DAILY GOSPEL

«Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.» John 6,68

Thursday, 18 October 2007

Saint Luke, evangelist. Feast

Today the Church celebrates : St. Luke

See commentary below or click here
Saint Irenaeus of Lyons : Saint Luke, the companion and associate of the apostles

Second Letter to Timothy 4,9-17.

Try to join me soon, for 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. I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas, the papyrus rolls, and especially the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. You too be on guard against him, for he has strongly resisted our preaching. At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was rescued from the lion's mouth.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 10,1-9.

After this the Lord appointed seventy (-two) others 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 his 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.'

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB

Commentary of the day :

Saint Irenaeus of Lyons (c.130-208), Bishop, theologian and martyr
Against the Heresies, III, 14 (SC 34, p.259f.)

Saint Luke, the companion and associate of the apostles

That Luke was the inseparable companion of Paul and his fellow-worker in the Gospel he himself shows to be an evident fact, not through vainglory but constrained by Truth itself. He writes how, when Barnabus and John, who was called Mark, had separated from Paul and set sail for Cyprus, "we came down to Troas," (cf Ac 5, 37-39; 6,8); after which he describes their whole voyage in detail: their arrival at Philippi, their first speech… And he relates the whole voyage with Paul in order, conscientiously pointing out its circumstances… It was because Luke was present at them all that he recorded them so carefully – nor can one detect in him either falsehood or pride, since these facts were all evident…

That Luke was not simply the companion but also fellow-worker with the apostles, and above all of Paul, Paul himself says clearly in his letters: "Demas… deserted me and went to Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Luke is the only one with me," (1Tim 4,10-11). This undoubtedly proves that Luke always joined himself inseparably to Paul. Similarly, in the letter to the Colossians we read: "Luke, the beloved physician, sends greetings," (Col 4,14).

Luke, on the other hand, has given us knowledge of many of the most important characteristics of the Gospel. Who knows? Perhaps God arranged things so that many features of the Gospel would be revealed by Luke alone precisely so that everyone would give credence to the witness he would subsequently give concerning the acts and teaching of the apostles and so, holding fast to the truth in this way, all might be saved. Thus Luke's witness is true; the teaching of the apostles is manifest, sound and unconcealed… These are the voices of the Church from whom the whole Church takes its origin.

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