May the Lord give you peace in the Holy Spirit. It is 18th October 2023.
We reflect on 2 Tim 4:10-17 / Luke 10:1-9.
Meeting God in Jesus is possible for all of us. St. Luke found God in his life through the message and miracles of Jesus.
We celebrate the feast of St. Luke, who is from Antioch, and we know from the New Testament, he was a physician, a fellow worker, unmarried, a close disciple of the Apostles and later he became a close companion to St. Paul in spreading the Good News. He is the author of the Acts and the Gospel of Luke. The legends share unverified details of St. Luke who was one of the two disciples on the way to Emmaus. In addition to that Dr Norman Geisler points out the erudition of St. Luke in the way he mentioned thirty-two countries, fifty-four cities and nine islands without a [factual or historical] error.
Have you read the world-famous novel, “Dear and Glorious Physician,” by Taylor Caldwell. She brings out an inspiring story of St. Luke. Man of science, and the author and Gospel writer, but two thousand years ago he was Lucanus, a Greek, a man who loved, knew the emptiness of bereavement. He wanted to know that What manner of man was my Lord? Lucanus grew up in the household of his stepfather, the Roman governor of Antioch. After studying medicine in Alexandria, he became one of the greatest physicians who travelled far and wide through the Mediterranean region healing the sick. As time went on, he learned of the life and death of Christ and saw in Him the God he was seeking. To find out all he could about the life and teachings of Jesus, whom he never saw, Lucanus visited all the places where Jesus had been, questioning everyone–including His mother, Mary–who had known Him or heard Him preach.
St. Luke presents the Gospel as a journey starting from birth to the Ascension of the Lord. The undivided commitment in searching for the truth in the unfolding events of history that focused and revolved around Jesus, the Son of God. He presented the birth of Jesus as a salvific event in the history of humanity. The more we are connected to the roots of our history, the more we become hopeful and connected with one another.
“Luke alone is with me,” offers an insight into the way we need to lead a life as a team with all differences of opinion. For small disagreements, we would like to break the relationship, friendship, and companionship in our lives. Here is the saint who could transcend the differences and focusing on the work that is entrusted to him as a believer, disciple, and follower of the Lord.
If our life is a quest or a search for Christ, we will find ourselves in God like St. Luke. However young he was, he was able to accompany the elders in respect and in humble relationships. “Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves.” (Lk.10:3). We are all on a journey in search of the Lord in the events of our life and that of others.
May the Lord bless all those who named after him and who through the intercessions of St. Luke be able to love God by knowing and encountering the Risen Lord in our life. God bless you.