Luke 10: 1-9
Feast of Evangelist St. Luke
Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist. According to a pious tradition, St. Luke, a physician and artist, is believed to have painted the image of Mary, the Virgin Mother. However, Luke’s most authentic portrait of the Blessed Mother emerges from the pages of his Gospel. In those scenes of the Annunciation, the Visitation and the Magnificat, the Nativity, the Presentation of baby Jesus in the temple, life in the home of Nazareth, Jesus being lost in the temple, and the Pentecost – Luke draws a detailed picture of Mary’s life in faith, helping us to understand her role in God’s divine plan of salvation.
Luke’s work is a masterpiece on two grand canvases: the Gospel, which depicts the life and purpose of Jesus, and the Acts of the Apostles, a vivid portrayal of the early Church’s life and mission. Both show how God’s plan unfolds through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Today’s Gospel features Jesus sending out 70 disciples, and the number 70 holds symbolic significance in the Biblical context. When God tasked Moses with selecting leaders for the Israel camp, 70 individuals were chosen. The Sanhedrin, the highest council of Jewish religious leaders, comprised 70 members. Therefore, the 70 disciples represent the leadership of Jesus’ new community entrusted with the mission to spread the Good News to the world.
This mission cannot be done alone. Jesus sends his disciples in pairs, emphasizing the importance of community and mutual support in spreading the Gospel. However, their first mission is not about preaching or healing but praying— “to the Lord of the harvest to send workers to his harvest.”
Prayer helps us resist the temptation to depend on material resources but trust in God’s providence.
© Claretian Publications, Macau
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2024
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