October 18
Saint Luke
(d. 84)
Patron Saint of Physicians, Surgeons and Artists
Luke the Evangelist "Luke, the beloved physician" (Colossians 4:14).
Luke wrote one of the major portions of the New Testament, a two-volume
work comprising the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. In the
two books he shows the parallel between the life of Christ and that of
the Church. He is the only Gentile Christian among the Gospel writers.
Tradition holds him to be a native of Antioch, and Paul calls him "our
beloved physician" (Colossians 4:14). His Gospel was probably written
between A.D. 70 and 85.
Luke appears in Acts during Paul’s second
journey, remains at Philippi for several years until Paul returns from
his third journey, accompanies Paul to Jerusalem and remains near him
when he is imprisoned in Caesarea. During these two years, Luke had
time to seek information and interview persons who had known Jesus. He
accompanied Paul on the dangerous journey to Rome where he was a
faithful companion. "Only Luke is with me," Paul writes (2 Timothy
4:11).
Luke, the writer of the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, has been identified with St. Paul's "Luke, the beloved physician" (Colossians 4:14). We know few other facts about Luke's life from Scripture and from early Church historians.
It is believed that Luke was born a Greek and a Gentile. In Colossians 10-14 speaks of those friends who are with him. He first mentions all those "of the circumcision" -- in other words, Jews -- and he does not include Luke in this group. Luke's gospel shows special sensitivity to evangelizing Gentiles. It is only in his gospel that we hear the parable of the Good Samaritan, that we hear Jesus praising the faith of Gentiles such as the widow of Zarephath and Naaman the Syrian (Lk.4:25-27), and that we hear the story of the one grateful leper who is a Samaritan (Lk.17:11-19). According to the early Church historian Eusebius Luke was born at Antioch in Syria.
In our day, it would be easy to assume that someone who was a doctor was rich, but scholars have argued that Luke might have been born a slave. It was not uncommon for families to educate slaves in medicine so that they would have a resident family physician. Not only do we have Paul's word, but Eusebius, Saint Jerome, Saint Irenaeus and Caius, a second-century writer, all refer to Luke as a physician.
We have to go to Acts to follow the trail of Luke's Christian ministry. We know nothing about his conversion but looking at the language of Acts we can see where he joined Saint Paul. The story of the Acts is written in the third person, as an historian recording facts, up until the sixteenth chapter. In Acts 16:8-9 we hear of Paul's company "So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, 'Come over to Macedonia and help us.' " Then suddenly in 16:10 "they" becomes "we": "When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them."
So Luke first joined Paul's company at Troas at about the year 51 and accompanied him into Macedonia where they traveled first to Samothrace, Neapolis, and finally Philippi. Luke then switches back to the third person which seems to indicate he was not thrown into prison with Paul and that when Paul left Philippi Luke stayed behind to encourage the Church there. Seven years passed before Paul returned to the area on his third missionary journey. In Acts 20:5, the switch to "we" tells us that Luke has left Philippi to rejoin Paul in Troas in 58 where they first met up. They traveled together through Miletus, Tyre, Caesarea, to Jerusalem.
Luke is the loyal comrade who stays with Paul when he is imprisoned in Rome about the year 61: "Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers" (Philemon 24). And after everyone else deserts Paul in his final imprisonment and sufferings, it is Luke who remains with Paul to the end: "Only Luke is with me" (2 Timothy 4:11).
Luke's inspiration and information for his Gospel and Acts came from his close association with Paul and his companions as he explains in his introduction to the Gospel: "Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus" (Luke 1:1-3).
Luke's unique perspective on Jesus can be seen in the six miracles and eighteen parables not found in the other gospels. Luke's is the gospel of the poor and of social justice. He is the one who tells the story of Lazarus and the Rich Man who ignored him. Luke is the one who uses "Blessed are the poor" instead of "Blessed are the poor in spirit" in the beatitudes. Only in Luke's gospel do we hear Mary 's Magnificat where she proclaims that God "has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty" (Luke 1:52-53).
Luke also has a special connection with the women in Jesus' life, especially Mary. It is only in Luke's gospel that we hear the story of the Annunciation, Mary's visit to Elizabeth including the Magnificat, the Presentation, and the story of Jesus' disappearance in Jerusalem. It is Luke that we have to thank for the Scriptural parts of the Hail Mary: "Hail Mary full of grace" spoken at the Annunciation and "Blessed are you and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus" spoken by her cousin Elizabeth.
Forgiveness and God's mercy to sinners is also of first importance to Luke. Only in Luke do we hear the story of the Prodigal Son welcomed back by the overjoyed father. Only in Luke do we hear the story of the forgiven woman disrupting the feast by washing Jesus' feet with her tears. Throughout Luke's gospel, Jesus takes the side of the sinner who wants to return to God's mercy.
