The Feast of Saint Luke the Evangelist

His life

+ According to ancient tradition, Luke was born in Syria and was a physician.

+ A companion of Saint Paul the Apostle, he was in Rome with Paul at the time of his

martyrdom. It is said that after Paul’s death, Luke traveled to Greece where he wrote his gospel

and the Acts of the Apostles.

+ In his writings, Saint Luke presents a Christian community of equals where all things are held

in common and shows us a Jesus who is a friend of sinners and outcasts (cf. Acts 2:42-44).

+ Saint Luke is believed to have died of natural causes around the year 84.

+ Honored as the patron of doctors and pharmacists, he is also celebrated as a patron of artists

because of an ancient tradition that he painted the first icon of the Madonna and Child.

For prayer and reflection:

“He carefully traced the whole story from the beginning and wrote his gospel,—so that we might

understand the truth of the teaching we had received.”—from The Liturgy of the Hours,

responsory from the Office of Readings for the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist

Spiritual bonus

On this day we also remember Saint Brothen and Saint Gwendolen. Nothing more than the

names of these medieval Welsh saints has come down to us. Saint Brothen is the patron saint of

Llanbrothen in Merionethshire. Gwendolen (or Gwen) has long been associated with

Dolwyddelen and Llanwyddelan in Montgomeryshire.

Prayer

Lord God, who chose Saint Luke

to reveal by his preaching and writings

the mystery of your love for the poor,

grant that those who already glory in your name

may persevere as one heart and one soul

and that all nations may merit to see your salvation.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

(from The Roman Missal)

Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.