The Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist: A Devotional Commentary

Isaiah 53:5-8 But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, yet when he was afflicted he didn’t open his mouth. As a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and as a sheep that before its shearers is mute, so he didn’t open his mouth. He was taken away by oppression and judgment; and as for his generation,
who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living and stricken for the disobedience of my people?

2 Timothy 4:5-15 But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry. For I am already being offered, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing. Be diligent to come to me soon, or Demas left me, having loved this present world, and went to Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service. But I sent Tychicus to Ephesus. Bring the cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus when you come, and the books, especially the parchments. Alexander, the coppersmith, did much evil to me. The Lord will repay him according to his works, of whom you also must beware; for he greatly opposed our words.

Luke 10:1-9 Now after these things, the Lord also appointed seventy others, and sent them two by two ahead of him into every city and place, where he was about to come. Then he said to them, “The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send out laborers into his harvest. Go your ways. Behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. Carry no purse, nor wallet, nor sandals. Greet no one on the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house.’ If a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in that same house, eating and drinking the things they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Don’t go from house to house. Into whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat the things that are set before you. Heal the sick who are therein, and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God has come near to you.’

Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Luke the Evangelist. St. Luke was a physician and some say he was a Gentile. He left his vocation as physician to bring people the healing medicine of the Gospel of the Great Physician. He was a companion of Paul and was imprisoned for his confession of the faith and according to some accounts was crucified on an olive tree, truly bearing his cross.

St. Luke became an evangelist, he became a lamb among wolves. He healed the sick by bringing them the Gospel. He brought the peace of Christ to sinners. He brought them into the reign of God.

Our sickness is so bad that we don't even think we are sick. Other people might need the Physician but we don't. But through the waters of baptism we are united to the Physician. Through the Lord's Supper He gives us the healing medicine of His body and blood. Through the Words of Christ spoken through a pastor, Christ gives us His peace.