Reading Luke's gospel gives a good idea of his character as one who loved the poor, who wanted the door to God's kingdom opened to all, who respected women, and who saw hope in God's mercy for everyone.
The reports of Luke's life after Paul's death are conflicting. Some early writers claim he was martyred, others say he lived a long life. Some say he preached in Greece, others in Gaul. The earliest tradition we have says that he died at 84 Boeotia after settling in Greece to write his Gospel.
A tradition that Luke was a painter seems to have no basis in fact. Several images of Mary appeared in later centuries claiming him as a painter but these claims were proved false. Because of this tradition, however, he is considered a patron of painters of pictures and is often portrayed as painting pictures of Mary.
He is often shown with an ox or a calf because these are the symbols of sacrifice -- the sacrifice Jesus made for all the world.
Luke is the patron of physicians and surgeons.
Comment:
Luke
wrote as a Gentile for Gentile Christians. This Gospel reveals Luke's
expertise in classic Greek style as well as his knowledge of Jewish
sources.
The character of Luke may best be seen by the emphases of his
Gospel, which has been given a number of subtitles: (1) The Gospel of
Mercy: Luke emphasizes Jesus' compassion and patience with the sinners
and the suffering. He has a broadminded openness to all, showing
concern for Samaritans, lepers, publicans, soldiers, public sinners,
unlettered shepherds, the poor. Luke alone records the stories of the
sinful woman, the lost sheep and coin, the prodigal son, the good
thief. (2) The Gospel of Universal Salvation: Jesus died for all. He is
the son of Adam, not just of David, and Gentiles are his friends too.
(3) The Gospel of the Poor: "Little people" are prominent—Zechariah and
Elizabeth, Mary and Joseph, shepherds, Simeon and the elderly widow,
Anna. He is also concerned with what we now call "evangelical poverty."
(4) The Gospel of Absolute Renunciation: He stresses the need for total
dedication to Christ. (5) The Gospel of Prayer and the Holy Spirit: He
shows Jesus at prayer before every important step of his ministry. The
Spirit is bringing the Church to its final perfection. (6) The Gospel
of Joy: Luke succeeds in portraying the joy of salvation that permeated
the primitive Church.
Quote:"Then
[Jesus] led them [out] as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed
them. As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to
heaven. They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great
joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God" (Luke
24:50-53).
Prayer:
Most charming and saintly Physician, you were animated by the
heavenly Spirit of love. In faithfully detailing the humanity
of Jesus, you also showed his divinity and his genuine compassion
for all human beings. Inspire our physicians with your professionalism
and with the divine compassion for their patients. Enable them
to cure the ills of both body and spirit that afflict so many
in our day. Amen.
Another prayer to St Luke:
Let holy Luke, Thine Evangelist, we beseech Thee, O Lord, intercede
for us, who for the glory of Thy name ever bore in his body the
mortification of the Cross. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy
Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy
Ghost, one God, world without end.
Amen.
Source: American Catholic Organization
Many great miracles have been associated with
the Rosary throughout history. The tremendous power of the Rosary can
overcome any problem, be it small or large, personal or worldwide.
Miracles continue to the present day.
The Rosary is a powerful prayer!
Each lesson is only 10¢
God bless you!
Learn to pray the Rosary--The Joyful Mysteries
Learn to pray the Rosary--The Sorrowful Mysteries
Learn to pray the Rosary--The Glorious Mysteries
Learn to pray the Rosary--The Luminous Mysteries
If you are a victim of domestic or sexual violence, please know that my husband and I pray for you every single night.
If you need immediate assistance, dial 911.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline:
1-800-799-SAFE OR (1-800-799-7233)
SIGNS OF AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP
Do you:
feel afraid of your partner much of the time?
avoid certain topics fear of angering your partner?
feel that you can’t do anything right for your partner?
believe that you deserve to be hurt or mistreated?
wonder if you’re the one who is crazy?
feel emotionally numb or helpless?
Does your partner:
- humiliate, criticize, or yell at you?
- treat you so badly that you’re embarrassed for your friends or family to see?
- ignore or put down your opinions or accomplishments?
- blame you for his own abusive behavior?
- see you as property or a sex object, rather than as a person?
Does your partner:
have a bad and unpredictable temper?
hurt you, or threaten to hurt or kill you?
threaten to take your children away or harm them?
threaten to commit suicide if you leave?
force you to have sex?
destroy your belongings?
Does your partner:
- act excessively jealous and possessive?
- control where you go or what you do?
- keep you from seeing your friends or family?
- limit your access to money, the phone, or the car?
- constantly check up on you?