October 18th is the Feast of Saint Luke, the Evangelist.

Saint Luke is one of the Four Evangelist,

the four traditionally ascribed authors of the canonical gospels.

He is identified as the author of the third “Synoptic Gospel,”

The Early Church Fathers ascribed to him authorship of both

the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  

2 Timothy 4:10-17b

You must know

That Demas has deserted me, for the love of this world: he returned to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke remains with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is a useful helper in my work. I sent Tychicus to Ephesus.

 

Bring with you the cloak I left at Troas, in Carpos' house, and also the scrolls, especially the parchments. Alexander, the metalworker, has caused me great harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. Distrust him, for he has been very much opposed to our preaching.

At my first hearing in court, no one supported me; all deserted me. May the Lord not hold it against them. But the Lord was at my side, giving me strength, to proclaim the word fully, and let all the pagans hear it.

 

Ps 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18

Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Luke 10:1-9

After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two other disciples, and sent them, two by two, ahead of him, to every town and place, where he himself was to go. And he said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. So you must ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers to his harvest. Courage! I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Set off without purse or bag or sandals; and do not stop at the homes of those you know.

 

Whatever house you enter, first bless them, saying, 'Peace to this house!' If a friend of peace lives there, the peace shall rest upon that person. But if not, the blessing will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking at their table, for the worker deserves to be paid. Do not move from house to house.

When they welcome you to any town, eat what they offer you. Heal the sick who are there, and say to them: The kingdom of God has drawn near to you.'

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"Jesus calls his followers to a life of love and mercy." 

I'll let you in on a secret: the Gospel of Luke is my favorite Gospel. I love that it begins with the story of Jesus' birth and that it gives so much attention to people who are usually ignored, especially the poor and women. We don't know a lot about the evangelist apart from the fact that he traveled with Paul on some of his missionary journeys.

 

There are some traditions that claim that Luke was a physician and that some of the information for his Gospel came from the Blessed Virgin Mary.

 

It is easy to believe those traditions about Luke because his Gospel is marked by such a strong sense of compassion. Throughout the Gospel, Jesus calls his followers to a life of love and mercy. He even forgives his executioners and the penitent thief on the cross. In the Gospel, God calls all disciples of Jesus to work for the abundant harvest of mercy. To what field are you being called?