Luke Alone Is With Me!

Tuesday 18th October 2022. Read: 2 Timothy 4:10-17, Ps. 145:10-13a,17-18, Luke 10:1-9

For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Luke alone is with me.” (2 Timothy 4:10-11)

The saying is so true that behind every successful person, there are so many others. Behind the success of St. Paul as a Preacher and a great evangelizer was a man called Luke, the author of the Gospel according to Luke as well as the Acts of the Apostles. This man, Luke was not only a great writer, but he was also a trained physician.

As St. Paul himself testifies in today’s first reading, Luke was right there with him in prison looking after his physical health needs as well as assisting him in the mission. From the way Paul attests, “Luke alone is with me,” I am tempted to think that Luke must have also assisted with the writing of some of Paul’s letters.

Luke was converted to the faith by St. Paul. This conversion took place while Luke was treating Paul during an illness in the course of his second missionary journey. According to St. Jerome and St. John Chrysostom, the Gospel of Luke may as well be described as St. Paul’s Gospel.

Of all the four Gospels, Luke is a winner when it comes to powerful storytelling skills. In particular Luke laid so much emphasis on Christian purity, poverty, and joyfulness and for the graphic descriptions of the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Birth, and the early Life of Jesus. Only a person who had the privilege of having one-on-one contact with Mary herself could have been so graphic. Luke is said to have interviewed Mary in the course of his composition. In fact, Luke is credited to have painted a portrait of Mary.

Luke alone is with me! This sentence is a powerful testimonial by Paul himself of the personality and importance of Luke as far as the mission is concerned. The question I ask myself is: will anyone speak well of me like this? Or will I be remembered for doing harm like the case of Alexander the Coppersmith who St. Paul reports in that same first reading?

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus said: “The harvest is rich, but the laborers are few…” Luke was just a convert who offered himself as a labourer in the Lord’s vineyard. As a doctor, he treated people and cured their diseases with his medical knowledge. As an Evangelist, he fed their souls with God’s word. As a writer, he used his academic training to document the Gospel of Jesus after doing some research and interviews with eyewitnesses. He also gave us a powerful account of the activities of the early Church in a way that a good historian would do.

Are you a convert to the Faith? Do not get scandalized by your fellow Christians. Let your light shine! We all are laborers for God. Luke was a doctor yet he served in the vineyard. Let me ask you: What skills do you have? Do you know you don’t need to be a pastor to serve in God’s vineyard? Luke was not an ordained priest but look what he did for the history of Christianity! You too can do something! 

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, work in me and through me to make our world a better place. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Saint Luke, Evangelist – Feast. Bible Study: 2 Timothy 4:10-17, Ps. 145:10-13a,17-18, Luke 10:1-9)

© Rev. Fr. Evaristus Abu