Feast of Saint Luke, evangelist

Image: St Luke as the first portrait painter of Mary 

 Lectionary: 661

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.

We find Saint Luke listed among the travelling companions of Saint Paul. They were apparently a small band of missionaries who ventured from one Greek town to another, searching out the Jewish neighborhoods, and announcing the Gospel of the Lord's death and resurrection. 

We find him also in those portions of the Acts of the Apostles which have come to be called the "we passages" (Acts 16:10–17; 20:5–15; 21:1–18; 27:1–37; 28:1-16). Although most of Acts is written in the third person, several brief sections of the book are written from a first-person perspective. Although no explanation is given, Saint Luke must have been their author. 

His appearance in 2 Timothy as the only faithful companion to Paul reminds us of the struggles of the early Church. For all his brilliance as a preacher and writer, the Apostle didn't have Jesus's majestic ability to settle every difference before it disturbed the group. There were quarrels among them, and the group sometimes split to go separate ways; as when "Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus." (Acts 15:39) Today we regard the whole lot of them as saints but they might have felt differently about each other at the time! 

Welcome to the Church. We follow the Lord because we're sinners and seek redemption. Not because we're righteous and have no need for mercy. 

God's intervening grace encourages us to continually seek reconciliation; it empowers our human abilities to make peace, find agreement, and laugh at ourselves. We are all children of Eve; meaning we're fallible, foolish, and beautiful. Unfortunately, those who maintain secret alliances which are alien to the Lord -- alliances like alcoholism, drug abuse, lust, resentments, or cynicism -- cannot allow grace to lead them back into communion following some disruption. 

Scandals will occur, as Jesus said, but healing, reconciliation, and joy will follow when God again works a Mighty Work. 

Recently, on the 26th Sunday of Ordinary time, I was astonished and delighted to read the collect. As we pray to become graceful and merciful like our God, we aspire to this: 

O God, who manifest your almighty power
Above all by pardoning and showing mercy,
Bestow we pray your grace abundantly upon us
And make those hastening to attain your promises
Heirs to the treasures of heaven.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God, forever and ever.