SAINT LUKE, EVANGELIST (FEAST)

Luke is the only one with me.

Today we celebrate a man who wrote more than a quarter of the New Testament. In addition to the Gospel that bears his name, Luke is also the author of the Acts of the Apostles. So thanks to St. Luke, we know not just about Jesus but also about how his first followers built and led the early Church.

Luke wasn’t just a writer; he was also a missionary. He was a close companion of St. Paul, especially during his arrest in Jerusalem and his fateful journey to imprisonment in Rome. Today’s first reading, in fact, shows us that while just about everyone else deserted Paul during his time in prison, Luke remained with him, loyal to the end.

Luke was as heroic a disciple as you could imagine. But even if he had not written two inspired books in the Bible or had not been a courageous missionary, he would still stand out. That’s because he was a powerful, moving example of the faithfulness and loyalty of the Lord. Luke treated Paul like his own brother, even after everyone else had left him. There may have been more popular preachers he could have joined—or at least those who managed to stay out of prison. But that didn’t matter to Luke. All he wanted was to remain with his friend Paul during his times of trial so that he could continue to help and encourage him.

So if you doubt whether you could ever follow in the footsteps of the great St. Luke, don’t become discouraged. You don’t have to travel to the ends of the earth. You don’t have to write a single word. Instead, focus on being a loyal friend and brother or sister in the Lord. Look at your relationships as gifts from the Lord, and commit yourself to these people with all your heart. Ask the Spirit to help you be as faithful to them as Luke was to Paul. More by your actions than by your words, let them know that they can rely on you through thick and thin. Do that, and you’ll be ministering the love of Christ to them in a deeply moving way!

“Lord, make me into a faithful, loving friend to the people around me.”

2 Timothy 4:10-17
Psalm 145:10-13, 17-18
Luke 10:1-9