to those around me. Grant that I may spread your truth and merciful love wherever I go.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 291: The Value of Silent and Hidden Suffering
When something burdens us we often seek consolation from others regarding our suffering by speaking about them openly. Though it may be beneficial to share our burdens with another to an extent, there is also great value in embracing them silently in a hidden way. It may always be wise to share your burdens with a certain person such as a spouse, confidant, spiritual director or confessor, but be aware of the value of hidden sufferings. The danger of speaking of your suffering openly to everyone is that it tempts you toward self-pity, lessening the opportunity to offer your sacrifice to God. Keeping your sufferings hidden enables you to offer them to God in a more pure fashion. Offering them in silence will win much Mercy from the Heart of Christ. He alone sees all you endure and will be your greatest confidant through it all (See Diary #1430).
Reflect upon those burdens you carry that you can reasonably keep silent about and offer to God. If you are overwhelmed, do not hesitate to speak to another for their assistance. But if it is something that you can silently suffer with, try to make it a holy offering to our Lord. Suffering and sacrifice do not always make sense to us immediately. But if you seek to understand the value of your silent sacrifices, you will most likely obtain insight into the blessings they can become. Silent sufferings, offered to God, become a source of Mercy for your good and for the good of others. They make you more like Christ in that the greatest suffering He endured was known only by the Father in Heaven.
Lord, there are many things in my life that are difficult at times. Some seem small and trivial and others can be quite heavy. Help me to always sort through the burdens of life and to rely upon the help and consolation of others when needed. Help me to also discern when I can offer these sufferings to You as a silent source of Your Mercy. Jesus, I trust in You.
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