Feast of St. Luke

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.”  Luke 10: 1 – 9

Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Luke.  Luke was one of the four evangelists and wrote the Acts of the Apostles.  In these two books, he shows the parallel between the life of Christ and that of the Church.  He was a Gentile Christian and was said to be a physician.  Luke was a companion of St. Paul and had a unique writing style.  He frequently wrote about mercy, the poor, women, justice and compassion.  Luke had a warmth in his writings which set him apart from the other synoptic Gospels.  St. Luke is the patron Saint of:  Artists/Painters, Brewers, Butchers, Notaries, Physicians/Surgeons.  St. Luke has so much to offer us.  As we pray this day may we pray for the gift of peace and the ability to share that gift with others.

Pat Schifini, OSU