- St. Luke (84). Apostle, Martyr, Patron or Patroness. Patron of doctors, painters, & sculptors. (Current, Traditional)
ST. LUKE, a physician at Antioch, and a painter, became a convert of St. Paul, and afterwards his fellow-laborer. He is best known to us as the historian of the New Testament. Though not an eyewitness of our Lord’s life, the Evangelist diligently gathered information from the lips of the Apostles, and wrote, as he tells us, all things in order. The Acts of the Apostles were written by this Evangelist as a sequel to his Gospel, bringing the history of the Church down to the first imprisonment of St. Paul at Rome. The humble historian never names himself, but by his occasional use of “we” for “they” we are able to detect his presence in the scenes which he describes. We thus find that he sailed with St. Paul and Silas from Troas to Macedonia; stayed behind apparently for seven years at Philippi, and, lastly, shared the shipwreck and perils of the memorable voyage to Rome. Here his own narrative ends, but from St. Paul’s Epistles we learn that St. Luke was his faithful companion to the end. He died a martyr’s death some time afterwards in Achaia.
REFLECTION: Christ has given all He had for thee; do thou give all thou hast for Him.
WORD OF THE DAY
SACRAMENTAL CHARACTER. The indelible sign imprinted on the soul when the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and the priesthood are received. This sign is indelible because it remains even in a person who may lose the state of grace or even the virtue of faith. It perdures at least until death and most likely into eternity. It is a sign because it signifies that the one baptized, confirmed, and ordained bears a special and unique relationship to Christ. It is a character because it permanently seals the person with a supernatural quality, comparable to the character that identifies each individual as a distinct personality. It is finally a character because it empowers the one who receives with the abilities that no one else possesses. In essence the sacramental character assimilates a person to the priesthood of Christ. From this primary function, secondary functions flow, in increasing order of sublimity, from baptism through confirmation to holy orders.
Modern Catholic Dictionary, Fr. John Hardon SJ (Get the real one at Eternal Life — don’t accept an abridged or edited version of this masterpiece!)
October, Month of the Rosary
Maria Magnificata. Short Meditations for October, the Month of the Rosary. 18th Day— Mary’s Life at Nazareth.
This article, OCTOBER 18, 2024 – ST. LUKE. is a post from The Bellarmine Forum.
https://bellarmineforum.org/october-18-2024-st-luke/
Do not repost the entire article without written permission. Reasonable excerpts may be reposted so long as it is linked to this page.