Feast of St. Luke, Evangelist

2Timothy 4:10-17: Paul’s request is significant: “Get Mark and bring him with you, for he can be of great service to me.” Paul and Barnabas had split up before a mission trip through Syria: 

Barnabas wanted to take with them John, called Mark. But Paul decided not to take with them one who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work. The disagreement became so sharp that they parted company.

It should console us in our own pettiness to know that even the great apostles could not always get along. But even more consoling is the fact that they were eventually reconciled, and Paul called for Mark’s help from prison in Rome. It adds both realism and promise to the Sign of Peace we give at Mass! 

Paul is still critical. He says, “Demas, enamored of the present world, has left me…. I have no one with me but Luke…. Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm… In fact, everyone abandoned me.” But for encouragement and hope, he looks to the “end time”: 

But the Lord stood by my side and gave me strength, so that through me the preaching task might be completed and all the nations might hear the Gospel.  

Paul continues: 

The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 

We know that Paul was only “rescued” by being taken from his prison to martyrdom—but that is the ultimate rescue and the greatest victory. We proclaim this during the Rite of Communion: “Happy are those who are invited to the wedding banquet of the Lamb!” Those who kill us just open the door to the party. There, forever and ever, “Your friends tell the glory of your kingship, Lord!” 

In Luke 10:1-9, we see already the themes of the “end time” that we celebrate in the Rite of Communion.   

• “The harvest is rich”: Jesus calls us to focus on the fruit of our labors. 

• “Ask the harvest master to send laborers”: We are consecrated as “stewards of his kingship” to work until the harvest is complete. 

• “As lambs in the midst of wolves”: There will be resistance. We may not see the fruit of our labors. We need faith and hope to persevere in love. 

• “Say, ‘Peace…’”: Jesus came to establish the “peace and unity” of his kingdom. We announce it and work for it. 

• “Say, ‘The reign of God is at hand.’” This was Jesus’ “headline proclamation.” It is the first and last line of the Good News. 

• This is both the background and the present focus of the Rite of Communion. We are “awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” And working to bring it about.  

Initiative: Look to the harvest. Labor in the vineyard. 

— Fr. David M. Knight

View today’s Mass readings, Lectionary #661, on the USCCB website here

Fr. David M. Knight (1931-2021) was a priest of the Diocese of Memphis in Tennessee, a prolific writer, and a highly sought after confessor, spiritual director, and retreat master. He authored more than 40 books and hundreds of articles that focus primarily on lay spirituality and life-long spiritual growth.