Luke's earliest mention is in the Epistle to Philemon, chapter 1. He
is also mentioned, as we heard this morning, in 2 Timothy, in Colossians, where
St. Paul refers to Luke as “beloved Physician”.
Before his conversion to Christ, Luke, studied medicine. We don’t know
the exact circumstances of St Luke’s conversion, but in the book of Acts, Luke
himself writes about joining Paul in his second missionary journey through Asia
Minor, to Corinth and Macedonia.
St. Luke wrote his Gospel after the death of Paul, making it a
point to interview eyewitnesses of the Lord’s ministry, death, and resurrection,
from which he also gained details for his second volume, the Acts of the
Apostles.
It is likely not a
coincidence that Luke, the doctor, includes so many accounts of the Lord’s
healing miracles not found in any other Gospel. Only in Luke do we learn of the
Lord raising the son of the widow of nain, the healing of the man with dropsy,
the 10 men from leprosy, a malchus’ ear during the Passion.
The relationship
with Mary is the other striking characteristic of St Luke’s Gospel. If he based
his Gospel on account of eyewitnesses, then his inclusion of the Annunciation,
the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth and the Magnificat, the details of the
Presentation in the Temple and the finding of Jesus at the Temple, could have
only come from Our Lady himself.
According to ancient tradition, St. Luke was not only a
physician and evangelist but also a skilled artist. He is often credited with
being the first to create an icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known as the
Hodigitria, which means “She who shows the way.”. The icon believed to have
been painted by Luke is said to be preserved in the Basilica of Saint Mary
Major in Rome.
Today, perhaps, meditate on some of those wonderful Marian passages
of Luke’s Gospel, thank God for this man’s faithfulness, for the grace of
conversion that worked in his life, that has brought so many to a deeper knowledge
and love of Christ, including our ourselves, for the glory of God and the
salvation of souls.
That all Christians may be faithful to their vocation to
spread the Gospel in word and deed.
During this month of October, dedicated to the Most Holy
Rosary, Catholics may take up this devotion with renewed vigor and trust in Our
Lady’s never-failing intercession.
That on this feast of St. Luke, that all doctors and
painters and artists may utilize their skills and gifts to serve life and
goodness, and for the conversion of all those who do not follow Christ.
For all the sick and suffering, and for all those in
hospitals, nursing homes, and hospice care, for all those who will die today,
for their consolation and that of their families.
For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of
the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our family, friends,
and parish, for the deceased clergy and religious of our diocese, and for those
who have fought and died for our freedom.
God of mercy, hear our prayers, ease the sufferings and
comfort the weakness of your servants, and bring us to eternal life, through
Christ our Lord.
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