Clergy Notes for the Feast of St. Luke — Sunday, October 18, 2020

We are delighted that Archbishop Melissa is able to be with us this Sunday, on Zoom and in church, as we celebrate the Feast of St. Luke, Evangelist and Beloved Physician.

Many are attracted to Luke’s Gospel by his skill in story-telling: he excels at painting word pictures. He highlights the humanity and compassion of Jesus, his concern for the poor and outcast. Women play a significant part in the narrative. In the tradition, Luke is also known as an artist, an icon-writer: there are several instances of icons of the Blessed Virgin Mary attributed to Luke; I have visited one on Malta.

In some of the Epistles we hear of Luke as a companion of St. Paul and at one point in Acts Luke, the author, includes himself in one of Paul’s journeys, “We put out to sea . . .”; indeed, it is Paul who refers to him as the Beloved Physician (Colossians 4.14). This is why Luke is the Patron Saint of the healing professions, alongside Raphael, the healing Archangel.

So on this St. Luke’s Day we give thanks and pray for all who work in the medical and healing professions, especially in this time of pandemic, and for all engaged in medical research, particularly those seeking a vaccine against Covid-19. We pray too for the Church’s ministry of healing and reconciliation.

St. Luke, Beloved Physician, pray for us!

Every blessing,

Fr Kevin

download the service booklet for Sunday, October 18: Liturgy at Home Feast of St Luke Oct 18 2020