Reflection on Today’s Readings, the Feast of St. Luke, Evangelist, Wednesday 18th October, 2023
Texts: 2 Timothy 4:10-17; Psalm 145:10-13,17-18; Luke 10:1-9 

                             Luke, a true andfaithfulcompanion

Today is the feast of St.  Luke the Evangelist. He was a doctor and learned man. He wrote the third gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. The notes on him in the Daily Missal says, “He portrays in a special way the gentleness and the compassion of the Lord. The action of the Holy Spirit and the role of Mary as the mother of Jesus and of the Church” (p. 1787). 

St. Luke makes the Lord accessible and approachable by portraying His gentleness and compassion. He also teaches us to appreciate the role of the Holy Spirit and Mary in our journey of faith and salvation.  

St. Luke was a true and Faithful Companion; he was a man to count on. This is clear in St. Paul’s testimony of him: “Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Luke alone is with me.” St. Luke stayed with St. Paul when others deserted him. Like St. Luke we are to be true and faithful to one another.  

St. Luke was a gift of the Lord to St. Paul

We learn from today’s gospel reading that the Lord sent out His disciples in pairs. This tells us that St. Luke was a gift of the Lord to St. Paul. It was the Lord’s doing that St. Luke worked with St. Paul. Though the Lord might send us out as lambs in the midst of wolves, He has not left us alone. He often gives us a true and faithful companion. Such a companion will always be the sign of His presence and love for us.  

God never abandon us in the midst of wolves. This is clear in the life of St. Paul. He says, “At my first defence no one took my part; all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the  Lord stood by me and gave me strength to proclaim the word fully, that all the Gentiles might hear it.” However, we need to beware of them. St. Paul says, “Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the  Lord will requite him for his deeds. Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message.” 

The memory of the toils, labour and sufferings of St. Paul

St. Luke, in Acts of the Apostles, hand on the memory of the toils, labour and sufferings of St. Paul. He tells us what St. Paul endured for Christ’s sake. After he wrote about what Christ did, taught and suffered, he dealt with that of St. Paul. This shows how much he valued St. Paul and his contribution in spreading the faith. St. Luke is a light for us to the missionary activities of St. Paul. He is really a blessing to St. Paul.  

Prayer  

Lord God, who chose Saint Luke to reveal by his preaching and writings the mystery of your love for the poor, grant that those who already glory in your name may persevere as one heart and one soul and that all nations may merit to see your salvation. Amen (Collect) 

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke